As it happened: Politicians, Jewish leaders condemn suspected firebombing of Melbourne synagogue; Maggie Tabberer dies aged 87

That’s all we’ve got time for today folks. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend.

If you’re in the mood for something different as the weekend kicks off, we’re covering the test between Australia and India live. Virat Kohli has just been bowled for seven, leaving India at 3/77. Follow the live coverage here.

Early summer bayside mornings like this, Christmas on the way and a calm sea lazing beyond warming sand, are supposed to gladden the heart.

But gladness did not visit. This was a Melbourne day for a mourning and a struggle to celebrate a life gone too soon, too cruelly.

Grief and disbelief were written on the faces of the parade filing silently into Mentone Girls’ Grammar School’s great Prudence Lewty Hall.

Here, only a year ago, Bianca Jones was finishing her secondary schooling, preparing for university.

Now she was back only in body, a long hearse parked outside the school hall, waiting for the final movement of a tragedy.

Bianca Jones was farewelled at a service at Mentone Girls’ Grammar School on Friday.Credit: Joe Armao

Read the full article here.

Staying with the PM, Anthony Albanese has also responded to a new report from the Five Eyes multinational intelligence sharing network sounding the alarm about the threat of young people being radicalised by extremist online content, as authorities warn that Australian children as young as 12 are at risk of becoming terrorists.

“It is of concern Australia’s agencies tell us up to 20 per cent of the concerns that are raised for people being radicalised and potentially engage in harmful activity are very young people, some as young as 12,” Albanese said in Perth.

ASIO’s director-general of security Mike Burgess said he was alarmed by the rising number of young people being radicalised online.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“This is of concern. It is one of the issues, the radicalisation of youth, a lot of outreach occurs with community leaders, faith leaders and others. Parents need to be vigilant about these issues as well.”

Mike Burgess, the director-general of domestic spy agency ASIO, earlier said that about one in five of ASIO’s priority counter-terrorism cases now involve young people.

Read more here.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the firebombing of the Adass Israel synagogue in Ripponlea as a “shocking incident” and an attack on Australian values.

“It should be unequivocally condemned. There is no place in Australia for an outrage such as this. To attack a place of worship is an attack on Australian values. To attack a synagogue is an attack of antisemitism, is an attack on the right all Australians should have to practise their faith in peace.”

Speaking at a news conference in Perth, Albanese said he spoke to the president of the synagogue personally this morning.

Congregants comfort each other outside the synagogue on Friday morning.Credit: Simon Schluter

“He told me, as has the local MP Josh Burns, they engage in peaceful activity and provide support for each other. This is the heartland of the community.”

He noted Victoria Police are leading the investigation. “We know two people were seen spreading some sort of fluid to encourage a fire, and spreading it with brooms. There is CCTV footage that will be examined, the police will do their job.

“I’ve spoken with the head of the [Australian Federal Police]. All resources that are requested … will be available because it is important these people be held to account for what is a shocking crime.”

The prime minister was then asked if he believed there had been a rise in antisemitism.

“Antisemitism is something that has been around for a long period of time. It has been on the rise, we call it out whereever we see it,” he said

He had spoken to the government’s antisemitism envoy this morning, he said. “We’ve provided increased support, security, funding, for Jewish organisations.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced $475 million in financing to support the creation of Australia’s first integrated rare earths refinery in Perth – one of the first tranches of investment from the government’s Future Made in Australia fund.

The investment – in the form of loans to be repaid – will support 900 jobs in construction, and an additional 250 jobs when operating. China dominates the global rare earths industry, the government says, and this is a step towards competing.

“This is a really practical example of what we’re talking about when we say we want a future made here in Australia,” Albanese says.

“If we get this right – the move to net zero – we can be even more prosperous in the future. But it will take a government facilitating that private sector investment, which is what today’s announcement is about.”

“This is an investment in Australia’s future. One of the things we’re seeing happen around the world is in areas like rare earths and critical minerals, there is first mover advantage. We want to, unashamedly, get Australia moving down the track toward what industries will look like in one, two, three decades.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Perth today with the Minister for Resources, Madeleine King, and the Member for Pearce, Tracey Roberts, where they are holding a news conference at 2.30pm. You can watch live below.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon has sought to turn down the temperature on the domestic debate on antisemitism, arguing the Albanese government should not be held responsible for attacks on Jews in Australia.

A statement from the office of Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu overnight said Australia’s increasingly anti-Israel diplomatic positions would “invite more terrorism and more antisemitic riots at campuses and city centres, including in Australia”.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia, Amir Maimon.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

But Maimon played down the statement, noting it was drafted by the prime minister’s office and not attributed to the leader himself.

When asked about the relevance of the distinction, Maimon said he “didn’t want to get into it”.

The Coalition and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton have regularly accused Labor of turning a blind eye to rising rates of antisemitism and attacks on Jewish sites since the Hamas attacks on October 7 last year.

Maimon rejected the notion that the Australian government should be directly blamed.

“Well, I don’t hold the government, the Albanese government as responsible for the rise [in antisemitism],” he said.

“But I do urge the Albanese government to take all necessary actions and steps in order to uproot this ugly phenomenon and to make sure the Jewish people, whether they live in Canberra or in Melbourne and Sydney or elsewhere, will feel safe and secure.”

Hi there, Liam Mannix with you now for the afternoon. Here’s a look at the top stories we’ve covered this morning:

• There’s been a suspected firebombing of Melbourne’s Adass Israel synagogue. You can read live coverage here.
• Woolworths is in court trying to block the United Workers Union from blocking access to its distribution centre in Dandenong, as shelves across the state remain bare.
• And Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has accused Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of condoning the ostracising of the Jewish community in Australia following an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue.

Meanwhile, the PM will hold a news conference in Perth at 2.30pm – we’ll bring you live coverage here.

Australia’s first supermodel Maggie Tabberer has died aged 87. Maggie’s daughter, stylist and author Amanda Tabberer posted the news to her Instagram account today.

“This morning we lost our beautiful mother and Nanna,” the post says.

“She was an icon in every sense of the word and we will miss her dearly … Along with the rest of Australia. Rest in peace Nanna. We love you to bits forever.”

Maggie Tabberer has died aged 87.

Maggie gained international attention working with photographer Helmut Newton before becoming a television personality and two-time Gold Logie winner.

She worked at the Australian Women’s Weekly, launched the clothing label Maggie T and her 1998 autobiography Maggie, capturing her independent spirit, became a best seller.

Maggie died five days before her 88th birthday.

Read more on Maggie Tabberer’s life here.