Weekly Wrap Up – 12 December 2025
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I’m writing this introduction on the National Day of Mourning for the victims of the 2025 Bondi Beach Shooting, and it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge its significance and to pass on my thoughts and prayers for those impacted and to the wider Jewish community in Australia.
The Jewish community are a truly wonderful part of the fabric of our nation. From the wonderful values they embody, to the people they have produced; Isaac Isaacs, our first Australian born Governor General and Sir John Monash to name a few; the Jewish community is, and will always be, a pivotal force for good. To me, antisemitism is as nonsensical as it is abhorrent; a sad relic of the past which has absolutely no place in our present, no matter what the justification.
The rise of antisemitism and its evil embodiment in the 2025 Bondi Beach Shooting has dominated politics so far this year. The Prime Minister’s initial response to events was viewed as hesitant and lacking urgency – exposing him and the Government more widely to intense pressure, not just from the public, but from within its own ranks and from influential external voices as well, including former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. In response to this pressure, the Government agreed to a Royal Commission into Anti-Semitism, led by former High Court Justice Virginia Bell, and drafted a legislative response in the form of the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism Bill 2026 (the Bill). Parliament was recalled this week to debate the measures.
The Bill initially looked unlikely to pass the Senate, with the Coalition set to oppose the firearms control component, and the Greens ready to oppose the measures to curb hate speech and antisemitism. To his credit, the Prime Minister moved quickly, agreeing to split the original bill, separating the firearms measures from those designed to curb hate speech. The Government also agreed to amend the racial vilification provisions, softening them to secure support. While the reforms will briefly steady the ship, the Royal Commission will, quite rightly, continue to loom over the political agenda this year.
The Coalition once again made themselves the main focus, post the debate, with the three Nationals MPs who crossed the floor to vote against the amended hate speech Bill. They were subsequently sacked from the Shadow Cabinet by the Leader, Sussan Ley. This precipitated the mass resignation of all Nationals MPs and Senators from the Shadow Cabinet, ending the Coalition agreement. Sadly, this development dominated debate in the media on a day when we should have all been reflecting on the tragic events of last year and the role we can play in ending antisemitism.
Please note, this is a special edition of the Weekly Wrap Up. This publication will recommence on Friday 6 February.
Top talking points
Parliament Sits: Parliament convened this week to debate hate speech and gun laws, in the wake of the 2025 Bondi Beach Shooting.
Condolence Motions: Parliamentarians delivered emotional condolence motions for the victims and families impacted by the 2025 Bondi Beach Shooting.
Nationals Exodus: Coalition tensions deepened as all Nationals quit the Shadow Ministry, with David Littleproud announcing a formal split from the Coalition.
Liberal Review: An internal review of the 2025 election loss has been delayed after Peter Dutton claimed parts of the report were defamatory towards him and his staff, prompting legal concerns and a party legal review.
Polling: Newspoll shows Labor’s two-party-preferred lead over the Coalition narrowed to 55–45, down from 58–42 in November last year. One Nation’s primary vote rose to 22 per cent, while the Coalition’s slipped to 21 per cent.
Making headlines
Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion
Parliamentary Wrap
The Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Criminal and Migration Laws) Bill 2026 passed the Senate with Liberal support, despite Nationals opposition. After securing Sussan Ley’s amendment – including broadening the definition of “hate preacher,” requiring two yearly JICIS reviews and consulting the opposition on listing and delisting hate groups – the Bill empowers the Home Affairs Minister, on ASIO advice, to ban hate organisations such as neo Nazi groups and Hizb ut Tahrir, increases penalties for hate preachers and expands visa cancellation powers for extremists. A companion Bill, the Combatting Antisemitism, Hate and Extremism (Firearms and Customs Laws) Bill 2026, passed with Greens support but was opposed by the Coalition. It establishes a national gun buyback, bans imports of certain firearms and high capacity magazines, restricts items such as silencers and speed loaders, abolishes open ended import permits and tightens background checks, drawing on ASIO and ACIC intelligence via AusCheck.
Unemployment, AML/CTF Reforms, OECD Survey Updates
Unemployment fell to 4.1 per cent in December, with the number of employed people up 65,000. Additionally, the underemployment rate fell by 0.5 per cent to 5.7 per cent.
Tony Burke is set to postpone[paywall] aspects of new AML/CTF reforms, including due diligence obligations and to stagger the deadline for evaluating compliance programs. New rules are expected to be released to ease the transition.
The OECD’s latest survey in Australia reveals that while the economy is normalising, challenges remain, including slow productivity growth, housing affordability, and high carbon emissions. It also recommends broadening the GST and easing land use restrictions to allow for denser housing.
US Ambassador and Board of Peace Developments
Kevin Rudd will step down as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States at the end of March 2026. Potential successors include Joel Fitzgibbon, Stephen Conroy, Defence Secretary Greg Moriarty and career diplomat Justin Hayhurst.
Donald Trump has invited Anthony Albanese to join his proposed “Board of Peace” to advance discussions on the ceasefire in Gaza. Albanese has confirmed receiving the invitation but has yet to formally respond.
Gas Reservation, Critical Minerals, Eraring Power Station, and Solar Panel Recycling Moves
The Federal Government will require east coast gas producers to reserve between 15 and 25 per cent of their production for domestic use. Design of the scheme will be developed in consultation with industry, to commence the scheme in 2027.
The Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve’s initial focus will include antimony, gallium, and rare earth elements. Madeleine King argued that critical minerals and rare earth elements are essential for clean energy, high technology manufacturing, and advanced military equipment.
The New South Wales Government extended the closure of Eraring Power Station to April 2029. The decision follows advice from the Australian Energy Market Operator that its 2027 closure risked blackouts in New South Wales, noting that equipment needed to keep the grid secure was unlikely to be installed in time.
Murray Watt announced a pilot national solar panel recycling program to reduce landfill and improve the recovery of valuable materials from end-of-life panels. The Government will provide $24.7 million over three years to establish up to 100 pilot collection sites.
Housing Approvals, Social Media Ban, and New South Wales Updates
4.7 million accounts held by under-16s have been deactivated, removed, or restricted since the ban began in December last year.
Housing building approvals in Australia reached their highest level in four years, rising more than 20 per cent in the year to January 2025, driven by increased high-density apartment construction.
Similarly, New South Wales recorded its highest housing completion numbers in five years, with over 13,000 homes completed from July to September 2025.
Ozempic and Wegovy, PBS, and Cancer Nurses Developments
The Australian Government will list GLP-1 medications on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, following advice from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. The government is set to begin price negotiations with Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Ozempic and Wegovy.
Medicines listed on the PBS have been capped at $25 for general patients. Additionally, 1800MEDICARE and the Medicare Mental Health Check officially launched. In education, the 3 Day Guarantee for early learning commenced for families eligible for the Child Care Subsidy.
The Cancer Nurse Service will receive a $213 million investment from the Australian Cancer Nursing and Navigation Program, supporting the recruitment of 100 cancer nurses over five years from 2027–28 through the McGrath Foundation.