Attorneys general meet to discuss antisemitism, online hate
Josh Butler
State and federal attorneys general will meet in Sydney on Friday, with antisemitism and online hate at the top of the agenda. For the first 2026 meeting of the Standing Council of Attorneys-General (SCAG), the group will discuss protecting Australians from the spread of hate, the federal attorney general, Michelle Rowland, said.
Antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal and the eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, will present briefings to the group. SCAG will discuss rising antisemitism in Australia, which Rowland’s office said needed “a coordinated and sustained response”, including in fighting hate via social media.
“There is no place in Australia for hatred of any kind – online or offline,” Rowland said.
Online platforms play a significant role in the prevalence and spread of hateful content – a borderless challenge that demands coordinated national action.
Segal said antisemitism was becoming “more organised, more visible and more harmful”, requiring responses in law, education and enforcement.
Inman Grant said the eSafety office was looking at online hate.
“I am also pleased to have the opportunity to canvass a range of aligned, systemic and individual redress initiatives that could further target the perpetuation of this caustic and corrosive content, and provide education and training for Jewish community leaders and educators,” she said.
Key events
Trade minister Don Farrell says Trump’s 10% tariffs ‘unjustified’
Trade minister Don Farrell is speaking to RN Breakfast about Donald Trump’s 10% tariffs on Australian goods.
Farrell is in America to meet with his US counterpart, Jamieson Greer, where he will argue for the tariffs to be removed as he believes they do not benefit either country. He told RN:
We don’t think it was justified in the first place. …
My argument to my counterpart tomorrow will be that we want these tariffs removed. Firstly, because it’s in Australia’s interest to have them removed, because it simply pushes up the price of our product in the United States, but it also pushes up the cost of living for ordinary Americans.
Farrell added that “obviously, America is a very important ally for Australia, but they have to honour the terms of our agreement, just as we did with China”.
I think as time goes by, it will be increasingly clear to the American government that the actions they’ve taken has taken them down the wrong track, and that’s what I intend to do.
Remains found in Tasmania provisionally identified as Celine Cremer, missing Belgian hiker
Tasmania police confirmed this morning remains found near the state’s Philosopher Falls last month have been provisionally identified as those of missing Belgian tourist Celine Cremer.
Cremer, who was 31, disappeared in June 2023 after heading to an ancient rainforest for a hike.
Police said expert reports had provided “compelling evidence” that the remains were likely hers, extending their condolences to her family.
“While this provisional confirmation will not ease their loss, we hope the outcome will provide them with some measure of clarity and closure,” Nathan Johnston, a commander with Tasmania police, said.
We want to thank community members for their ongoing support and interest in Celine’s case, and I want to acknowledge the extensive efforts of search and rescue personnel, partner agencies and volunteers who dedicated significant time and resources during the many search phases,
A report is being prepared for the coroner, who will officially identify the remains.
Rowland says today’s meting reflects need for coordination between all states and territories
Michelle Rowland, the attorney general, said the meeting today will focus on online hate and that it is important all states and territories work together in coordination to better protect Australians.
Rowland told RN Breakfast:
It was very important for states to bring forward not only initiatives that they wanted to focus on, but how we can renew our shared commitment to protect all Australians from the spread of hate, regardless of where they live.
All states are looking at ways in which they can keep their citizens safe and it’s important we do this in a coordinated way.
Rowland went on to speak about key proposals after the Bondi attack, including a national gun buyback program. Some states and territories have resisted the scheme but Rowland said there remained “widespread community support” for it.
We have established a national gun buyback scheme that’s going to purchase surplus or newly banned or illegal firearms. And it’s going to be the largest buyback since the Howard government.
Attorneys general meet to discuss antisemitism, online hate
Josh Butler
State and federal attorneys general will meet in Sydney on Friday, with antisemitism and online hate at the top of the agenda. For the first 2026 meeting of the Standing Council of Attorneys-General (SCAG), the group will discuss protecting Australians from the spread of hate, the federal attorney general, Michelle Rowland, said.
Antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal and the eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, will present briefings to the group. SCAG will discuss rising antisemitism in Australia, which Rowland’s office said needed “a coordinated and sustained response”, including in fighting hate via social media.
“There is no place in Australia for hatred of any kind – online or offline,” Rowland said.
Online platforms play a significant role in the prevalence and spread of hateful content – a borderless challenge that demands coordinated national action.
Segal said antisemitism was becoming “more organised, more visible and more harmful”, requiring responses in law, education and enforcement.
Inman Grant said the eSafety office was looking at online hate.
“I am also pleased to have the opportunity to canvass a range of aligned, systemic and individual redress initiatives that could further target the perpetuation of this caustic and corrosive content, and provide education and training for Jewish community leaders and educators,” she said.
Banks’ cheaper mortgages pushing up the cash rate, RBA research finds
Luca Ittimani
The Reserve Bank will be forced to keep the cash rate higher than it would have before the Covid pandemic because the banks have cut costs to offer cheaper mortgages, according to new RBA research.
Intense competition between banks has produced a cheap loan market, which banks have funded in part by skimping on customers’ savings accounts interest rates, the research suggests.
Banks now fund almost half of their lending with savers’ at-call deposits, up from 30% in 2011, researchers Sarah Jennison, Josh Spiller and Peter Wallis found. This has helped cut banks’ lending costs to their lowest levels since the global financial crisis, in part because, post-pandemic, banks did not lift the interest paid on those savings by as far as the RBA lifted the official cash rate.
At the same time, banks have competed for mortgage customers by offering lower rates and bigger cashbacks and discounts, the analysts found.
The average outstanding variable rate in December was about 5.5%, while the cash rate was 3.5%. In 2019, the same typical home loan rate was about 4% but the cash was about 1% – implying banks’ profit margin on home loans has shrunk.
With mortgage rates now lower compared with the cash rate, the so-called “neutral” level of the cash rate has automatically become higher, the researchers found. That implies the RBA now has to keep the cash rate higher than it would have pre-pandemic to enable the same level of lending growth.
Lending surged after just three rate cuts in 2025, adding to inflationary pressures and surprising the RBA, according to its deputy governor Andrew Hauser. This research helps solve part of that puzzle.
Good morning
Hello, and happy Friday. Nick Visser here to guide you through the morning’s news. Here’s what’s on deck:
In Sydney today, a meeting of state and federal attorneys general will address antisemitism and online hate.
In global news, high-stakes talks between the US and Iran over the future of Tehran’s nuclear program have ended with the Omani mediators claiming that “significant progress” – though observers found the brevity of Thursday’s second session ominous.
And Coles is in the spotlight again as it reveals its next set of profit results this morning, after spending the week defending allegations it misled shoppers during a marketing campaign.
We’ll have more soon.
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