News live: Australia announces new security deal with Solomon Islands; health authorities issue measles alert for parts of Sydney

Australia announces new security deal with Solomon Islands
Sarah Basford Canales
Australia has announced a new security deal with the Solomon Islands more than two years after the Pacific nation signed a controversial security agreement with China.
In a joint statement on Friday, Anthony Albanese said the support package would grow the size and capability of the Solomon Islands’ police force after a request by the prime minister, Jeremiah Manele.
The deal would include funding, training, and infrastructure support to grow the island’s police force in a “sustainable manner”, and included a new training centre in its capital, Honiara. The statement said:
This partnership is an investment in Solomon Islands, which will help unlock prosperity for more Solomon Islanders and establish a new foundation for our cooperation …
We look forward to implementing this partnership in a way that not only strengthens Solomon Islands’ domestic security, but also enhances its ability to contribute to regional stability.
Tensions between Australia and the Solomon Islands came to a head in the weeks before the 2022 federal election after it was revealed the Pacific nation had signed a security pact with China.
Albanese is due to hold a press conference on the announcement at Parliament House shortly.
Key events
Business NSW says it would take ‘years to recover’ from cancelled NYE fireworks
Business NSW says it would be a “disaster” for Sydney, the state of NSW and its “international brand” if the New Year’s Eve celebrations are cancelled.
In a statement, CEO Daniel Hunter said if the firework celebrations are cancelled “it would take us years to recover from this.”
This is the time when small and medium business owners, especially mum and dad business owners, make their money. This may push many businesses into bankruptcy – and we’ve seen enough bankruptcies this year as it is.
The union’s demand for 32% pay rise over four years is not sustainable and completely unreasonable. We urge the unions to let the people celebrate and give our state the much-needed lift it needs.
Hot conditions return to WA, expected to persist through to Monday
In more weather news, hot conditions have returned to Western Australia and are expected to persist through to Monday.
The Bureau of Meteorology said temperatures are up to 10C above average and could reach 15C above average in the south-west on Sunday and Monday.
Perth is forecast to reach a maximum of 35C today, 38C tomorrow and 41C on Sunday and Monday – before dropping back to a maximum of 29C on Tuesday.
There are elevated fire dangers in the south, and dry thunderstorms possible for the west, the Bureau said.
Very hot conditions have returned to #WA. Temps are up to 10°C above average & could reach 15°C above average in the south-west on Sunday & Monday. Elevated fire dangers are forecast for the south. Dry thunderstorms are possible for western parts.
Latest: https://t.co/4W35o8i7wJ pic.twitter.com/Fn6JjY0Z0u— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) December 20, 2024
Cool change to move through Victoria today
The Bureau of Meteorology says a cool change is moving through Victoria today, due in Melbourne around 5pm and the eastern districts tomorrow morning.
Temperatures will drop 10-15C with the change, the bureau said, with a milder weekend ahead.
Melbourne is forecast to reach a top of 34C today, dropping back to a maximum of 21C over the weekend and 19C on Monday.
Climate Council lashes government decision to expand four coalmines
The Climate Council says that the government’s approval of four coalmine expansions “locks in decades of climate pollution and flies in the face of science”.
In a statement, Professor Lesley Hughes said the atmosphere “doesn’t care if this coal is for steel or power – it’s all heating our planet and driving climate pollution.”
Burning coal fuels the climate crisis, worsening bushfires, floods and heatwaves that devastate our communities. This decision flies in the face of science, common sense, global responsibility and our duty to protect our kids’ future …
This decision is a clear example of how Australia’s broken environment laws fail to protect the environment from its biggest threat: climate change. Currently, they don’t require projects to account for their climate pollution, allowing coal and gas giants to open more polluting projects without accountability. Addressing this blind spot by strengthening our environmental laws could stop this, but the Albanese government seems to have all but given up on these critical reforms.
Earlier, the energy and climate change minister, Chris Bowen, defended the expansions by stating the mines were for “metallurgical coal, coal that gets used for steelmaking”.
Canavan cites ‘insanity’ of net zero emissions targets as he farewells Nationals MP from politics
Nationals senator Matt Canavan has issued a statement after Nationals backbencher Keith Pitt announced he would retire from politics.
As we reported earlier, Pitt cited concerns about the Coalition’s commitment to net zero emissions targets. In his statement, Canavan wrote:
Keith and I were first elected in 2013. Over the 11 years since, Keith has been a warrior for the rural communities and industries that sustain our nation …
Keith has also been one of a few lonely voices calling out the insanity of our net zero emissions target. Every day that Australia loses more manufacturing jobs and gets higher energy prices vindicates Keith’s position.
Last month, senior Coalition figures rejected a push from the backbench to rethink its net zero targets. You can read more context on this below:
Experts appointed to review VCAA after exam errors
The Victorian government has appointed experts to lead a review of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), and conduct independent monitoring, in the wake of this year’s exam errors.
The deputy premier and education minister Ben Carroll today announced the appointment of Dr Yehudi Blacher as lead reviewer and Margaret Crawford as the independent monitor.
In a statement, Carroll said Blacher and Crawford would operate in tandem and “leave no stone unturned” to provide full confidence to Victorian students, families and schools.
Blacher will lead a team of specialist experts to conduct a comprehensive organisational review “of all elements of the exam authority’s structure and operations”, plus the production issues that affected the 2024 exams.
Crawford will oversee all aspects of exam preparation, management and production.
More on whether Sydney’s NYE fireworks could be shut down
AAP has further details on earlier news Sydney’s NYE fireworks could be shut down, if planned industrial action brings the nation’s biggest rail network to a grinding halt on its busiest night of the year.
The state government plans to argue the industrial action could cause a risk to public safety on New Year’s Eve.
State transport minister Jo Haylen poured scorn on the union’s portrayal that work bans were a means of getting the government back to the negotiating table, and told reporters:
They say, ‘well, let’s talk about it’. But the fact is unless you agree with them, there’s no end point.
New Year’s Eve is the busiest day on Australia’s largest rail network as millions of people are shuttled around Sydney Harbour and elsewhere in the city for the fireworks and other celebrations.
Some 3,200 services run about every five minutes “to get people in and out safely”, Haylen said
Unions continue to demand four annual wage increases of 8%, which premier Chris Minns has said is unaffordable and could not occur while he is denying nurses a similar claim. The government previously offered 11% across three years, including superannuation increases.
Abbott says Deeming vote a ‘contemptible failure to act with honour and decency’
Former prime minister Tony Abbott says it is a “shameful result” that Moira Deeming was not returned to the Victorian Liberal party room following this morning’s vote.
In a post to X, Abbott wrote:
A shameful result from the Victorian Liberal party room. How can someone elected as a Liberal be expelled on the basis of a lie and not be readmitted once the truth is there for all to see? Especially right before Christmas, the season of goodwill, this is a truly contemptible failure to act with honour and decency.
You can read the full story on this from Benita Kolovos below:
Measles alert for Sydney’s inner west
NSW Health has issued an alert for measles cases in Sydney’s inner west, advising people to be on alert for symptoms. A European tourist travelled to Australia after visiting Vietnam, where there is an ongoing measles outbreak, and visited several inner west locations while infectious. This includes:
Wednesday 11 December:
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Flight JQ62 from Ho Chi Minh City landing in Sydney at 11.45am
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Sydney Airport international terminal from 11.45am-2pm
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Bus route 420 from Airport terminal to Arncliffe fire station from 1.30-2.30pm
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Bus route 422 from Arncliffe fire station to Parramatta Road/Victoria Park from 1.30-2.30pm
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Light rail L1/L2 from Haymarket to Circular Quay station from 6.30-7.30pm
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Laneway Cinema at The Rocks from 7.00-9.45pm
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Light Rail L2/3 from Circular Quay station to Haymarket from 9.15-10.15pm
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7-Eleven Haymarket (Capital Square, George Street) from 9.30-10.15pm
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Bus Route 431 from Haymarket to Glebe Point Road from 9.45pm-10.45pm
Thursday 12 December:
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330 Wattle St, Ultimo, from 9am-4pm
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Bus route 370 from Glebe Point Road to King Street, Newtown from 3.30-4.30pm
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Bus route 352 from King Street, Newtown to Redfern from 3.30-4.30pm
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Harris Farm Redfern from 4-4.45pm
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Bus route 352 from Redfern to King Street from 4.15-5.15pm
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Bus route 370 from King Street, Newtown to Glebe Point Road from 4.15-5.15pm
Sunday 15 December and Monday 16 December:
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Leichhardt Medical and Dental Centre, 30-38 Short Street, Leichhardt, from 4.30-6.30pm on Sunday and from 7.30am-9.30pm on Monday.
The Sydney LHD clinical director of public health, Dr Leena Gupta, said these locations posed no ongoing risk but people who visited should monitor for symptoms including fever, sore eyes and a cough, followed three or four days later by a red, blotchy rash.
It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it’s important for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms up until 3 January.

Ben Smee
Kira Korolev case adjourned until March
The barrister representing a Russian-born woman accused of espionage-related offences has foreshadowed a potential bail application if the case is subject to further delays.
Kira Korolev, a former Australian defence force information systems technician, and her husband, Igor, were arrested in July and charged with one count of “preparing for an espionage offence”.
The Brisbane magistrates court heard today that the case against the pair involved a large volume of “material that was found on a number of devices was in a foreign language”.
A brief of evidence was disclosed by the commonwealth director of public prosecutions on Tuesday, but that did not include some material. The court heard the primary cause of significant delays was the need for translations. The case has been adjourned until March.
A barrister representing Korolev, appearing via telephone from Sydney, told the court there was probably “very little that can be done” regarding the delays but that his client had been in custody since July.
I am concerned and no doubt the court would be concerned that my client was arrested in July of this year. The delay is quite significant, my client is in custody, it’s a difficult situation. I’m not in a position to make a bail application but it’s probably looking more on the cards if there’s going to be continual delays.

Andrew Messenger
Queensland childcare worker found not guilty of computer hacking over child abuse case
A childcare centre manager who alerted police to one of Australia’s worst child sexual abusers has been found not guilty of computer hacking for using a restricted computer to inform the media.
Yolanda Borucki worked at the same Uniting church childcare centre as Ashley Griffith in 2021. She helped report him to authorities that year, but police and the centre rejected the allegations after an investigation.
Magistrate Kerrie O’Callaghan found Borucki not guilty of computer hacking for using a restricted computer without consent and causing detriment to the church worth more than $5,000.
Borucki was charged just days after appearing on A Current Affair, and had allegedly used the Uniting church computer to share private information about the investigation with Channel 9.
PM ends press conference with Christmas message
Wrapping up the press conference, Anthony Albanese gave a message ahead of Christmas and the end of the year:
Can I wish everyone a very merry Christmas. I note that I have now done the same number of press conferences in the press gallery in Canberra today as Peter Dutton has done in the last six months.
I thank you for the work that you do in holding government and opposition to account, and I wish you a very peaceful and happy Christmas. And for those of you of faith, I wish you a holy Christmas. As well as those of the Christian faith, it is an important time for people in the Jewish community as well, happy Hanukkah is coming up.
And I tell everyone, regardless of whether you are of faith or no faith, or whatever faith you have, this is a time when the road toll goes up every year – so please, drive safely. Enjoy the break.
PM did not discuss coalmine extensions during call with Pacific leader
Q: Some groups in the Pacific are voicing displeasure at the recent decision to approve extensions of coal mines throughout Queensland to New South Wales – was that something you discussed on the phone call with PM Manele today?
Anthony Albanese responded: “No.”
‘We expect that to continue’: PM on Chinese presence in Solomon Islands
Back to the security deal with the Solomon Islands that has just been announced, the PM was asked whether there was any guarantee for the Chinese presence to be removed and if there was a timeline.
Anthony Albanese said the Solomon Islands was a “sovereign nation” and had some measures in place, and “we expect that to continue”.
But we also expect that as a result of this agreement, what we have done is make sure that Australia remains a security partner of choice, as prime minister Manele has said.
What was the risk that China could have been a partner of choice for the Solomons? Albanese responded that he was focused on “our relationship with the Pacific family”.