New South Wales Police Minister Yasmin Catley has defended the state's gun buyback scheme after 150 applications were lodged in its first hours. Bookings opened on Monday, and the government plans to remove up to 274,000 firearms from the community. Catley said fewer guns in circulation would make the community safer, pointing to firearms stolen across the state. Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane has criticised the scheme, arguing it focuses too heavily on licensed owners rather than illegal guns used by organised criminals.
Australian fashion label Shona Joy will close after 26 years in business, founder Shona Thatcher has announced. Ms Thatcher told staff of the decision on Monday, saying she wants to spend more time with her family at their Byron Bay home. She started the label in 2000, selling designs at Bondi Beach and Paddington markets. She said the business was not closing due to financial stress. The label will continue operating until January, and staff will receive their entitlements.
A three-metre mirrored sculpture by artist Paul Ewart is installed on the Bondi clifftops as part of Sculpture by the Sea. Titled Both Sides Now, the work uses the ancient Roman god Janus to explore polarisation and the loss of middle ground. Made from nearly 400 mirror-polished steel plates, the 260-kilogram piece has two faces looking in opposite directions. Ewart also holds a solo exhibition at QT Bondi, where he is artist-in-residence. Both Sides Now can be seen until November 2.
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Firearms licence holders in NSW can now book through the Gun Safe portal to surrender eligible guns and ammunition for compensation. The scheme officially starts on 2 November and is expected to see up to 274,000 firearms returned in the state. It follows the Bondi Beach terror attack earlier this year, in which 15 people were killed. Only Sutherland and Penrith police stations take bookings in the first phase, with more stations opening later in November and in 2027. Police Minister Yasmin Catley said fewer guns in the community mean a safer community.
Tesla has scrapped plans to produce the Cybertruck electric pickup for Australia and New Zealand. In a letter sent to customers, the company said it would refund local deposit holders and offer a free one-year Full Self Driving subscription to buyers who order a Model 3 or Model Y. The Cybertruck has been removed from Tesla's Australian website. Tesla Australia took $150 deposits from interested buyers in 2019, but reservations closed in 2022. Sales of the vehicle in the United States have fallen since deliveries began in late 2023.
Former Israeli hostage Daniella Gilboa has sent a message of support to people affected by the Bondi Beach terror attack. She said she felt a connection with survivors and victims' families after visiting the temporary menorah memorial at Archer Park. Ms Gilboa, who was held for 477 days before her release in January 2025, is in Australia to perform at the SHIR Australian Jewish Music Festival. The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion is due to deliver its final report on December 18, four days after the anniversary of the attack.
Reports of antisemitic incidents in Canberra doubled over the last financial year, ACT Policing data shows. ACT Policing received 73 reports, up from 37 the previous year, including displays, graffiti, posters, stickers and comments. Chief Police Officer Scott Lee said each report was assessed and actioned. Overall police attendances fell 7 per cent to 48,192 incidents, while family violence-related assaults made up 43 per cent of assaults. Police complaints fell to 61 from 107.
The Garage Sale Trail, Australia's biggest second-hand festival, is holding its final edition in Port Stephens. Residents can register their own garage sales and use a national map to find sales nearby during the 7-8 and 14-15 November weekends. Since starting in Bondi Beach in 2010, the event has grown across the country with support from more than 120 councils. Organisers say four million people have taken part, raising more than $52 million. Expressions of interest are open for a new organisation to take over the event.
Buyers at the upper end of the property market are increasingly seeking homes that express individuality, with built-in gallery features such as high walls, track lighting and reinforced floors. Bondi Beach artist Paul Ewart says his three-level home doubles as a studio and staging ground for an upcoming residency at QT Bondi and a sculpture exhibited at Sculpture by the Sea 2026. Balmain artist Lara Scolari works in a purpose-built studio on her home's lower level.
NSW Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane has told gun owners who do not want to surrender their firearms to hold on to them. She vowed to scrap key elements of the state's gun buyback scheme if the Liberals win government in the March election. The Shooters Union has urged gun owners to boycott the scheme. Phase one, due to start in two weeks, offers between $450 and $1000 to licence holders who are above the new legal limit. Sloane said the focus should be on illegal firearms held by organised criminals and terrorists instead.
The NSW police watchdog has begun hearings into police actions at a February protest in Sydney against a visit by Israeli president Isaac Herzog. The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission has received more than 800 complaints. Counsel assisting said no findings have been made. Case studies include an elderly couple hit with pepper spray and a young woman who had seizures after being sprayed. The commission will hold private hearings for five weeks before public hearings begin, then deliver a final report to parliament.
NSW's joint state and Commonwealth gun buyback opens on 2 November. Owners who hold more firearms than the new 4- or 10-gun limits allow are eligible for payments of $1000 for revolvers and $850 for semi-automatic handguns and double-barrel shotguns. Dealers can access grants of up to $25,000. A second phase, with compensation for eligible firearms valued above $3000, is planned for early 2027. The Opposition Leader, Kellie Sloane, has pledged to freeze the buyback and scrap ownership limits for farmers if elected in March, pending a commission of inquiry.
A Sydney man who made death threats to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after the Bondi Beach attack has avoided jail. Gregory William Tait, 44, of Greystanes, pleaded guilty to two charges of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence. Acting Judge Timothy Keady sentenced him to a two-year good behaviour bond. Tait apologised for his behaviour, saying he had been drinking, taking sleeping pills and grieving his father's death. The judge said politicians should be able to do their jobs without such threats.
Firearms manufacturer Jeff Bacon will be second on One Nation's upper house ticket in New South Wales. He wants the state's post-Bondi gun laws repealed, saying every rifle his Tamworth company makes has been banned in the state. Bacon said his business faces collapse because of the reforms. Gun reforms passed in December limit recreational licence holders and include a federal buyback scheme. A Resolve poll in September found 63 per cent of voters supported the reforms, while 33 per cent of One Nation voters opposed them.
Kiama woman Judi Sandilands-Cincotta and her therapy dog Ollie have been named among 15 finalists for the inaugural Australia's Kindest Person Awards. Judi, a former mental health nurse, volunteered with Ollie at Bondi Beach after the attacks there. Since then they have visited schools, courts, hospitals and libraries across the region to offer comfort. Teachers at Lake Illawarra High School nominated Judi for her work supporting young people's mental health. The winners will be announced on 13 November at a gala night at Dreamworld Resort, with the winner receiving $25,000 to donate to a charity of their choice.
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Melbourne punk band Amyl and the Sniffers will headline the Golden Hour festival at Bondi Beach on March 4. The band will be joined by rapper BARKAA and post-punk group Xiao Xiao. Organisers have returned the $99.90 Affordability ticket, aimed at making the event more accessible. Eligible concession, healthcare, pension, seniors and veteran cardholders, students and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can access discounted entry. Waverley area residents will have a dedicated locals presale. General ticket sales open at noon on Thursday, October 22.
Barnaby Joyce has accused Josh Frydenberg of plotting to return to politics and take over the Liberal Party. Joyce said Frydenberg's actions were 'very bad for Angus Taylor’s health' and urged him to 'cut the BS'. Frydenberg, who lost his seat in 2022, has hinted at a possible return, citing the need for better leadership in the party. Taylor welcomed Frydenberg's potential support for the party's economic plans.
Jetour T1 and T2 mid-size SUVs have been spotted testing in Australia, with both expected to be the first models offered by the Chery Group brand when it launches here in 2027. Photos sent by a reader show the camouflaged vehicles parked at Bondi Beach. Jetour will be run separately from other Chery Group brands in Australia. The larger F700 ute and G700 off-road SUV are not expected until the second half of 2027 at the earliest.
Secret extra hearings will be held by the anti-Semitism royal commission to examine Australia's counter-terrorism, intelligence and law enforcement agencies before the Bondi attack. Commissioner Virginia Bell said the sessions will be closed to the public because of the sensitivity of the evidence and to avoid prejudice to national security and ongoing criminal proceedings. The hearings will review the security environment, how intelligence about individuals was shared, security arrangements for the Chanukah by the Sea event, and counter-terrorism resourcing.
