Australia news LIVE: More aid for Gaza announced after Harbour Bridge protest; evacuation warnings issued after NSW flooding

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6.48am

TikTok ads drive defence enrolment surge

By Matthew Knott

Advertising on computer games and social media platforms like TikTok has helped drive the biggest surge in Defence Force recruitment in 15 years, a major turnaround that the federal government says has put the military on track to achieve ambitious growth targets.

The Australian Defence Force has been plagued by a recruitment and retention crisis in recent years, but in the past financial year, the military enlisted 7059 permanent personnel, the highest annual intake since 2009.

The full-time ADF workforce has now reached 61,189, slightly below its authorised strength of 62,700 permanent members but significantly up on previous estimates.

More than 75,000 people applied to join the ADF in the past year, the highest number in five years and a 28 per cent increase on the previous year.

6.45am

Israeli minister triggers condemnation after praying at flashpoint holy site

A far-right Israeli minister has visited and prayed at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, triggering regional condemnation and fears that the provocative move could further escalate tensions.

The visit on Sunday came as hospitals in Gaza said 33 more Palestinians seeking aid were killed by Israeli fire.

Itamar Ben-Gvir (shown here in 2024) has made repeated visits to the site, considered the most sacred in Judaism.

Photos and videos showed Itamar Ben-Gvir leading Jewish prayers at the compound, which is known by Jews as the Temple Mount, in the walled Old City of occupied East Jerusalem.

The hillside area is the most sacred site in Judaism and was home to the ancient biblical temples. Muslims call the site the Noble Sanctuary. Today, it is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third-holiest site in Islam.

What’s making news today

By Daniel Lo Surdo

Hello and welcome to the national news live blog. My name is Daniel Lo Surdo, and I’ll be helming our live coverage this morning.

Here’s what is making news today:

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has committed a further $20 million to the Gaza humanitarian response one day after some 90,000 pro-Palestine protesters walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to demand an end to a worsening crisis in the Middle East. It takes Australia’s total contribution to $130 million, and will support humanitarian organisations to provide food and medical supplies.
Evacuation warnings have been issued in the NSW Hunter and Mid North Coast region amid major flooding on the Peel and Namoi Rivers. The flooding has prompted emergency warnings for parts of Gunnedah and Raymond Terrace after inundation occurred in areas adjacent to the river. The NSW State Emergency Service said they had responded to 18 flood rescues on Sunday night, with about 1500 volunteers activated.
The Australian sharemarket is expected to slide after Wall Street suffered its worst day since May after President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on US trading partners. Trump left trade penalties on Australian goods at its previously announced 10 per cent rate, and pushed back the beginning date to August 7, adding increasing uncertainty to the global trade picture.