Bondi Beach terror suspect charged, NSW gun reform, ANZ AGM

Authorities have charged the alleged surviving gunman with 59 offenses

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At this time of the year, most of us are wrapping up work and getting ready for the holidays — but not New South Wales state politicians. Parliament will return next week to pass urgent gun reforms following Sunday's terror attack at Bondi Beach. The new laws will look at capping the number of firearms and reclassifying shotguns, among other measures. We'll bring you the latest as it unfolds. In corporate news, ANZ will hold its annual general meeting at 9 a.m., where CEO Nuno Matos is sure to face questions about past failures at the bank. - Carmeli Argana, Australian stocks reporter What's happening now The latest on the Bondi shooting: Australian authorities charged the surviving gunman in Sydney Hanukkah attack that killed 15 with 59 offenses, including murder and terrorism. Parliament will reconvene on Dec. 22-23 to "ensure there's unambiguous laws in place when it comes to public safety," NSW Premier Chris Minns said Wednesday. Mourners gather near the site of the mass shooting at Bondi Beach on Monday. Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg Meanwhile, Philippine officials rejected reports that the father and son pair accused of the shootings received training during their visit last month and pushed back on claims that the country is an ISIS hotspot. "No evidence has been presented to support claims that the country was used for terrorist training," said Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro. Moving on to corporate news, ANZ shareholders will today vote on executive pay and the re-election of Chairman Paul O'Sullivan amid growing discontent over accountability for past failures at the bank. The gathering marks a key test of whether investors are satisfied with the lender's efforts to address a series of incidents that triggered fines and additional capital requirements. Australia's largest super fund is searching for a new chief investment officer after veteran Mark Delaney announced he was stepping down. Potential internal candidates for the role include CIO Damian Moloney, who is based in London, asset allocation head Alistair Barker, Australian equities chief Shaun Manuell and head of fixed income and currency Katie Dean. Australia's government is facing deep budget deficits across its forecast horizon, even as it tightens spending and anticipates windfall revenue from an economic upswing, according to a mid-year update. The underlying cash deficit in the 12 months through June 2026 is estimated at A$36.8 billion, or 1.3% of gross domestic product, the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook showed. And Cboe Australia could launch its listings market in early 2026 and said demand remained strong even after its sale process was announced, top executives told Bloomberg. What happened overnight Here's what my colleague, market strategist Mike "Willo" Wilson says happened while we were sleeping… US stocks fell, with technology shares and crypto lower amid continued concern over lofty valuations. The dollar's bounce was trimmed by dovish comments from a contender for the Fed chair. The pound fell on a weak inflation reading and yen dropped ahead of Friday's Bank of Japan decision. The Aussie also ended lower but kiwi was sidelined as markets await this morning's 3Q GDP data. ASX futures point to a soft opening for local equities. As Willo alluded to, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller backed further interest-rate cuts to get the central bank's setting back to neutral, while saying policymakers need not rush to do so. Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent of HBO and CNN, advised its shareholders to reject a hostile takeover bid by Paramount in favor of its original agreement with streaming giant Netflix, deeming the Paramount offer "inferior" and "inadequate." The Warner Bros. Discovery Techwood office campus in Atlanta, Georgia, US. Photographer: Elijah Nouvelage/Bloomberg China's depiction of Jimmy Lai as a "traitor" in the aftermath of his conviction on national security charges suggests efforts to seek clemency for the 78-year-old former media mogul, even if by US President Donald Trump, will face challenging odds. What to watch Australian Dec. Consumer Inflation Expectation, 11:00 a.m. (Sydney) One more thing... The Academy Awards will begin streaming on Alphabet's YouTube service in 2029, ending more than a half century on the ABC network and more than 70 years on broadcast TV. The organization announced Wednesday that the streaming platform will take over the show when the organization's contract with Walt Disney's ABC network expires. The deal with YouTube runs through 2033, the parties said in a statement. A child holds a tablet displaying the YouTube logo. Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg We're improving your newsletter experience and we'd love your feedback. If something looks off, help us fine-tune your experience by reporting it here. Follow us You received this message because you are subscribed to Bloomberg's Australia Briefing newsletter. If a friend forwarded you this message, sign up here to get it in your inbox. Unsubscribe Bloomberg.com Contact Us Bloomberg L.P. 731 Lexington Avenue New York, NY 10022 |