Environment and business groups says work has just begun to ensure Australia's environment laws are more effective in practice. Parliament passed the first major overhaul in two decades this year, but stakeholders say the devil may be in the detail.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Henry Jennings from Marcus Today about the day's sharemarket action including Woodside CEO Meg O'Neill leaving for BP.

Terror strikes the iconic sands of Bondi Beach, sending shockwaves through Australia and Jewish communities worldwide - how did the deadly attack unfold, and what does it mean for national security? Plus, Volodymyr Zelenskyy signals cautious optimism in high-stakes Ukraine peace talks but is a deal with Russia any closer? And Donald Trump brands fentanyl a ‘weapon of mass destruction’ as tensions escalate with Venezuela.

In the wake of the Bondi Beach terrorist attack over the weekend, the Albanese government is fast-tracking a suite of legislative reforms aimed at cracking down on hate speech and tightening migration laws to avert individuals with extremist views. While the government faces pressure to introduce harsher border policies, it has rejected calls for a Royal Commission, arguing that immediate executive action and enforcement are more urgent than a lengthy public inquiry.

Australia's social cohesion has come under scrutiny in the wake of the Bondi Beach mass shooting, while multicultural communities have come together in vigils and public acts of solidarity with Jewish Australians. The tragic mass shooting, deemed a terror attack by New South Wales Police, saw 15 people killed at a Hanukkah festival on Sunday. As leaders debate tougher laws against hate speech and extremism, Muslim and Jewish voices alike have warned against collective blame, as fears grow of a potential Islamophobic backlash.

In the wake of the Bondi beach tragedy last weekend, Sydney has welcomed new mental health support systems. New South Wales Health is offering support for anyone affected - both directly and indirectly.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has unveiled a mid-year budget update marked by fiscal restraint, highlighting a $5.4 billion improvement to the deficit alongside critical new funding for the CSIRO and community security. However, the outlook remains fraught as rising inflation threatens real wage growth and persistent spending pressures in childcare and the NDIS continue to squeeze the bottom line.

SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Shane Oliver from AMP about the implications the government's Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook will have on inflation as Kyle Rodda from Capital.com looks through the day's sharemarket action including Westpac's change of heart on interest rates

On the 14th of December, as an antisemitic mass shooting targeted a Hanukkah festival at Bondi Beach, several heroes emerged, most notably Ahmed al-Ahmed, a Muslim man of Syrian origin who courageously disarmed one of the attackers. But he was not the only Middle-Eastern Muslim to risk his life to put a stop to the attack. There was another Middle-Eastern Muslim man who risked his life to disarm the other shooter. However, his lawyer says due to his Middle-Eastern appearance and all-black attire, he was thought to be one of the shooters. As a result, he was shot at by police, then set upon by a small crowd of people.

High-level diplomatic talks aimed at ending the war in Ukraine are gaining momentum, with United States and European leaders hoping to secure a path to peace before Christmas. US President Donald Trump says negotiations on a draft peace plan have made significant progress. While Ukraine has welcomed the proposal, key issues remain unresolved, including the future of Russian-occupied territory and security guarantees to prevent renewed aggression.

The deadly Bondi mass shooting has intensified the national debate over Australia's gun laws. However, some prominent figures, including former Prime Minister John Howard, caution against letting the debate be diverted from the growing threat of antisemitism. So what are the opposing arguments from gun control advocates and pro-gun lobbies on whether current laws are adequate? The tragedy is fuelling a controversial political discussion around immigration and Australian values.