Australia in January 2026: the most important developments in society
Australia in January 2026 was marked by severe weather across much of the country. On 30 January flood warnings and watches covered several rivers in Northern Australia, including the Gilbert, Daly, Upper Victoria and Waterhouse. Earlier in the month, residents in Rockhampton prepared for flooding as ex-Cyclone Koji moved inland, Tropical Cyclone Luana brought wild weather to the Dampier Peninsula, and warnings were issued for Cooper Creek, the Connors and Isaac Rivers, and the Murray River. A heatwave in the Pilbara region was reported to be drying up groundwater, a severe heatwave was forecast for eastern Australia, and some towns recorded temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit. A fast-moving bushfire burned through suburban Perth on 29 January while fires also continued in Victoria, and a fire burned in South Australia's Riverland.
The Bondi attack shaped the public agenda. On 12 January Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called a national day of mourning for the victims, to be observed the following week with flags at half-mast. On 22 January he led a memorial service at Bondi, saying he was "profoundly sorry" for the suffering of Australian Jews. Former Prime Minister Scott Morrison called Albanese's antisemitism claims "delusional and cheap" as gun reform legislation passed Parliament. Authorities in Sydney extended protest restrictions, described on 20 January as "significantly limited", and on 17 January there were calls for New South Wales police to end the protest ban before First Nations Australia Day rallies.
A string of shark attacks injured swimmers and surfers off eastern Australia. Four separate attacks occurred within 48 hours, and two people were seriously injured off Sydney, where beaches were closed and authorities issued a warning.
Other developments included the withdrawal of more than 100 writers from a literary festival that disinvited a Palestinian author, the vandalising of colonial monuments in Melbourne gardens, and the closure of the first Sydney childcare centre under a major crackdown. A report found female staff at the City of Perth were systematically excluded from key meetings and opportunities. Health authorities said they were taking an outbreak of Nipah virus in India seriously but had made no changes to border controls.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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