Category: Other

New South Wales has lit up for the Day Of National Reflection.

Bondi Pavilion

In the background of a massive temporary floral tribute, Bondi Pavilion was illuminated with surprise projections of 2 blue Chanukiahs as beams of light shone to the sky above it from the courtyard within the Pavilion.

Sydney Opera House

The biggest surprise though, while not the most significant illumination this time around, was the Sydney Opera House western sails, which was illuminated with an animated waving brightly burning candle by the New South Wales Government.

In 2023, the New South Wales (NSW) Premier, Chris Minns, admitted to an NSW Legislative Council Budget Estimates hearing that he made an “error” in not providing the Sydney Opera House Southern Forecourt as a place for the Jewish community to commemorate & mourn the loss after the October 7 attacks. After which, he said the Forecourt would be reserved for the Jewish community if a similar tragedy occurred again:

…we should’ve made the Opera House Forecourt & the immediate precinct an opportunity for the Jewish community to come together. I’m admitting that & the only thing I can say is we…want to learn from it & make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Chris Minns, NSW Premier (quote from 2023)

A key difference in context to 2023 is that this projection wasn’t promoted in advance, thus discouraging possible protests as had occurred in 2023. Earlier this week, the Sydney Opera House was illuminated for Chanukah, a projection which also wasn’t promoted in advance, but a concert which was scheduled to be held in the Southern Forecourt that night & which was cancelled out of respect, would have prevented the Forecourt being reserved for the Jewish community that night anyway, as being set up for a concert, it was very likely logistically not in a position to quickly become an appropriate place of mourning for the Jewish community on that occasion.

There was no such concert yesterday evening & it is understood the Southern Forecourt was vacant this time. An NSW Premier’s Department spokesperson implied the Southern Forecourt wasn’t reserved for the Jewish community as the projection was being held simultaneous to the Night Of Unity: Light Over Darkness Menorah Lighting & Commemoration in Bondi Beach Park, which was the main commemoration being held that night:

The NSW Government has been in close consultation with the Jewish community about how to appropriately honour the victims including decisions made regarding the Day of Reflection.

There was no activation of the forecourt for this illumination, which was occurring at the same time as the Jewish community vigil at Bondi Beach.

NSW Premier’s Department spokesperson

The Night Of Unity: Light Over Darkness Menorah Lighting & Commemoration finished at 9:05pm – just under 3 hours before the Sydney Opera House projection stopped. While the NSW Premier broke a promise, it is understandable that it was likely broken because he understood the Jewish community would prefer to come together in the suburb of Bondi Beach – the location of the massacre & jewish genocide terrorism last week.

Yellow Building Illuminations

Lastly, buildings around New South Wales were also lit yellow, the colour being chosen to represent the main colour of a candle’s flame. The buildings illuminated yellow included:

• Sydney Football Stadium
• Sydney Cricket Ground
• Art Gallery Of NSW
• Australian Museum
• Sydney Tower
• Sydney Town Hall
• Tumbalong Park Sound Shell
• International Convention Centre
• Barangaroo’s International Towers
• Manly Town Hall
• Sydney Olympic Park including Stadium Australia
• Parramatta Square (building)
• Western Sydney Stadium
• Goulburn Visitor Centre
• Orange Cultural Precinct
• Wagga Wagga Civic Centre

All the above illuminations occurred from sunset (8:05pm) to Midnight.

Unlike the Sydney Opera House western sails projection for Chanukah, all these illuminations are in remembrance of the victims of the massacre & Jewish genocide terrorism. Sydney Spectaculars is, therefore, not considering these illuminations as a ‘Spectacular‘.

More to come.

The New South Wales (NSW) Government has announced that light beams will shine from Bondi Pavilion & buildings around the state will be lit up in yellow as part of the Day Of National Reflection after the massacre & Jewish genocide terrorism in the suburb of Bondi Beach last Sunday.

The Day of National Reflection is being observed today, the final full day of Chanukah, Sunday the 21st of December, with the illuminations being held in the evening. Buildings to be lit yellow include:

• Sydney Football Stadium
• Sydney Cricket Ground
• Art Gallery Of NSW
• Australian Museum
• Sydney Tower
• Sydney Town Hall
• Tumbalong Park Sound Shell
• International Convention Centre
• Barangaroo’s International Towers
• Manly Town Hall
• Sydney Olympic Park including Stadium Australia
• Parramatta Square (building)
• Western Sydney Stadium
• Goulburn Visitor Centre
• Orange Cultural Precinct
• Wagga Wagga Civic Centre

The colour yellow was chosen to represent the main colour of a candle’s flame.

Today, the Day Of National Reflection, sunset is at 8:05pm, which is when the Bondi Pavilion light beams & the NSW buildings’ yellow illuminations are expected to begin with it being completely night-time at 9:50pm.

Unlike the Sydney Opera House western sails projection for Chanukah, these illuminations are in remembrance of the victims of the massacre & Jewish genocide terrorism. Sydney Spectaculars is, therefore, not considering this projection as a ‘Spectacular‘.

A drawing of a candle with the words ‘Stronger Together: Unite For Bondi’ is available to share on social media today, the Day Of National Reflection & can be downloaded here.

Obviously as a result of the devastating, the devastating events of Sunday, last Sunday, the New South Wales Government, having worked with the Jewish community of this state, has designated that Sunday will be a Day Of National Reflection to honour the victims of the terrorist attack at Bondi Beach & also to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community of our country but in particular of our state here in New South Wales so on Sunday, flags on Australian & New South Wales Government buildings will be flown at half-mast as a mark of respect for the lives lost & a shared sense of grief right across the country.

Buildings will be lit up in yellow for the evening. Lights will beam into the sky from Bondi Pavilion.

Chris Minns, NSW Premier

Last Wednesday night, at the Tom Hughes Oration, a public speaking Liberal party fundraiser for the Federal seat of Berowra, held at the Sydney Opera House’s Studio, the Opposition Leader of Australia, Peter Dutton, compared the social significance of the crime that occurred at pro-Arab protests at the Sydney Opera House on the 9th of October last year during an Israeli Solidarity Opera House Western Sails Illumination after the attack on that state by Hamas to that of the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, describing both event’s social significance as “akin” to one another:

While no one was killed during the October 9 protests, the events at the Sydney Opera House were akin to a Port Arthur moment in terms of their social significance.

In my judgement, Prime Minister Albanese has not risen to that moment.

Peter Dutton, Opposition Leader Of Australia

On 28th of April 1996, 35 people were killed & 23 others were wounded in a mass shooting at Port Arthur, Tasmania, prompting then-Prime Minister John Howard, who was only elected to office just over a month prior, to significantly amend Australia’s gun laws.

Tom Hughes, a Liberal politician, was Australia’s Attorney-General from 1967 to 1971.

The next morning, Peter Dutton made a press conference where he was questioned on his statement by an Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) journalist:

Do you stand by comparing the pro-Palestinian rally on the steps of the Opera House last year to the Port Arthur massacre? How is the social significance of these 2 events in any way comparable?

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Journalist

The Opposition Leader responded saying he would not have tolerated antisemitic protests, just as he would not tolerate any other minority-directed hatred:

I, I, I made the very important point last night that in 1996 when we saw a tragic loss of life, uh, in Port Arthur with that massacre there that John Howard, the Prime Minister at the time stood up & was strong as a leader, not weak.

He stood up for what was right, not what was wrong & he led the Australian public on a path that we still benefit from today. That is, gun law reform & we had a chance, I think, for the Prime Minister to see the controversy that was created, uh, after October 7 in our country, those dreadful scenes on the steps of the Opera House.

Uh, fortunately there’s no loss of life in our country, uh, as a result of that protest, of course, no one is suggesting there is but what we saw was a rise in antisemitism where we’ve got armed guards outside schools, at the moment, in our country. There are people of Jewish faith who are worried about going to a synagogue or worried about going to a Jewish supermarket or gathering in communities. We’ve got Holocaust survivors who sought refuge in our country & have felt safe for decades under Liberal and Labor Governments, are now talking about wanting to leave Australia because they feel unsafe so, yes, did I think John Howard stood up in ’96 when he needed to in our country’s interests?

Absolutely & did Anthony Albanese stand up and show the strength John Howard demonstrated and change the course of our country’s history? No, he didn’t. He was weak. He’s been trying to walk both sides of the street when it comes to this issue. He’s trying to tell people in Western Sydney 1 story and people in Dover Heights a completely different story & Australians are seeing through it.

Peter Dutton, Opposition Leader Of Australia

John Howard, who comes from the same Liberal-Nationals Coalition as Peter Dutton, was Prime Minister (PM) of Australia from 1996 before being replaced by Labor’s Kevin Rudd in 2007. Party in-fighting saw a leadership spill in 2010. Australia’s Deputy PM, Julia Gillard, replace Kevin Rudd. in June 2010, who was 3 years later, replaced by Kevin Rudd after more party in-fighting resulted in another leadership spill. Kevin Rudd and his Labor party lost the Federal election & thus, the Prime Ministership less than 3 months later in September 2013.

Dover Heights is a suburb in eastern Sydney, where just about half (49.9%) of the population follows the religion of Judaism while western Sydney has a significant Arab minority with at least 8% following the religion of Islam.

I think the point of that question though is the events that were compared are very different.

Unknown ABC Journalist

But, but, hang on, look, look at the comments that I made, uh & you can’t, the basis of that question that has come out of Canberra, uh, is obviously a Canberra-based question from the ABC. If you look at the facts of what I said, I don’t think you can have the, the, the, the, presumption in that question that you asked so I would say to whoever it is from the Canberra bureau, uh, to look at what I had to say last night because I think they’ve set you up with that question if I’ve might say.

Peter Dutton, Opposition Leader Of Australia

Canberra is the capital city of Australia and thus, the home of Australian Federal political news bureaus.

Well, Mike Burgess last year said ‘words matter’ when maintaining social cohesion in Australia. Did you breach that advice in your speech last night?

Unknown ABC Journalist

Mike Burgess is Director-General of Security at the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation.

As Mike Burgess said, no. Again, the Labor Party were running this line through the ABC last year and Mike Burgess came out to say he was making no reference to comments that I made whatsoever so, I’m not going to be tarnished by the ABC. I’m not going to cower because of the ABC and other left wing media organisations in our country. My job is to stand up for what is best in our country’s interests. My job is to share our vision with the Australian people about what we want for the future of our country.

Peter Dutton, Opposition Leader Of Australia

We understand Mike Burgess has not responded to Peter Dutton’s recent social significance comparison. Port Arthur’s Federal Parliament member, the Member For Lyons, Brian Williams, responded to Mr Dutton’s comments though:

From the unspeakable tragedy & horror of what occurred at Port Arthur in 1996, the Australian people put politics aside and came together in common purpose.

As the local member here, I would ask Peter Dutton to reflect on that & refrain from making such divisive and inflammatory comments using the tragedy in our community.

Brian Williams, Member For Lyons.

The Sydney Opera House featured a projection of a black ribbon on its western sails last night in tribute to the 6 victims who succumbed to their injuries from the stabbings at Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre on Saturday afternoon.

Due to how this projection came about, this projection is not considered a Sydney Spectacular.