TRANSCRIPT
- One million people enjoy the Sydney fireworks
- Woolworths says it will be selling Australia Day merchandise this year
- A-League champions Central Coast held to a one-all draw by Melbourne City
The Sydney New Year's Eve show is receiving high praise from the state's leaders.
Despite the high volume of people taking to the Darling Harbour from early on in New Year's Eve, there weren't any major incidents reported by authorities.
At midnight, the fireworks display from across the Darling Harbour lit up the night sky for over ten minutes as the city stepped into the new year.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns says this year, there were more vantage points available from the west for those who wanted to see the show.
"We were amazed at the number of people that were able to come to vantage points and experience the best party in the world, in the best city in the world. I think it's undoubtedly the case that the western side of the harbour, having access to those fireworks off the bridge was a massive success. It meant that more crowds could get around the harbour at different vantage points and I think that's only going to bode well for the future of fireworks in Sydney on New Year's Eve."
Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore says this year's show was the best she's seen.
"I've been doing this now for many years and last night just seemed perfect. It seemed perfect in every way. The crowds, the happy groups of people, the fact (that) all of our sites were full by 8pm, which is a first. And everyone in the city was very happy and it was very safe, it was very beautiful. And I think all those people that have travelled across the world to see Sydney at its best would not have been disappointed. And I think we can all be very proud of the result."
_
Cities around the world are welcoming the new year with dazzling fireworks displays and light shows.
In London, despite bad weather conditions, the show went on as scheduled, with thousands of fireworks let off from the London Eye and across the river Thames.
In Rome, laser lights and fireworks illuminated the walls of the Coliseum at the dawn of the new year as thousands of people watched on in awe.
And in Paris, thousands gathered for the countdown to the new year at the main avenue of the Champs-Elysee, enjoying the firework show that followed.
In his new year speech, French President Emmanuel Macron has admitted that his decision to dissolve the parliament and call an early election last June did not have the intended results.
"I must acknowledge this evening that my decision to dissolve (the French National Assembly) has brought more instability to the Assembly than solutions for the French. If I decided that dissolution, it was to give you back the floor, to regain clarity and avoid the inaction that was looming. But lucidity and humility lead me to recognize that, at this time, this decision lead to more instability than serenity, and I take my responsibility."
_
Woolworths has confirmed it will be selling Australia Day merchandise in it stores this year.
The supermarket chain was criticised this time last year after it made a decision not to stock Australia Day merchandise.
It sparked calls by Opposition leader Peter Dutton and other members of the Liberal Party to boycott the supermarket chain.
But this year Woolworths says it will include a variety of merchandise in its stores in a move to celebrate the occasion "as a team".
_
A range of new reform measures for aged care workers have come into effect with the start of the new year.
Following a $3.8 billion investment by the federal government, around 340,000 workers in the industry will receive a pay rise of up to 13.5 per cent.
It comes following the recommendations of the Fair Work Commission that determined aged care workers deserve an increase in their earnings to deal with cost-of-living pressures.
For a small number of people working in the industry, these pay rises are set to be applied in two phases, with the second to come in October.
Aged Care Minister Anika Wells says this measure is part of the government's plan to provide financial relief for all Australians, which they hope to continue after the next election.
"It's another clear example of our cost-of-living focus. And at the next election, our nation faces an important choice. A Labor government, working every single day to get costs down for families, wages up for workers and bring inflation back to where it should be. This is a time for building, a time for driving the change that our nation needs and creating the opportunities that our people deserve."
_
In football,
A-League champions Central Coast have been held to a one-all draw by Melbourne City in the final match of 2024.
Samuel Souprayen gave the visitors the lead three minutes past the half-hour mark, heading home a free kick from outside the area.
Nathan Paul equalised in similar fashion for the Mariners on 68 minutes, with the two teams stuck on a deadlock till the end of the game.
Mariners coach Mark Jackson says he was pleased with his team's reaction in the second half.
"Defensively, in the first half, I thought our structure was good. We limited Melbourne City, a dangerous team, to not many chances. Really really disappointed to concede from the set play. But probably they only had a few, maybe two chances in that first half. But saying that, we didn't create much, we didn't look after the ball well. We didn't manage to get in our build phase and create any threat to Melbourne. So, second half, we knew we had to go out and be more aggressive, obviously being one-nil down. And I thought we did that."
