Local leaders denounced the episodes, which both took place on Friday evening: arson at a synagogue and a disturbance at an Israeli eatery.

Australia's peak Jewish body has condemned the incidents, saying they are "a severe escalation directed towards our community".

Police commander says arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue “abhorrent”. Two police officers were allegedly assaulted on the job while performing a welfare check. South Australian fishers are calling for the state's algal bloom to be declared a national disaster as plummeting seafood sales threaten their future.