The suggestion is being made that this is related to arrests made this morning in Sydney :

Two in custody after Sydney raid

which itself is suggested to be related to the Brisbane arrests for funding sending people to Syria.

If so, then it wouldn't be particularly well planned/timed etc., more reactive.

They just interviewed the police commissioner and he said it was unrelated. But he also said they have not made contact with the person(s) so who would know. Sounds like they don't know too much yet or aren't saying anything if they do.

I am amazed that there are so many people down there spectating. Just watched the news and there are quite literally thousands of people lined up on the streets spectating.


S

One news reader said most were people with family in the buildings in around the siege. Apparently the Westpac building and a couple of other buildings weren't allowed to leave, the employees were told to just stay away from windows and stay put. I just saw the police cart some guy away who was believed to be there protesting about the over reaction by the police to the incident.

Yes I thought that, why was the area not cleared??

bizzare.

Hadley reckons one of the hostages called him (under direction of the gunman). I've been listening to his show for the first time in my life. He really is an insufferable prick.

Weird that there have been no demands/developments this far in. All suggests a lone fruit loop who has no idea what he's doing.

Meanwhile, UTS - nearly a mile and a half away from the scene - has been evacuated and staff sent home...


S

Yep me too. I remember the London bombings and the police had those streets cleared. My husband said earlier that loads of people were just carrying on their business as far as he could tell, that was around the time he got the message from his management merely "suggesting" that they stay inside.

Hockey going ahead with the MYEFO report, no doubt delighted it will be shunted to page 17 in all the papers tomorrow.

I was thinking that earlier. What timing.

I have just listened to Chris Bowen talk about the budget deficit on TV but the heading underneath said "Chris Bowen speaks on hostage crisis".

This is not the day. Disgraceful, not to mention stupid.

On one news report one of the spectators stated that he heard that a journalist from Channel 7 said he saw the hostages being told to put back packs on, which could be one reason not to move large numbers around the area out until they are absolutely sure what they are dealing with.

Tony Abbot did say in his speech earlier that the budget deficit will go ahead and all discussions about the siege would be dealt with by the police.

I am a bit surprised at some of the commentary, given that we do not even know yet if its political, terrorist, religious, extremist, for all we really know it could just some nut job particularly unhappy with his local coffee shop.

Life goes on