State and territory leaders

• Premier of New South Wales – Chris Minns
  • Opposition Leader – Mark Speakman
• Premier of Queensland – Steven Miles
  • Opposition Leader – David Crisafulli
• Premier of South Australia – Peter Malinauskas
  • Opposition Leader – David Speirs
• Premier of Tasmania – Jeremy Rockliff
  • Opposition Leader – Rebecca White
• Premier of Victoria – Jacinta Allan
  • Opposition Leader – John Pesutto
• Premier of Western Australia – Roger Cook
  • Opposition Leader – Shane Love
• Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory – Andrew Barr
  • Opposition Leader – Elizabeth Lee
• Chief Minister of the Northern Territory – Eva Lawler
  • Opposition Leader – Lia Finocchiaro

Governors and administrators

• Governor of New South Wales – Margaret Beazley
• Governor of Queensland – Jeannette Young
• Governor of South Australia – Frances Adamson
• Governor of Tasmania – Barbara Baker
• Governor of Victoria – Margaret Gardner
• Governor of Western Australia – Chris Dawson
• Administrator of the Australian Indian Ocean Territories – Farzian Zainal
• Administrator of Norfolk Island – George Plant
• Administrator of the Northern Territory – Hugh Heggie

January

• 1 January –
  • It becomes illegal to import disposable vapes into Australia.^[2]
  • As Victoria transitions to clean energy, the state imposes a ban on natural gas connections for new dwellings, apartment buildings and residential subdivisions.^[2]
  • Fortnightly Centrelink payments for welfare recipients increases by approximately 6%.^[2]
  • Federal Cabinet documents from 2003 are made public for the first time.^[3] Controversy arises when its discovered the Morrison Government failed to hand over some documents relating to Australia's involvement in the 2003 invasion of Iraq to the National Archives in 2020 for public release.^[4] Anthony Albanese announces an inquiry will be held to find out whether or not the documents were withheld intentionally.^[5]
  • A 76-year-old woman is allegedly sexually assaulted by an 29-year-old intruder at an aged care facility in Coffs Harbour.^[6] A 29-year-old man is subsequently arrested and appears in Port Macquarie Local Court on 5 January 2024 charged with aggravated sexual assault and breaking and entering with intent.^[7]
• 2 January –
  • An interim ATSB report into the 2023 Sea World helicopter crash on the Gold Coast reveals a toxicology report for the pilot killed in the crash returned a positive result low levels of cocaine metabolites but that it was unlikely to have impaired his psychomotor skills and the exposure was not likely to have occurred in the 24 hours before the accident.^[8]
  • Twelve Australians are among the 379 people aboard Japan Airlines Flight 516 to survive after the Airbus 350-900 collides with a De Havilland Canada Dash 8 operated by the Japan Coast Guard while landing at Haneda Airport in Tokyo.^[9]
• 3 January – A 24-year-old man is arrested by New South Wales Police Force Taskforce Magnus detectives and charged with the murder of major Sydney gangland figure Alen Moradian in an underground carpark on 27 June 2023.^[10]
• 4 January – ADF personnel arrive in South East Queensland after being deployed to help the region in the aftermath of severe weather over the Christmas/New Year period.^[11] In Far North Queensland, there are also calls for ADF assistance to help with the clean-up following severe weather caused by Cyclone Jasper.^[12]
• 5 January – Queensland premier Steven Miles announces a $5 million funding agreement between the state and federal government which would see discounted flights and accommodation being offered to tourists to entice them back to Far North Queensland following Cyclone Jasper.^[13]
• 6 January – Eight attendees of the Hardmission Festival at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse are taken to hospital in a critical condition after suspected MDMA overdoses.^[14] Seven of those patients are placed in induced comas.^[15]
• 7 January – A 31-year-old man is arrested after allegedly stabbing four strangers at random in Melbourne throughout the previous night.^[16] He is charged with 14 assault offences and one of possessing a controlled weapon.^[17]
• 8 January –
  • A light aircraft with ten people onboard flips and crashes on Lizard Island while attempting to land on the island's runway.^[18] Despite some of those onboard sustaining injuries, the nine adults and one child survive.^[19]
  • The New South Wales Police Force claim to have dismantled a criminal syndicate allegedly attempting to export more than a million dollars of Australian reptiles, including 257 lizards, to Hong Kong.^[20]
• 9 January – Prime minister Anthony Albanese warns Australian supermarkets to pass on savings to consumers stating: "It's not acceptable to see record profits at a time when people are doing it so tough."^[21][22] He announces former Labor minister Craig Emerson will lead a review of the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct while Queensland premier Steven Miles writes to the CEOs of Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and IGA expressing concern about the disparity between retail prices and the amount farmers are paid.^[23][24] The Coalition also call for an ACCC inquiry, accusing the supermarkets of imposing excessive retail markups.^[25]
• 10 January –
  • Woolworths Group confirms that Woolworths Supermarkets and Big W will no longer be stocking Australia Day-themed merchandise citing declining sales and the broader discussion about the national holiday.^[26] Liberal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton calls for a boycott on Woolworths for its decision.^{[27][28][29][30]}
  • An armed 34-year-old man is shot dead by police after a two-hour siege outside a medical centre in Nowra, New South Wales.^[31][32][33]
  • Prime minister Anthony Albanese announces financial support for flood victims in Victoria as Murchison experiences moderate flooding with the Goulburn River peaking at 10.47 metres, with an expected peak of 10.4 metres at Shepparton on 13 January.^[34][35]
• 14 January – Mary Donaldson becomes the first Australian-born queen consort of a European monarchy when she is proclaimed Queen of Denmark when her husband Frederik X ascends the throne following the abdication of his mother Margrethe II.^[36]
• 15 January – Foreign minister Penny Wong travels to the Middle East to renew calls for a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza war.^[37]

Future and scheduled events

• 16 March – 2024 Queensland local elections^[38]
• 24 August – 2024 Northern Territory general election^[39]
• 14 September – 2024 New South Wales local elections^[40]
• 19 October – 2024 Australian Capital Territory general election^[41]
• 26 October – 2024 Queensland state election^[42]
• October – 2024 Victorian local elections^[43]

January

• 1 January – David Warner announces his retirement from One Day International cricket.^[44]
• 3 January –
  • Jarome Luai confirms he will be leaving the Penrith Panthers after the 2024 NRL season to join the Wests Tigers.^[45]
  • The third cricket test between Pakistan and Australia commences at the Sydney Cricket Ground with Pakistan winning the toss and electing the bat.^[46] It's David Warner's final test, and also the 16th time the January test at the SCG has been dubbed "The Pink Test".^[47][48]
• 6 January – Australia win the third cricket test against Pakistan by eight wickets, winning the series 3-0.^[49]
• 7 January –
  • Elena Rybakina wins the women's singles title at the 2024 Brisbane International, defeating Aryna Sabalenka, 6-0, 6-3.^[50]
  • Grigor Dimitrov wins the men's singles title at the 2024 Brisbane International, defeating Holger Rune, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4.^[50]
• 8 January – Germany wins the 2024 United Cup tennis tournament.^[51]
• 13 January –
  • The Socceroos win their first match in the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, defeating India, 2-0.^[52]
  • Storm Boy, ridden by Adam Hyeronimus and trained by Gai Waterhouse, wins the Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast.^[53]
• 14 January – The 2024 Australian Open gets underway in Melbourne.^[54]

Australian Capital Territory

Source:^[55]

• Monday 1 January - New Year's Day
• Friday 26 January - Australia Day
• Monday 11 March - Canberra Day
• Friday 29 March - Good Friday
• Saturday 30 March - Easter Saturday
• Sunday 31 March - Easter Sunday
• Monday 1 April - Easter Monday
• Thursday 25 April - Anzac Day
• Monday 27 May - Reconciliation Day
• Monday 10 June - Sovereign's Birthday
• Monday 7 October - Labour Day
• Wednesday 25 December - Christmas Day
• Thursday 26 December - Boxing Day

January

• 8 January – At the 81st Golden Globe Awards, Sarah Snook wins the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama and Elizabeth Debicki wins the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film.^[56][57]
• 14 January – At the 29th Critics' Choice Awards, Sarah Snook wins the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series and Elizabeth Debicki wins the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.^[58]
• 15 January – At the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, Sarah Snook wins the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.^[59]

• List of Australian submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
• List of Australian films of 2024
• List of 2024 box office number-one films in Australia

January

• 3 January – Lillian Crombie, actress (The Place at the Coast, Deadly, Jindalee Lady) and dancer (b. 1958)^[60]
• 11 January – Mike Taylor, record company executive (Universal Music Australia).^[61]
• 12 January – David Lumsdaine, composer (b. 1931)^[62]
• 13 January – Stephen Laybutt, footballer (Gent, Newcastle Jets, national team) (b. 1977)
• 14 January – John Bingley, Australian rules football player (b. 1941)^[63]
• 17 January – Anthony Gobert, motorcycle road racer (b. 1975)^[64]

Country overviews

• 2020s in Australia political history
• History of Australia
• History of modern Australia
• Outline of Australia
• Government of Australia
• Politics of Australia
• Years in Australia
• Timeline of Australia history
• 2024 in Australian literature
• 2024 in Australian music
• 2024 in Australian television
• List of Australian films of 2024