Acting Premier Penny Sharpe is speaking tonight from Waverley Police Station following today’s mass killing at Bondi Junction.

She said medical staff were working around the clock to try to save the lives of at least eight people injured in the Bondi stabbing spree.

“Tonight, I convened the crisis cabinet with a range of ministers, said Sharpe, adding that Premier Chris Minns was also in the briefing from the airport in Tokyo, where he had been on a family break.

“The cabinet has received briefings from the police and NSW Health. We hold in our hearts the families and the friends and those who have lost loved ones with those who are waiting to hear [about] those that have been injured, and we stand by all the medical staff who are fighting to save their lives.

“Tonight I want to say on behalf of the NSW government that we will stand with you, that we will provide the support that you need these coming days and weeks.

“This is a horrific and distressing event for all of the people of NSW. We are all focused on this one thing and that’s supporting the NSW community through these horrific events,” she says, adding that support will be provided for first responders and the community.

“All we need to know is that six innocent people have lost their lives and that there are eight others fighting for their lives in hospital,” she says.

“Tonight we have to have our thoughts with those who have lost loved ones and really stand by those who are fighting for their lives.

“This beyond distressing, this is not who we are – this is not the community that we’re living in.

“I’m personally distressed by this as I’m sure everyone is. We now have to live with the serious consequences of what’s happened today.”

New South Wales Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley has also confirmed that the six victims killed were five women and a man. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said earlier that five died onsite, while one woman died later in hospital.