Story perspectives

Shark Attack Victim Rescued, Drones Deployed, Cull Demanded

6/17/2026

Summary

Story summary

An off-duty lifeguard and a volunteer critical-care doctor pulled Leah Stewart, 35, from the water after a shark attack.
She remains in stable condition at St Vincent’s Hospital.
Authorities authorized drones to patrol Coogee Beach’s waters despite an aviation ban.
National Party MP David Littleproud and Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane called for a shark cull.
A GoFundMe page by Stewart’s brother seeks donations for her care and her one-year-old daughter.

History

Historical Context

After a 2024 shark bite at Coogee, National Party MP David Littleproud and Opposition leader Kellie Sloane called for renewed culling. The practice traces back to 1937 when the New South Wales government installed the first shark-net program, catching over 600 sharks that year and reducing fatal attacks from 13 (1900-1937) to a single death on a netted beach over the next seven decades.

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Story summary

An off-duty lifeguard and a volunteer critical-care doctor pulled Leah Stewart, 35, from the water after a shark attack.
She remains in stable condition at St Vincent’s Hospital.
Authorities authorized drones to patrol Coogee Beach’s waters despite an aviation ban.
National Party MP David Littleproud and Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane called for a shark cull.
A GoFundMe page by Stewart’s brother seeks donations for her care and her one-year-old daughter.

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