What we learned: Monday, 12 May
With that, we will wrap the blog for the evening. We’ll be back first thing tomorrow, with all eyes on the Liberals who are due to pick a new leadership team.
Until then, these were today’s biggest developments:
David Littleproud has defeated a challenge from conservative senator Matt Canavan to be re-elected leader of the National party, and Kevin Hogan has been elected as deputy leader. Bridget McKenzie has been elected as leader of the Nationals in the Senate.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has unveiled a new cabinet ministry. Tanya Plibersek lost her environment portfolio to Murray Watt to take up social services, a move he said she was “very positive” about.
Elsewhere, Michelle Rowland has become the new attorney general, Amanda Rishworth has moved to employment and workplace relations and Anika Wells has moved to communications.
Albanese has also confirmed has been invited to the inauguration of the new pope this week and intends to attend.
And tight contests have been declared in four seats. Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown has retained Ryan, Kooyong will remain with independent Monique Ryan, Labor is projected to retain the ACT seat of Bean and the Sydney north shore seat of Bradfield will remain with the Coalition.
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Supermarket shares fall after Woolworths announces price cuts on almost 400 products
Share prices of the major supermarkets fell today after Woolworths announced price cuts on almost 400 products.
Woolworths shares fell by 49 cents or 1.47% on Monday to $32.77, while shares in rival Coles dropped by 21 cents or 0.93% to $22.27.
Shareholders appear to be reacting to a cut in profit margins if Coles reacts to Woolworths’ announcement and competition intensifies.
The Woolworths chief executive officer, Amanda Bardwell, wrote to customers on Monday to say many popular products, including from the supermarket’s own-brand range, would have their prices reduced until at least 2026.
In the note, seen by Guardian Australia, Bardwell said:
Individually, each lower shelf price might not seem like a dramatic difference, but they will add up to real savings.
Families spending $150 on their weekly shop could now save on average about $15 a week when buying Lower Shelf Price products.
The major supermarkets have been under pressure to help customers with cost-of-living pressures, after the release of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s report from its year-long inquiry into the sector.
The competition regulator found the major chains increased their profit margins during a period marked by rapidly rising household costs.
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Higher education bodies welcome reappointments of Jason Clare and Andrew Giles
Higher education bodies have also released statements welcoming the reappointments of Jason Clare as education minister and Andrew Giles as minister for skills and training.
Universities Australia CEO, Luke Sheehy, said reappointments provided the sector with “continuity, which is so important during this era of reform”.
He also backed the creation of an international education minister.
Moving forward, our sector needs certainty and stability in international education, and I look forward to continuing to work constructively with home affairs minister Tony Burke to find a workable path forward.
Minister Burke will be ably supported by the new assistant minister for international education, Julian Hill MP, and I welcome the creation of this role given the sector’s importance to the Australian economy and our relationships with the outside world.
The Group of Eight (Go8) chief executive, Vicki Thomson, said Labor was re-elected with a clear majority and was in a strong position to introduce reforms to lift investment in research and development (R&D) which is “essential to secure Australia’s future prosperity”.
We also urge the government to scrap the flawed Job Ready Graduates scheme as a matter of urgency, to create a more equitable environment for our students, so we can educate the highly skilled graduates we need to remain competitive.
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Monique Ryan ‘deeply grateful’ for second term as Kooyong MP after close contest
Monique Ryan says she’s “incredibly honoured” to serve a second term in Melbourne’s Kooyong after receiving a call from the Liberal challenger, Amelia Hamer, today.
In a statement on Monday afternoon, Ryan said she thanked Hamer for the call and wished her best for the future.
The contest in Kooyong came down to the wire with Ryan leading by about 1,100 votes as of Monday afternoon, despite increasing her primary vote by about 3% since the 2022 election.
Ryan said she was “deeply grateful” to family, friends, and her team for the campaign win.
She continued:
It’s a crucial time for Australia – we’re facing a cost-of-living crisis, housing shortages, increasing intergenerational inequity, and our response to the global challenge of climate change has been too slow and too incremental.
With the Albanese government holding an increased majority, it’s time for it to show the courage we need – and respect the mandate given to it by the Australian public – by taking real action on these issues. I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue to hold the government to account on the economy, climate, health, and the other critical issues for my community.
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Peak body for development and humanitarian NGOs congratulates Anne Aly on cabinet role
The Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), the peak body for Australian development and humanitarian NGOs, congratulated Anne Aly for her role of minister for international development, and thanked the former minister Pat Conroy for his dedication to strengthening partnerships with the sector.
Its CEO, Matthew Maury, also welcomed the appointment of a special envoy for climate change adaptation and resilience, which he said highlighted Labor’s commitment to an ambitious Cop31, should the bid be successful.
The Albanese government in its first term delivered solid progress in strengthening Australia’s aid program. From Development Partnership Plans to incremental increases to the overall aid program, the sector has appreciated that Australia has held the line on aid as other donors have retreated.
In the Albanese Government’s second term, ACFID is calling for a pathway to increase Australia’s aid budget from 0.65% to 1% of the Federal Budget. It’s a modest increase but will make a world of difference.
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Science and energy organisations welcome PM’s ministry announcements
Meanwhile, peak bodies are continuing to respond to the prime minister’s ministry announcements.
The Smart Energy Council warmly welcomed the return of Chris Bowen as minister for energy climate change, as well as Murray Watt to the environment and water ministry.
Its chief executive, John Grimes, said Bowen had “achieved much in the last three years” and retaining him would be “of great comfort to the renewable energy industry”.
Australia has made great progress decarbonising its energy and transport sectors, yet there is so much more to do, that includes a greater focus on climate and the environment.
The Australian Academy of Science similarly welcomed the new Albanese ministry.
Its president, Prof Chennupati Jagadish AC, urged new ministers Tim Ayres and Dr Andrew Charlton to back increased research and development (R&D) spending in their portfolios to boost productivity.
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Re-election of Littleproud as Nationals leader recognises party performed ‘quite well’ despite Coalition loss, MP says
The Nationals MP Darren Chester appeared on ABC Afternoon Briefing earlier fresh from the re-election of David Littleproud as party leader.
I am happy. It was a vote for certainty and continuity and a recognition that the Nationals in this last campaign, although we were part of a disappointing result for the Coalition … performed quite well.
Asked if it concerned him that a group within his party would have preferred Matt Canavan, Chester said it was the “right time” for people to put up their hand for a leadership role.
Matt and David spoke well. We were spoiled for choice … we will [now] look at our election performance and look at the policies we think are worth continuing with and the ones that haven’t stood the test of the election of the Australian people. We have work to do. We lost the election badly. We have to look at our policies, work out what is the best way to take Australia forward.
I live in an electorate which has had 100 years of energy production. There are people in that community who understand you need reliability, affordability and you need to be part of the global challenge to reduce emissions … I don’t think we are beaten. It is not beyond hope. We need to look carefully at our policies and take a credible position forward to the Australian people in three years’ time.
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Littleproud ‘disappointed’ at Jacinta Price’s departure but says Nationals will ‘be the adults in the room’
On his own leadership, which was challenged by Canavan, Littleproud says it’s a “great thing” to have a culture of spilling all positions regardless of win, lose or draw.
What I want to leave is a legacy, a legacy for the people I represent. And no matter how long I’m in that chair, I’m going to use every day to make sure I leave that legacy …
That’s what gets me up in the morning. That’s what gets me into this place. But no matter how long I’m here, I want to be able to look back and say, I’ve left a legacy.
As for Jacinta Price’s legacy, which is up in the air this week following her defection to the Liberals to run as deputy leader to Angus Taylor, Littleproud says he hasn’t had further conversations with the Senator since she made her decision.
She rang me about an hour before she put the statement out. The reality is, Jacinta has greater ambitions than what the National party room can offer. We’ve been very supportive of her when no one else would … so I wish her well.
Asked if he is “boiling with resentment” Littleproud says he isn’t, but “we are disappointed”.
We’re going to be the adults in the room, because that’s what the National party’s been for the last three years. We’re going to get on with the job of not worrying about ourselves or worrying about you. That’s what this country wants.
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Littleproud stays quiet on potential discussions of Coalition agreement
Littleproud is again pressed on how he would respond to the Liberals dumping their nuclear power policy, and whether net zero could be achieved without it.
He says you “cannot run an economy of the industrial scale, the size of Australia on an renewables approach”, adding we will see “energy bills going up” and “cost of living go up” under Labor.
On whether he’d like to see the scales “tip more towards the Nationals” in the Coalition agreement, he says he’s “just a bloke from western Queensland”.
But I’ve done a few deals out there … I don’t intend to telecast the discussions I intend to have with the new Liberal party leadership, whatever that may be tomorrow.
He also has a little dig at Andrew Gee, who left the Nationals to become an independent due to his support for the voice, and retained his seat this election.
He was elected last Saturday on 23% of the primary vote, hardly an overwhelming result when he relied on the support of a teal from a Melbourne billionaire bankrolling them from Melbourne, from the Labor party and the Greens.
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Littleproud ‘not getting into hypotheticals’ over question of support for net zero
On to questions. David Littleproud is asked what got him over the line against Matt Canavan, and whether the Nationals arrived on a position on net zero during today’s meeting.
He replies that today was about the leadership of the party, not a policy meeting, while adding “we’ll have discussions”.
We’re going to review all our policies and we’ll do that in a calm, methodical way, similar to the way that we worked through the voice … we’ll be principled about the people that we represent and making sure we understand the implications of that.
So we’re not rushing into anything, but we will work through that in a collegial way … The reality is the leader of the National party doesn’t determine the policy direction of our party. The collective does.
On whether the Nationals would support net zero without nuclear energy, he says he’s “not getting into hypotheticals”.
I think it’s important to respect the process. That’s what it is to lead the National party, to respect those that are in that room and the diversity of views in there, and to work to a position that is in the nation’s interests and in regional Australia’s interest.
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Bridget McKenzie says Nationals a ‘highly intellectual group of fighters’
Bridget McKenzie follows, echoing that she is humbled to have been voted Senate leader.
I lead a united, highly intellectual group of fighters on behalf of the 9 million Australians who don’t live in capital cities in this country.
The Coalition was handed a significant defeat, and we need to listen to the Australian people with humility, understanding that these were collective decisions of both the Liberal and the National party.
We need to respect their decision and we need to have a deep, honest look at what went wrong. I know that will take a period of time, and I look forward to participating fully in those discussions. But as David and Kevin have said, the National party provides stability and strength to the Coalition over a long period of time.
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Kevin Hogan says Nationals ‘have not lost’ a federal seat since 2007
Kevin Hogan is up next.
He thanks and congratulates Littleproud, as well as McKenzie, adding he is “very humble” to have been voted deputy leader.
We are in a very important political body, and we’ll continue to be so … we are cognisant of and very conscious that we have to do a lot more work as Nats. But we have not lost a federal parliamentary seat since 2007.
We’ve got Capricornia, Flynn, Dawson, Page, my seat, which were all held by the Labor Party in 2007. New England and Lyne were held by independents in 2007. Now we over the period … won those seats back and held them through very trying times. So it’s a statistic.
We’re not lazy, we’re not complacent, but it’s a statistic … we will continue to always put regional Australians before everyone else. Thank you.
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Littleproud ‘proud of the Nationals’ for policy achievements
Littleproud also credits the National party with pushing for divestiture powers of supermarket monopolies.
These are core principles that I’m proud to have led a team. These aren’t my achievements. We are a collective, not an individual has achieved any of this. But we as a collective. And I’m proud to say that our party room now will consider further policy moves as we go to the next phase.
But today was the important first step after an election loss. We’ve got to acknowledge we lost any opportunity to form government and we acknowledge that. But I’m proud of the Nationals and our result.
Littleproud notes Perin Davey lost her Senate bid, which he says wasn’t a reflection of her or the NSW Nationals.
That’s a reflection of a drop in the Liberal vote that she’s part of a joint ticket in. But … we’ve had a 10% swing, all because of the localised way in which we’ve run a campaign. Now there’s lessons to be learned, but I’m proud of the Nationals and what we’ve been able to achieve because we’ve done it as a team and there’ll be some big questions that we’ll have to move forward on, but we’ll do that in a calm, methodical way.
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Littleproud says Nationals ‘set the policy agenda’ including on voice referendum and nuclear
David Littleproud is fronting the media now.
He says it’s a “great honour” to continue to lead the party, and credits the Nationals with turning Australia against the voice ahead of the referendum, as well as encouraging the Coalition to adopt a nuclear energy policy.
I’m proud of our achievements over the last three years, the last three years where I think we set the policy agenda. We were the first ones to make a principled position on the voice. We didn’t do that in a rushed way. We listened to both sides. We got to a policy position and made sure that we set the tone … for the conversation that the Australian people had and that actually turned the result.
It was the Nationals that led that. We’ve had the courage on nuclear energy, something that our party room has believed in for a very long time … it was us. It was our party room that delivered it.
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David Littleproud re-elected National party leader after challenge from Matt Canavan
The National party acting whip, Sam Birrell, has just fronted the media to announce the party’s leadership team after a partyroom ballot this afternoon.
David Littleproud has been re-elected as leader of the National party, and Kevin Hogan has been elected as deputy leader.
Littleproud was up against conservative senator Matt Canavan.
Bridget McKenzie has been elected as leader of the Nationals in the Senate.
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Amanda Rishworth ‘honoured to continue to serve’ in Labor cabinet, she says
Amanda Rishworth has released a statement thanking the prime minister for appointing her as minister for employment and workplace relations.
Rishworth was previously minister for social services, which has now been passed to Tanya Plibersek, and the NDIS, which has been handed to Mark Butler.
She said she was “honoured to continue to serve in an Albanese Labor cabinet”.
Ministers Burke and Watt have made an outstanding contribution in this role in our first term of government. I got into politics to ensure all Australians can reach their potential and to create opportunities for everyone.
I’m proud to have served as minister for social services in a Labor government, and for the achievements we have made in the first term.
I’m grateful too for my time spent as minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme following Bill Shorten’s retirement.
I look forward to continuing our government’s work to ensure Australians have the opportunity to obtain and retain well-paid and secure jobs.
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Alfred could become most expensive weather event for insurers since 2023 Christmas storms
Ex-tropical cyclone Alfred may not have produced as much carnage as expected, but the damage bill for insurers is still steep, AAP reports.
The weather system swept across south-east Queensland in March, knocking down trees, flooding roads, eroding beaches and cutting power to hundreds of thousands of people.
It was forecast to strike as a category two system, but was downgraded to a tropical low after making landfall.
More than 116,000 claims for damage totalling $1.236bn have been made to insurers to date, data from the Insurance Council of Australia shows.
The lion’s share (104,389) were related to homes, but many businesses (8,118) and vehicles (3,725) didn’t escape unscathed. So far, insurers have settled 37% of the claims, worth $146m.
Alfred could become the most expensive weather event for insurers since Queensland, NSW and Victoria were smashed by the 2023 Christmas storms, leading to $1.58bn in claims. But it is still well short of the $6.38bn in insurance claims stemming from record floods in NSW and Queensland in early 2022.
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ACF congratulates Murray Watt on environment portfolio
The Australian Conservation Foundation has congratulated Murray Watt on being appointed the new minister for environment and water, while urging Labor to “get on with the job” of reform.
Its CEO, Kelly O’Shanassy, said nature in Australia was “under intense pressure and the national nature law is not working”.
The Albanese government went to the 2022 election promising thorough reform of the law. That promise remains unfulfilled. It’s time to get on with the job.
There can be no more delays, caving to lobby groups and carving out industries: the Albanese government must fix Australia’s nature laws in the first year of this term of parliament.
O’Shanassy also urged Chris Bowen, who was returned as climate and energy minister, to continue to coordinate the clean energy transition.
At the 2025 election voters chose renewables, storage and climate solutions over nuclear delay and distraction … It will be crucial for this government to stop approving new coal and gas if Australia is to be a credible host of a climate Cop next year.
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I’m going to hand you over to my lovely colleague Caitlin Cassidy now, who will take you through the rest of this afternoon’s news.
And if you had trouble keeping up with all those ministry announcements and would just like the summary version, here’s our full report:
Free trade agreement discussion expected while Albanese is in the Vatican
The prime minister says he expects to discuss tariffs with other world leaders while he visits the Vatican for the new pope’s inauguration.
Albanese says:
We tried to have a free trade agreement with Europe, and it will be good to have a discussion further about whether that can be advanced. We chose not to conclude that because it wasn’t in Australia’s national interest, but quite clearly in today’s uncertain world, with tariffs and trade issues being so central, no doubt there will be discussions.
And I will take the opportunity as well as having what will be an incredible honour for me, I have got to say. It was Mother’s Day yesterday, and … my mum would be pretty chuffed at the idea that her son will be going as prime minister to see the inauguration of a pope in the Vatican City.
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PM says he will attend inauguration of Pope Leo XIV
Albanese has confirmed has been invited to the inauguration of the new pope this week and intends to attend.
Albanese says:
I have been invited to the formal inauguration of Pope Leo XIV. It is taking place on Sunday.
My intention – we are sorting out logistics at the moment – is to travel from Jakarta to Rome and to the Vatican City to be able to attend and represent Australia at that event which will be so important for Catholics around the world and those of faith here in Australia as well.
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There’s also a number of interesting assistant ministry and envoy roles announced.
Dan Repacholi, the towering Hunter MP, gets an envoy role responsible for men’s health after starting some national conversations on that issue in his first term; Josh Burns, the well-regarded third-termer, will be special envoy for social housing and homelessness, issues he’s strongly advocated for in his Melbourne seat.
Rebecca White, the former Tasmanian Labor leader, comes right into the ministry as the assistant for health, Indigenous health and women. Peter Khalil is the new assistant defence minister, while popular Queenslander Nita Green becomes the assistant minister for tourism, the Pacific and northern Australia.
Andrew Charlton, the rising economic star, is the new cabinet secretary and assistant minister for science and technology.
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Anika Wells’ portfolios a ‘natural fit’ as commonwealth responsible for sport infrastructure, PM says
My colleague Josh Butler has asked the prime minister about Anika Wells being given the communications and sport portfolios.
He asks:
Is that a circuit-breaker to get through some further restrictions or further reforms on gambling advertising? And as she will also have to implement the under-16 social media ban later in the year, is the prime minister confident that age assurance trial is running as it should be?
Albanese responds to the second but doesn’t address the first question:
I am [confident in Anika]. We’re putting sport with infrastructure. It is one of the changes that we will make to put sport across from health. The commonwealth’s major responsibility for sport is essentially infrastructure. It will go in the department that includes infrastructure, includes communications and will include sport. It was a natural fit to have Anika Wells. There is this thing happening in 2032 in Brisbane [the Olympics] and that will be a big focus of sporting activity leading up to then and Anika has played a really important role as well as a Queenslander in getting that together and that will be an important part of her remit and we want continuity there.
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Rising stars of Labor left enter cabinet in important roles
Some additional changes beyond what we expected in this ministry change.
Murray Watt, the well-regarded Queensland left senator, will follow his work in the tricky employment portfolio by having to take on the tricky task of shepherding through the “nature positive” changes and Labor’s plan for an environmental protection agency.
The former environment minister Tanya Plibersek, who was unable to get those changes through, will get another challenging portfolio in social services. Mark Butler will get the NDIS in this reshuffle, where he’ll work with Plibersek in responding to disability portfolio issues.
Anne Aly and Tim Ayres, two rising stars of the left, also enter cabinet in important portfolios – Ayres taking Ed Husic’s portfolio of industry, and Aly taking small business as well as multicultural affairs.
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Albanese says home affairs and attorney general’s department will continue to be same
Asked if the attorney general’s department and home affairs will still be the same thing, Albanese says it will, and “we will have some cross-swearing in so that people can work seamlessly on it”.
He says:
We want to make sure that people can have access to all of the information at the appropriate time. There were issues arose out of information-sharing during the caravan incident, let’s call it, and we want to make sure we get it right and learn from that experience.
The “caravan incident” he’s referring to is, of course, this one:
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PM expresses confidence in Mark Butler and Jenny McAllister to manage NDIS
Albanese is asked about the NDIS portfolio in the wake of Bill Shorten leaving politics. Shorten, in this question, was characterised as “someone who was also very hardline when it came to some of the misuse and abuse of the NDIS”.
Albanese says the NDIS is moving into the overall health portfolio and that:
Mark Butler has a great interest in this area. He has had an interest for a long period of time, but Jenny McAllister has shown in the work that she has done in emergency management, in the short period of time that she has been in the ministry, [that] she is someone who has a capacity to have a great attention to detail and that is precisely what’s required when it comes to the reform of the NDIS.
We want to make sure that the NDIS fulfils what its intention was, that everyone has the best opportunity to contribute to Australian society and that people with a disability don’t get left behind. But we also want … some of the activity that we’ve seen, that Bill Shorten began, making sure that some of that waste and inefficiencies weren’t there, because that’s not serving the people with disability. I am very confident that Mark and Jenny are ideally suited to perform that task.
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Plibersek ‘very positive’ about moving from environment to social services, PM says
The PM opens to questions, and the first two questions are about Tanya Plibersek, who has just lost her environment portfolio to take up social services.
Asked if he sees Plibersek having that role until we next go to the election, Albanese says:
I am just announcing it today. You are asking me of people moving on. This is the ministry that I am announcing today. I hope it continues for three years across the board.
He said Plibersek was “very positive” about the portfolio.
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Albanese gives condolences to Matt Thistlethwaite after father’s death during campaign
There’s now a long list of assistant ministers, but Albanese pauses to give his condolences to Matt Thistlethwaite, who he has appointed assistant minister for immigration, foreign affairs and trade, as Thistlethwaite’s father died during the election campaign.
Albanese says:
It was a really difficult time when you are going through a public election campaign to lose your father, and on behalf of the Labor party, I express my condolences to Matt and his family.
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Moving to the outer ministry, Albanese lists the following:
Matt Keogh will continue as minister for veterans’ affairs and defence personnel.
Kristy McBain is the minister for regional development, local government and territories and minister for emergency management.
Andrew Giles is the minister for skills and training.
Jenny McAllister is the minister for the national disability insurance scheme.
Dan Merlino enters the ministry as the assistant treasurer and financial services.
Jess Walsh is the minister for early childhood education and youth.
Sam Rae is the minister for aged care and seniors.
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Albanese continues with his ministry list:
Julie Collins, minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry.
Clare O’Neil, minister for housing, homelessness as well as minister for cities.
Madeleine King, minister for resources and northern australia.
Murray Watt, minister for the environment and water.
Malarndirri McCarthy, minister for Indigenous Australians.
Anika Wells, minister for communications and minister for sport.
Pat Conroy, minister for defence industry and minister for Pacific Island affairs.
Anne Aly, who is new to the cabinet, as minister for small business; she will also be minister for international development and multicultural affairs.
Tim Ayres enters the cabinet as minister for industry and innovation and minister for science.
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The biggest changes to Albanese's new ministry
The new ministry list is out, with the biggest changes including:
Michelle Rowland becoming the new attorney general.
The health minister, Mark Butler, gets the NDIS added to his portfolio.
Amanda Rishworth moving to employment and workplace relations.
Tanya Plibersek moving to social services.
Anika Wells moving to communications.
Murray Watt moving to environment.
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PM announces line-up of new ministry
Anthony Albanese is unveiling his new cabinet after the Labor party was elected to federal government with the “largest ALP caucus in history since federation”.
The prime minister says it presents “an extraordinary opportunity for ministers, but for the entire caucus going forward” to put “an ambitious agenda to change this country for the better”.
He says:
The cabinet will be made up of: Richard Marles as deputy prime minister and minister for defence; Penny Wong as foreign affairs minister; Jim Chalmers as treasurer; Katy Gallagher, minister for finance and public service; Don Farrell, minister for trade, tourism and special minister of state.
During the election campaign I confirmed all of those people would continue to fulfil their responsibilities.
Tony Burke will be minister for home affairs, immigration and citizenship, cybersecurity as well as the arts; Mark Butler as minister for health and ageing, disability and the NDIS; Chris Bowen, minister for climate change and energy; Catherine King minister for infrastructure, transport, regional development and local government; Amanda Rishworth will be the minister for employment and workplace relations; Jason Clare, minister for education; Michelle Rowland will be the new attorney general; Tanya Plibersek, minister for social services.
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We’re expecting the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, to step up to speak to media any minute – the press conference is scheduled for 2pm AEST – for what is likely to be the announcement of his new cabinet. We’ll bring you all that shortly.
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From Kylie to Bon Scott and Ossie Ostrich, memorabilia to fill new Melbourne museum
The $3.5m Australian Museum of Performing Arts, currently under construction inside Melbourne’s Hamer Hall and set to open in December, is expected to feature items like Kylie Minogue’s gold hotpants, a 19th-century cloak worn by Dame Nellie Melba, and more.
The items come from a stash of more than 850,000 costumes, props, posters and other memorabilia, including AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott’s leather jacket, a journal by Nick Cave, a model of the Priscilla Queen of the Desert bus, and the puppet Ossie Ostrich from the TV program Hey Hey It’s Saturday.
At a launch event on Monday, Arts Centre Melbourne chief executive Karen Quinlan said the collection was established in 1975 and was estimated to be worth almost $80m, but had mostly been kept in storage.
The museum will be located on the upper terrace of the Hamer Hall building overlooking the Yarra River.
The museum was funded by the Victorian government to the tune of $500,000 and the rest contributed by philanthropists. It is part of the $1.7bn Melbourne arts precinct transformation project slated for completion in 2028.
– With AAP
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Australian stocks rise amid global economic concerns
Long-awaited US-China trade negotiations have helped push the local share market higher but worries about inflation and global growth remain, with neither nation budging on tariffs, AAP reports.
By midday AEST, the S&P/ASX200 was up 26.5 points, or 0.32%, to 8,257.7, as the broader All Ordinaries rose 26.6 points, or 0.31%, to 8,488.9.
Weekend talks between China and US officials in Switzerland were hailed for making “substantial progress”, but neither side mentioned plans to remove or reduce the US’s 145% duties on China’s imports, nor Beijing’s 125% imposts on US goods.
Seven of 11 local sectors were trading higher by midday, led by a 2.4% rally in energy stocks as the trade talks between the world’s two biggest oil consumers pushed the crude price higher, with Brent futures trading at US$63.78 a barrel.
The worst performing sector on the ASX was consumer staples, down 0.5%, with Woolworths shedding 0.9% to $32.95 as it announced plans to cut prices on hundreds of items from Wednesday.
Locally, Wednesday’s employment data will be the last major economic figures ahead of the Reserve Bank’s meeting next week, when markets expect the central bank to cut rates for the second time this year.
The Australian dollar is buying 64.23 US cents, up from 63. 97 US cents on Friday at 5pm.
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Australian warship deployed to enforce UN sanctions on North Korea
HMAS Sydney has been deployed under the enforcement of United Nations security council (UNSC) sanctions against North Korea.
The ADF said in a statement it had enforced UNSC sanctions against North Korea since 2018 to “deter and disrupt illegal maritime activity, including ship-to-ship transfers at sea”.
These sanctions limit North Korea’s imports of refined petroleum and crude oil, and its exports of coal. HMAS Sydney support to Operation Argos marks the 13th time a Royal Australian Navy vessel has been deployed to enforce UNSC sanctions since 2018.
The commanding officer of HMAS Sydney, Ben Weller, said the missile destroyer previously supported Operation Argos in September 2024.
We work closely with the enforcement coordination cell located at Yokosuka in Japan, and sail in areas where suspected illegal activity is expected to take place.
The ship is equipped with an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and a suite of sensors that allow us to monitor illegal ship-to-ship transfers of sanctioned goods.
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Who will – and won’t – be able to vote for next Liberal leader
The makeup of the Liberal party room that will decide the next leader has been finalised as the final seats in the election are called.
The Liberal party’s federal director, Andrew Hirst, was given until Monday morning to determine which candidates in the remaining undecided seats were projected to win to allow time for them to travel to Canberra ahead of Tuesday’s leadership ballot.
Guardian Australia has confirmed Gisele Kapterian (Bradfield), Mary Aldred (Monash), Zoe McKenzie (Flinders) and Terry Young (Longman) will be allowed a vote.
However, Amelia Hamer won’t be in the room after falling short in her bid to reclaim Kooyong from teal MP Monique Ryan.
The ABC called Bradfield for Kapterian and Kooyong for Ryan on Monday morning.
Flinders, Longman and Monash remain “in doubt”, according to the ABC, although the Liberals are ahead in each.
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What Price’s elevation would mean for Liberal party
It’s a big week for the future of the Coalition. The Liberals will elect their new opposition leader on Tuesday, while the National party will go to a leadership vote later today.
Liberals deputy leader Sussan Ley and shadow treasurer Angus Taylor are vying for the top spot, with Taylor running on a joint ticket with Northern Territory senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price.
Price’s confirmation she will run for Liberal deputy has put the members of an already shell-shocked party into a new spin, Michelle Grattan writes:
Tuesday’s leadership contest, where the numbers are said to be tight, is a battle for the direction of the party as much as one between the two personalities.
Read more here:
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ABC projects Greens will keep Brisbane seat of Ryan
Election analyst Antony Green has confirmed the ABC’s projections for four close seats – Ryan, Kooyong, Bradfield and Bean.
Green told the ABC Elizabeth Watson-Brown would come in second place in the Brisbane seat of Ryan, allowing her to take Labor’s preferences and defeat the Coalition.
He said Monique Ryan was also “far enough ahead” to withstand Amelia Hamer in the Melbourne seat of Kooyong, while Labor was also projected to win the ACT electorate of Bean following a surprise close challenge against independent candidate Jessie Price.
In the Sydney north shore seat of Bradfield, Green said there weren’t enough outstanding votes to turn around the Coalition’s lead. Giselse Kapterian has faced a tight contest against independent Nicolette Boele, who ran this federal election for a second time after the resignation of Paul Fletcher.
Bradfield is … the bluest of blue electorates traditionally. There’s been a surge of support in the north shore for the independents and the Liberals have haemorrhaged. Bradfield has stayed with the Liberals but by a very narrow margin.
Four seats remained in doubt – Flinders, Monash and Calwell in Victoria and Longman in Queensland.
Green said Labor was “probably favoured” in Calwell, but it would be more than a week before the result was clear.
Monash remains in doubt but is probably leaning to the Liberals. In Flinders, an independent will finish second, but I think Zoe McKenzie [of the Coalition] will probably hold it. Longman … at this stage that one is too close to call.
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La Trobe unveils strategy to increase regional enrolments
La Trobe university has unveiled a five-year strategy to drastically increase regional student participation in a bid to narrow the participation gap with metropolitan students.
The strategy aims to grow enrolments in on-campus, hybrid and online courses by four times the growth rate of the domestic student population in regional Victoria by 2030.
La Trobe’s chancellor, John Brumby AO, said fewer than 20% of regional, rural and remote Australians attended university, but the federal government commissioned Universities Accord estimates that 55% of Australian jobs could require a university degree by 2050.
[La Trobe’s] bold targets … will contribute to reducing the gap between metropolitan and regional higher education participation and boosting the skilled workforce in areas of greatest need such as health and education.
Increasing higher education participation in under-represented communities was a key focus of the accord, which recommended a $10bn infrastructure fund to expand study hubs in regional, rural and remote areas.
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Tim Wilson mulls tilt at Liberal party leadership
Tim Wilson is mulling a tilt at the Liberal leadership ahead of Tuesday’s party room meeting to select Peter Dutton’s replacement.
Sources close to Wilson confirmed the incoming Goldstein MP was considering vying with the shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, and the deputy leader, Sussan Ley, for the top job, although a final decision was yet to be made.
As reported earlier, the former Liberal MP Jason Falinksi made the case for Wilson in an interview on ABC RN Breakfast this morning.
I think that Tim is a fighter, and I think that our supporters, any supporters of any political party after the loss that we’ve just had, want someone who’s going to fight, who’s actually going to stand there and say I believe in these things and I will fight for these things.
Liberal sources familiar with Wilson’s thinking rated the chances of the 45-year-old ultimately putting his hand up at roughly “35-45%”.
One factor weighing against a leadership tilt was timing, the sources said.
Colleagues who might be prepared to back Wilson in 18 months’ time believed it was too early for the one-time assistant energy minister to vault into the leadership.
However, sources said the low level of enthusiasm for either Taylor or Ley could attract undecided MPs to Wilson.
Taylor is running on a joint ticket with Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, fresh from her defection from Nationals to the Liberals, while Ted O’Brien will reportedly put his hand for the deputy’s position under Ley.
The party room meeting is scheduled for 10am on Tuesday.
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ABC projects Greens to hold Brisbane seat of Ryan
The ABC’s Antony Green is now projecting that Greens candidate Elizabeth Watson-Brown will hold on to the Brisbane seat of Ryan. He said a provisional three-candidate preferred count conducted by the AEC has made clear that Labor will not catch up.
The result means Watson-Brown will be the only member of the Greens in the House of Representatives.
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Jacinta Allan on ‘really difficult drought conditions’ in some parts of Victoria
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, was asked this morning about the drought in regional parts of the state. She says in September the government announced a $13.5m drought support package for farmers.
So far, 1,569 grants have been provided to primary producers to fund farm water systems, stock containment areas and grain and fodder but she did not rule out doing more.
Allan said:
I have been speaking regularly with the agriculture minister, Ros Spence, who is working with other colleagues to support farmers and primary producers but also to those rural communities that rely on our rural industries, because we are seeing some really difficult drought conditions that we haven’t seen in some parts of the state since the millennium drought some years ago now.
We provided a package of support for drought affected farmers in that south-western part of our state. In September of last year, around $13m was allocated, and minister Spence has been meeting and talking with both representatives of the farming industry and primary producers themselves, because we recognise that despite that support … there is more to do here, because we haven’t seen rain pretty much since the start of year.
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ABC calls seats of Bean, Bradfield and Kooyong
The ABC has called the seats of Bean, Bradfield and Kooyong, where close races have been playing out since election night.
Labor MP David Smith leads by fewer than 200 votes for Bean, and ABC election analyst Antony Green says that will be enough for him to retain the seat. That will give Labor a total of 93 seats in the House of Representatives.
The ABC also projects that independent MP Monique Ryan will retain the electorate of Kooyong, in Melbourne. Liberal candidate Amelia Hamer received similar levels of support to former treasurer Josh Frydenberg in 2022, but Ryan is about 700 votes ahead.
The Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian will win the Sydney seat of Bradfield, taking over from outgoing MP Paul Fletcher. Independent Nicolette Boele initially seemed on track to win it off the Liberals, but Kapterian currently has a lead of about 200 votes, and there are only 1,000 left to count.
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More on Metro Tunnel funding
Victoria’s transport infrastructure minister, Gabrielle Williams, says the $727m for Metro Tunnel will also include introducing “turn up and go” services for the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. It will mean commuters on those lines will be able to hop on a train every couple of minutes during peak hours.
Williams says the extra services – across both the lines that travel through the tunnel and the others announced today – will be introduced in phases.
The extra services that are in this package today are staggered over a period of time, some slightly before the opening of Metro Tunnel, some from day one of Metro Tunnel, some after the Metro Tunnel [opens] so we try to sequence changes to our timetables in a sensible way so that we’re not compromising the reliability of our network.
Williams says the entire network’s timetable will be altered to account for the new tunnel:
[It impacts all] the modes that intersect with it. So it’s buses, it’s trains, it’s trams, it’s our entire network. It’s a very, very complicated endeavour, and one that [is] well under way at the moment, and I look forward to being able to share more with you about that very soon.
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Erin Patterson trial update
You might notice the absence of posts about the Erin Patterson trial today. That’s because it is a jury-free day, which the judge decided last week would be in the interests of efficiency.
On Thursday, Justice Christopher Beale told the jury:
I’ve just been having a discussion with counsel about the way the case is progressing and the way that we can save some time, and we can best achieve that by not sitting on Monday.
There are things happening behind the scenes to try and condense the material that will be presented to you, and if Monday is devoted to that rather than you sitting here in court listening to some evidence, I expect the case will conclude earlier.
We’re expecting the jury to be back hearing evidence again on Tuesday.
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Victorian premier announces train funding of almost $5bn
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, is announcing almost $5bn in funding in next week’s budget will be spent to “switch on” the Metro Tunnel, run more train services and kick off works on Melbourne airport rail.
She’s making the announcement at Sunshine station, flanked by her deputy premier, Ben Carroll, transport infrastructure minister, Gabrielle Williams, and seven Labor MPs representing the other northern and western suburbs.
Some $4bn will be spent on the station’s redevelopment, which she says is stage one of a train line to Melbourne airport. Allan says:
Sunshine station is such an important gateway for the airport, for the western suburbs, for the city and for the regional trains as well, and this will transform Sunshine station into a transport super hub for suburban and country and airport rail trains. It also paves the way, because it untangles the network, for future works to be able to deliver more services for the western suburbs.
Allan says $727m will be spent to “operationalise” the Metro Tunnel, which is set to open later this year.
And $98.7m will be spent on running more frequent services on several metropolitan and regional train lines:
Werribee line will get two additional trains per hour in the morning and afternoons
Sandringham line will get two extra trains per hour in peak periods
Craigieburn and Upfield lines will see an increase in services during shoulder peak and off-peak periods, with trains running at least every 20 minutes including late at night and on weekends
Bendigo lines will get longer trains running on more weekend services
Seymour line will get an additional service in the morning and afternoon peaks
Gippsland line will get additional weekday interpeak services on the Traralgon line following the completion of upgrades later this year
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Tanya Plibersek is asked about ministerial expectations
Labor’s Tanya Plibersek has avoided comment about her ministerial desires or expectations, offering little other than general remarks when pressed this morning on the issue of the forthcoming cabinet announcement from Anthony Albanese.
Plibersek, who previously held the environment portfolio, told Sunrise this morning that cabinet decisions were “completely a matter for the prime minister” and that she was just “very grateful” to be on the front bench, and to have won the election, and to get to do “a good job for the government and for the people of Australia” again … and, well, you get the idea.
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Tony Abbott throws support behind Angus Taylor and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price for Liberal leadership
Former prime minister Tony Abbott has come out in support of Angus Taylor and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s ticket for the Liberal leadership, saying they will deliver a “strong, clear and principled” alternative to the Labor government.
Posting on X, Abbott said the party “owes Australia a much stronger performance at the next election and that has to start now.”
The Liberal Party owes Australia a much stronger performance at the next election and that has to start now.
— Tony Abbott (@HonTonyAbbott) May 11, 2025
We need to be a strong, clear and principled alternative to a government that we know, on its record so far, will be damaging the economy, dividing our society, and…
He continued:
We need to be a strong, clear and principled alternative to a government that we know, on its record so far, will be damaging the economy, dividing our society, and neglecting our on going security.
I’m confident that the leadership team of Angus Taylor and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has the conviction and courage to make a real contest of the next election.
It has the fight and drive to hold the government to account for its mistakes and to offer the Australian people change for the better.
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New Albanese cabinet to be announced later today
As noted earlier, we’re expecting Anthony Albanese to announce the line-up of his new cabinet today, but it is going to come a little later than expected.
We were anticipating a 9am announcement but the latest indication is that it will come mid-late morning, and may even be early afternoon. As always, though, we’ll update you as soon as we know more.
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Drought conditions worsen in SA and Victoria
The last meaningful rain at Truro, on the eastern side of the Barossa Ranges in South Australia, was recorded in November 2022, and the tally for the first four months of this year is a paltry 33.5mm.
It’s a similar story across South Australia and Victoria, where farmers are braced for drought conditions to worsen.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s latest climate outlook warns below-average rainfall is likely from May to July in those regions, while day and nighttime temperatures are expected to be warmer than average across most of Australia.
That’s not good news for sheep, cattle and dairy producers in regions which have experienced their driest 14-month period on record.
Read more about how rural communities are trying to cope with worsening drought conditions here:
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Pat Conroy expected to retain defence industry and Pacific portfolios
NSW MP Pat Conroy is expected to remain in his portfolio of defence industry and minister for the Pacific in the cabinet, when Anthony Albanese unveils his new ministry within the next hour.
Conroy also held the portfolio for international development in the last government, but that will be carved out and given to another minister. It’s understood Conroy will occupy a more senior position in the cabinet.
Speculation has been rife over the past week on who will get what, with some of the government’s most senior members to retain their portfolios – including Wong, Marles and treasurer Jim Chalmers – while others are facing new responsibilities.
Ed Husic and Mark Dreyfus – who were ousted from the cabinet last week – will need to have their cabinet positions filled, and that means two new ministers will likely enter the cabinet.
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Dave Sharma urges Liberals not to ‘break apart into warring camps’ over leadership
Sussan Ley and Angus Taylor are both “honest about the scale of the challenge” faced by the Liberal party, Liberal MP Dave Sharma has said.
Sharma told Sunrise this morning it was “important to make a collegiate approach” and for the party not to “break apart into warring camps”.
Of the rumoured Tim Wilson leadership tilt, Sharma said:
I haven’t heard from him.
He had, however, read the Falinski article in the Australian Financial Review.
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Canavan: ‘no credible evidence that droughts or floods are getting worse’
Matt Canavan has claimed he has “always” accepted the link between carbon dioxide emissions and temperature rises but appeared to doubt that natural disasters are getting worse as a consequence of climate crisis.
He told the ABC:
There’s just not credible evidence that droughts or floods are getting worse in this country … is that the science? What is the science then? Is it the IPCC reports? That’s what’s in their report.
Following that, there was what I can only describe as a very confused passage of discussion in which he appeared to suggest that it was an issue of terminology rather than science, and that heatwaves were getting worse but not other kinds of environmental crisis … except sea temperatures:
I don’t know what happened. It’s about 10 years ago. It seemed like global warming wasn’t really working. So it changed to climate change, and started talking about floods and cyclones and these things. And when you actually read the signs, there’s very little evidence that most of those natural disasters are getting any worse. Heatwaves is different.
Well, the temperature is rising, as noted about that. It’s happening in the oceans as well. But the question is calibrating our response to what the risks are.
The problem with natural disasters, Canavan claimed, is that they are “an infrequent event”, and therefore the statistics are not robust. The problem ultimately, he said, is that a “binding net zero target” subjugates all other industries to the environment.
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Canavan says he’s standing for Nationals leadership to be ‘agent of change’
Matt Canavan hopes to be an “agent of change” for Nationals, he has told media this morning, ahead of the party’s leadership ballot today.
Canavan told the ABC he decided to take a shot at the leadership on Wednesday last week. He said:
I think we need a shake-up. I think the party deserves a choice, think the people of Australia deserve a choice. I don’t think we gave them enough of a real choice at the last election. So I’m standing to try and be an agent of change, if you like … you can’t ask other people to do something you’re not prepared to do yourself. So I put my hand up.
Canavan said he has been arguing for some time that Australia is “losing our income, losing our wealth, losing our jobs, losing our industries, losing our … laidback culture”.
He would not withdraw if he didn’t have the numbers, he said, but would “give it a crack”.
Updated
Former Liberal makes case for Tim Wilson as party leader: ‘someone who’s going to fight’
Since Liberal Tim Wilson claimed back the seat of Goldstein from independent Zoe Daniel this election, there have been rumours bubbling that he has also been considering a surprise tilt at the party leadership.
Former Liberal MP Jason Falinski has been out and about today making the case that he ought to. Writing in the AFR yesterday, Falinksi said the party needed someone who would not “[flinch] in the face of vibe-led hatred” and would “[take on] holy shibboleths with facts, logic and reason”.
Wilson, he believes, is the man to do this. Speaking to ABC RN this morning, Falinski said:
I think that Tim is a fighter, and I think that our supporters, any supporters of any political party after the loss that we’ve just had, want someone who’s going to fight, who’s actually going to stand there and say I believe in these things and I will fight for these things.
I think Tim embodies those characteristics, more so than anyone else in the parliamentary party. But it’s not really a paean to Tim Wilson. It’s about whoever the next leader is has to embody that fighting spirit, if we’re going to get ahead.
Updated
Welcome
Good morning.
It’s a new week in news and politics, with a new cabinet for the Albanese government and a new leader for the Nationals both on the cards for today.
The Nationals are gathering in Canberra today for a party room leadership vote as leader David Littleproud faces a challenge from Matt Canavan.
We’re also expecting Anthony Albanese to announce his new cabinet today, ready for swearing in tomorrow, after factional jostling last week post-election win.
Stick with us, as we’ll bring you the details on all these issues and much more as the day goes on.
