What we learned today, Tuesday 26 May
That’s it for today, thanks for reading. Here are the main stories of the day:
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Northern Territory police have confirmed they have declined to charge the two off-duty officers involved in an arrest over the death of 24-year-old Kumanjayi White, a Warlpiri man who lived with cognitive disabilities.
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A group of women and children linked to Islamic State have landed in Melbourne with others expected in Sydney.
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The defence minister, Richard Marles, has been challenged over Labor’s support for the government of Israel, with one MP using a closed-door caucus meeting today to raise concerns about the treatment of flotilla protesters in recent days.
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The independent senator David Pocock says leaked BHP documents show that the mining giant is “laughing” at Australia’s key climate policy while pocketing hundreds of millions of dollars through a generous diesel tax break.
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Two men have been arrested in connection to Porepunkah shooter Dezi Freeman’s months on the run after he killed two police officers.
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Jewish Australians have reported a dramatic increase in harassment and intimidation online after giving evidence at the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion.
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Victorian buildings will be lit blue tonight in honour of the AFL great Neale Daniher, who died yesterday, 13 years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
We will see you again for more news tomorrow.
Updated
Outgoing Nacc chief says staff ‘terrified of making any mistake’
The National Anti-Corruption Commission chief, Paul Brereton, is continuing to explain his early exit from the job in a tense Senate estimates hearing in Canberra.
Asked by the Liberal senator Sarah Henderson if an upcoming report by the Nacc inspector general will make adverse findings against him, Brereton says it would be “totally inappropriate” to speculate.
Brereton has been pointed in his responses to questions so far in the hearing, including when asked why he is leaving his role two years early.
He says three years into the Nacc’s operations, he decided the continued distraction of investigations was not in his or the institution’s best interests.
“So the fact of having been under investigation and being distracted from doing the job that I wanted to do as commissioner by the need to defend myself and by the Nacc needing to defend myself, that’s why I decided to resign,” he said.
“We now have a commission in which staff are terrified of making any mistake of fact or law, because they fear they will be visited with a finding of officer misconduct.”
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The government has criticised the opposition and Greens alliance with Latham to suspend Sharpe, including since a court ordered Latham to pay $100,000 in compensation to Alex Greenwich after finding he had vilified and sexually harassed the independent MP for Sydney. Latham has said he intends to appeal against the decision.
The opposition and Greens voted against a government motion to suspend Latham earlier this month after the finding. The Greens argued that the case was the subject of an ongoing appeal. Speaking out against the move to suspend her in a debate today, Sharpe said:
We’ve got a member of parliament sitting in this chamber who has been found to vilify and sexually harass a member of parliament, but we are not able to, nor would we proceed to suspend him.
But the Greens MLC Sue Higginson, said there was “more than doubt” about the crown solicitor’s advice, which was “prepared urgently” for the government. She said:
We are actually dealing with the substance matter that relates to a woman [Jones] who is out there in the community who would like to see this matter pursued to the fullest extent possible, and the document produced and provided.
Sharpe was suspended twice in March, first for less than an hour and then for three days. She was suspended for seven days earlier this month. More than 20 government bills are now stalled in the chamber amid the dispute over the call for papers, and after a court case in favour of the premier’s chief of staff, James Cullen, removed the power for the upper house to compel witnesses to appear before parliamentary inquiries.
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NSW upper house leader suspended from parliament for fourth time this year
The NSW government’s leader in the upper house, Penny Sharpe, has been suspended from parliament for the fourth time this year over the government’s decision not to provide documents relating to a historical sexual assault allegation.
Following a vote in NSW’s legislative council supported by the opposition and the Greens, Sharpe has been suspended from parliament for 14 days, bringing the total days she has been suspended this year to 24.
Sharpe’s suspensions have followed the government’s refusal to release documents which relate to a 2015 sexual assault allegation against former NSW Labor secretary, Jamie Clements, who is a friend of the premier, Chris Minns, after a parliamentary call for papers by Mark Latham MLC.
Clements was accused of intimidating and trying to kiss a female Labor staffer, Stefanie Jones, but denied the allegations and was never charged. An apprehended violence order (AVO) against him was applied for in 2016 but the application was withdrawn after Clements agreed to stay away from her for 12 months.
Today Sharpe tabled advice from the crown solicitor which said the government did not need to release the documents, including a police statement given by Minns and the transcript of a police interview by Clements. The advice said because the statement given by Minns, made after AVO proceedings had begun, “went to the central issue” of and had a “strong relationship” with the AVO, it concerned the “administration of justice” and not was not covered by the call for papers.
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Nacc chief faces Senate estimates after announcing early exit
The head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission, Paul Brereton, says he would like to check his resignation letter with the attorney general for personal details before he releases it publicly.
Many eyes are on the Nacc chief’s appearance at Senate estimates this evening, given the abrupt nature of ending his term three years into a five-year term.
Brereton said he wrote to the governor general and the attorney general to resign, in addition to the public media statement that was released yesterday.
His statement on Monday said he was stepping down because the “ongoing focus on matters relating to me personally” were “drawing attention away from the commission’s core purpose of strengthening integrity”.
Brereton said this evening:
The press attention is focused on me and my interests. That is, the need [for the Nacc chief executive] to defend that has become a distraction, and that is basically why I have decided that it is in the interests of the organisation that I remove that distraction.
The Greens senator David Shoebridge asked whether he accepted any responsibility for the attention to his actions.
Brereton responded: “I think everyone contributes to their own downfall, if you like, in some ways, and I’m sure I have contributed to this in some ways.”
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Labor MP challenges Marles over Israeli government support
The defence minister, Richard Marles, was challenged over Labor’s support for the government of Israel on Tuesday, with one MP using a closed-door caucus meeting to raise concerns about the treatment of flotilla protesters in recent days.
The foreign minister, Penny Wong, is overseas and was not present at the meeting at Parliament House, so a Labor MP asked Marles to explain what circumstances would be required for Labor to “ramp up” sanctions on the Netanyahu government.
They raised treatment of the flotilla protesters, including Australian citizens, violence against settlers, the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and deaths caused by Israel’s bombing in southern Lebanon.
Marles told the meeting Wong had been “forward leaning”, including condemning Israel’s national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, for taunting detained activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla in custody. Wong called in Israel’s ambassador to Australia and called the actions “completely unacceptable”.
Marles was also asked about Australia’s participation in the international F-35 fighter jet program, including Australian-made parts being shipped to Israel for the aircraft.
Labor has insisted the government has not exported weapons or military parts to Israel since the Gaza conflict began in October 2023.
The MP told the meeting “if any other nation was conducting themselves this way, we would have a different approach”.
Marles said the F35 capability was “at the heart” of the Australian air force’s operations and restricting the trade in parts with Israel would be challenging due to existing treaty obligations.
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No women returning to Sydney from Syria will be arrested, NSW police confirm
There will be no arrests made in relation of the return of Islamic State-linked family members to Sydney, a spokesperson for NSW police has confirmed.
Briefing the media at Sydney international airport on Tuesday evening ahead of their expected arrival from Doha at 5.30pm, the spokesperson said the women and children would be offered assistance from the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) when they land.
If they choose to take the assistance, which is voluntary, the DCJ will transport them out of the airport.
The spokesperson could not confirm how many women and children were expected to land in Sydney. There is a strong AFP presence at the arrivals terminal, with multiple roving police, at least one carrying an automatic weapon.
The Sydney group is expected to include Nesrine, Sumaya and Aminah Zahab and Hyam Raad, along with their children.
In Melbourne, the plane carrying the detainees has landed. There is a small police presence in the arrivals hall.
You can read more on that story here:
Updated
NT coroner confirms upcoming hearing in Kumanjayi White case
Just following up on the news from earlier that Northern Territory police will not charge two off-duty officers over the death of a Warlpiri man who lived with cognitive disabilities: the inquest into the death is set to start next month.
A spokesperson for NT courts confirmed there would be a directions hearing into the death of 24-year-old Kumanjayi White in Alice Springs on 15 June.
Coronial matters are generally paused when a criminal investigation or charges are outstanding, but the conclusion of the NT police investigation means the inquest process can start.
The hearing is likely to set a course for a block of inquest evidence to be heard at a later date.
Updated
Queensland mother charged with murder of four-year-old daughter
A mother has been charged with murder after her four-year-old daughter was found dead at a home west of Brisbane, AAP reports.
The girl was discovered by emergency services when they were called to a Lowood residence about 11.10pm on Monday, police said.
Two other children were inside the property at the time but were not injured, police allege.
All three children were known to the 31-year-old woman, police said.
Police said on Tuesday that the woman had been charged with one count of murder.
She was due to appear in Ipswich magistrates court on Tuesday afternoon.
Det Insp Michael Manago said the woman had been identified as the child’s mother.
“This is an incredibly tragic situation, even more tragic given the presence of the other children at the dwelling at the time,” he told reporters on Tuesday.
The other two children were in the care of family members, he said.
“Their wellbeing remains a priority for all involved,” Manago said.
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Israeli embassy says Gaza flotilla participants were not physically and sexually abused, did not act for humanitarian reasons
The Israeli embassy in Canberra says it rejects claims that Gaza flotilla participants suffered physical mistreatment and sexual abuse, and accused activists of only participating to provoke Israel, and not for humanitarian reasons.
It said in a statement:
The return of the Gaza flotilla participants has attracted significant international attention and prompted a range of serious allegations against Israel, including claims of physical mistreatment and sexual abuse.
Israel categorically rejects these allegations and maintains that serious claims of this nature must be backed by credible evidence and grounded in fact.
It is also important to recognise that this is the fourth flotilla organised for provocation rather than humanitarian concern. The flotillas have not been driven by legitimate humanitarian objectives, but by an orchestrated political campaign that serves the interests of Hamas. Some governments, including Australia, advised against participation.
NT police confirm no charges to be laid over Kumanjayi White's death in custody
Northern Territory police have confirmed they have declined to charge the two off-duty officers involved in an arrest over the death of 24-year-old Kumanjayi White, a Warlpiri man who lived with cognitive disabilities.
White died on 27 May last year during a confrontation with police in a Coles supermarket. His death sparked nationwide rallies and outrage, with calls for accountability and an independent probe.
The Northern Territory police commissioner, Martin Dole, said the Director of Public Prosecutions and territory police had conducted a fair and thorough investigation over the past 12 months.
“A brief of evidence was submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for their opinion. Following consideration of all available evidence, including the independent expert report, the DPP formed the view that there was no reasonable prospects of a successful prosecution,” Dole said.
The commissioner acknowledged the ongoing distress, anger and grief of White’s family and the Northern Territory Aboriginal community.
“While the decision not to proceed with charges was made based on the evidence and applicable legal thresholds, we recognise this outcome may be difficult for Kumanjayi White’s family – a man lost his life.”
Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of White’s death.
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A big thank you for joining me on the blog today. I’ll leave you with the wonderful Nino Bucci for the afternoon. There’s plenty more to come – including evidence at Senate estimates from the national anti-corruption commissioner, Paul Brereton, after he yesterday announced he would leave the role.
I’ll see you back here bright and early tomorrow.
Updated
Tl;dr here's what happened in question time
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The opposition tried to corner the government on capital gains tax carve-outs, and say whether small businesses would be excluded from the changes. There were multiple attempts with tighter wording each time but Anthony Albanese wouldn’t bite.
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The independent MP Andrew Wilkie asked the government if a defence and veterans workshop could keep running at a barrack in Hobart slated for sale – the government confirmed it would continue in the space.
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The energy minister, Chris Bowen, condemned the destruction of a Wiradjuri cultural site for a renewable energy zone in NSW.
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The Nationals MP Kevin Hogan tried to ask if the return of Australian women and children from Syria was part of Labor’s “plan”, but the PM said he had “nothing but contempt” for the cohort.
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Two Coalition MPs were booted today – Nationals MP Alison Penfold and Liberal Henry Pike, but at the very end of QT the opposition welcomed back Liberal Phil Thompson, who was suspended from the chamber 24 hours earlier.
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Victorian buildings to be lit up in blue for Neale Daniher
The Victorian government has announced buildings across the state will be lit up in blue to honour Neale Daniher from 5.30pm. They include:
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Flinders Street station
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Royal Exhibition Building
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National Gallery of Victoria
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Arts Centre Melbourne spire
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Geelong Arts Centre
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GMHBA Stadium
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Bolte Bridge
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CityLink Sound Tunnel
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Old Treasury Building
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AAMI Park
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Rod Laver Arena
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John Cain Arena
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Margaret Court Arena
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Kia Arena
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Parliament House
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Shrine of Remembrance
Daniher, a former AFL footballer and coach died on Monday, 13 years after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
After his MND diagnosis, Daniher became a prominent campaigner for medical research into the disease. He co-founded the charity FightMND, which among other initiatives spearheads the Big Freeze, an annual fundraising and awareness campaign that has raised more than $100m for research projects.
Last year he was named Australian of the Year for his advocacy work.
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Shadow NDIS minister offers 'no guarantees' Coalition will pass bill
The shadow NDIS minister, Melissa McIntosh, says the opposition offers “no guarantees” it will rubber stamp Labor’s NDIS overhaul ahead of a final committee report next month.
At a presser shortly before question time, the western Sydney Liberal MP said the NDIS budget was a “runaway train” but it was important to balance that with the scheme’s importance for the 760,000 or so participants who use it.
MPs, I imagine Labor’s as well, [are] receiving so many inquiries [from] genuinely concerned Australians, and they’re not faking their anxiety, it’s really heightened right now. So I think we’ve got an obligation as lawmakers to get the law right for these people [on the NDIS], but it is definitely very much a balancing act to have compassion for people but to have the reality that the budget is just blowing out.
McIntosh said the opposition would await the inquiry’s final report in mid-June to see whether it would propose amendments to the bill.
It is understood the opposition and the Greens are in talks over whether the inquiry could be extended as part of a deal. At the moment, there will only be three days of hearings before the report is due to be tabled.
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Phil Thompson returns to the chamber with applause as question time ends
Mark Butler gets a final dixer, and the PM calls time on QT.
But before everyone leaves, Liberal MP Phil Thompson – who was dramatically turfed out of QT yesterday and suspended for 24 hours – returns.
He receives applause and cheers from the Coalition benches.
Updated
Opposition claims return of IS-linked Australians 'part of Labor's plan'
We’ve diverted from the budget altogether now, with Nationals MP Kevin Hogan asking the PM to admit that the return of a “plane-load of Isis sympathisers” returning this evening is “part of Labor’s plan”.
(Plane-load seems like a bit of a stretch – there’s seven women and 12 children on board.)
The PM shakes his head, saying he’s just given an answer to a dixer about social cohesion.
He says:
I have nothing but contempt for anyone who has any sympathy with Isis, as I hope everyone in this chamber would agree. This should not be an issue of partisanship.
Dan Tehan tries to table a document of a note from Save the Children on their meeting with Tony Burke.
There’s a long kerfuffle around it, and accusations of the mic being turned off while Tehan is trying to speak and table the document.
After some back and forth the microphone issue is cleared up, but Tehan is not granted leave to table the document.
Updated
Bowen condemns ‘utterly unacceptable’ reported destruction of Wiradjuri heritage site in NSW
Independent Andrew Gee is next and asks the government about the obliteration of a Wiradjuri cultural site for the Central-West Orana renewable energy zone in New South Wales. He says that he previously raised issues of “grievous destruction” to the federal environment minister but there was no action.
The energy minister, Chris Bowen, takes the question and calls it a “serious matter”. He says he’s discussed it with the minister for Indigenous Australians and will talk to the NSW government.
Bowen says:
I completely agree with the point he made that what happened, on the face of it, is utterly unacceptable.
I’m happy to keep the honourable member fully advised of progress in the investigation and action that arises.
The point he makes in any disruption of First Nations culture is utterly unacceptable, one that I entirely agree with.
Updated
Taylor tries again to question Albanese on CGT carve-outs
Angus Taylor – after three times trying – has decided to change tack slightly.
He says he’s asked three times which small businesses will be carved out from CGT changes but “three times the prime minister has refused to be honest.”
Taylor asks: “What happened to ‘my word is my bond’?”
You can almost guess what the PM said in response.
Anthony Albanese repeats his answer around small business tax discounts and incentives in the budget, and adds that consultation on the legislation is ongoing:
We are consulting, as we said we would on budget night, including with the Council of Small Business, have had formal meetings with Treasury, we’re continuing to consult on the measures.
Updated
Calls for accountability over classified royal commission recommendations
How can the government be held to account to implement confidential recommendations made in the interim report by the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion, asks independent Nicolette Boele.
She says that if we don’t know what the recommendations are, and the government has agreed to them, how will the public know that they have been fulfilled.
The attorney general, Michelle Rowland, talks about why there are five recommendations that are confidential, and that there is a very limited group of people who have access to the unclassified version.
She says that it’s critical that operational information relating to the criminal investigation is not disclosed “to avoid risk of prejudicing the prosecution.”
But she doesn’t give us much of an answer on how the government will be held accountable. Rowland says:
Our security agencies have robust oversight, including by the inspector general of intelligence and security, as well as the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security.
Updated
Liberal MP Henry Pike ejected after question over health insurance rebates
Nationals MP Pat Conaghan is next and asks the prime minister why his constituents Ross and Cynthia are about to be slugged hundreds of dollars of extra due to changes to private health insurance. He says Ross and Cynthia ask “why does the prime minister want to continue to push us by removing the rebate we desperately need?”
Anthony Albanese rejects the premise of the question because the rebate for private health insurance isn’t being removed – it’s just being lowered for people aged over 65, to the same rebate level as everyone else.
You can read a bit more about that here.
Albanese says:
No one is removing the rebate. The premise of the question is completely wrong. What is not appropriate is to come in here and spread this sort of information through the parliament of Australia.
After the question, Liberal MP Henry Pike gets kicked out of the chamber for interjecting over a dixer (interrupting between a question being asked and answered is an absolute no-no says Milton Dick).
Updated
Nationals MP Alison Penfold removed from the chamber
We have our first booting of the day, folks, with Nationals MP Alison Penfold kicked out for talking too much during a dixer to Tony Burke.
Milton Dick says she interjected 14 times in one answer – which is “potentially a record.”
Tim Wilson is then up next at the dispatch box, and says that Anthony Albanese yesterday answered that a woman, Janet, and her daughter with Down syndrome would be exempt from discretionary trust tax changes because she was a vulnerable minor.
But Wilson says that Janet’s daughter is actually an adult, and asks if the government is “slugging Australians with disability with a new 30% death tax”.
The PM’s answer, in its entirety:
No.
Updated
Liberals continue line of attack on CGT
Angus Taylor is back for a third time, and has been tightening his question each time – to try to get the prime minister to answer it. (As you might remember, the more preamble and flowery language in a question, the more room a minister has to answer and still remain somewhat “relevant”.)
This time Taylor asks a very direct: “Which small businesses will be carved out from your capital gains tax increases?”
Anthony Albanese still won’t bite (no surprises there), and once again goes to the $3.5bn in tax incentives coming for small businesses out of the latest budget.
Dan Tehan quickly tries to pick up the baton from Taylor, telling the speaker that the opposition could not have asked a tighter question, but once again Milton Dick says he can’t compel the PM to provide a list of businesses that the opposition wants.
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Hobart veterans’ workshop to remain at Derwent barracks despite government selling land
Over to the crossbench, independent MP Andrew Wilkie asks the government if it will save a defence and veterans’ workshop in Hobart that runs out of the Derwent barracks – a location due to be sold off by Defence.
After a bit of a preamble about how the government is working on the recommendations of the royal commission on defence and veterans suicides, the veterans affairs minister, Matt Keogh, confirms that the workshop will remain operating from the barracks.
He says that following consultation, the decision was made.
The defence and veteran workshop will remain on site at the Derwent Barracks. I’m pleased the prime minister could confirm this when he was in Hobart with premier [Jeremy] Rockliff weekend before last.
Updated
Taylor calls for a list of businesses getting a carve out on CGT changes (spoiler alert, he doesn’t get it)
Angus Taylor is back and asks the PM to declare which small businesses will receive a carve-out from “Labor’s broken promises and higher taxes”.
“Good question” a bunch of opposition MPs shout from the benches, followed by a chorus of laughs as Anthony Albanese begins his answer with, “we support small business.”
Albanese talks up the budget and the reaction business and industry groups. He gets about a minute in when Taylor tries again to make a point of order on relevance.
The speaker, Milton Dick, says he knows Taylor would like a list of the businesses that are getting a carve out, but he’s not getting it.
Albanese continues:
What I am talking about is the lower taxes we’re introducing for small business … We do support small business and the opportunity of young people getting a roof over their head, something those opposite don’t support.
Updated
It’s question time!
Angus Taylor starts at the dispatch box and asks if the government will carve out hairdressers, builders, gyms, pharmacies, vets, dentists, landscapers or childcare operators from higher capital gains taxes under the budget.
Anthony Albanese says that small businesses already receive four different concessions, and are eligible for $3.5bn in lower tax measures.
He’s quickly interrupted by Milton Dick who tells everyone to calm down and stop shouting.
Then Taylor is up again to make a point of order on relevance. There’s a bit of back and forth, with Dan Tehan and Tony Burke getting involved, but ultimately Dick tells the PM he can keep going.
Albanese says:
In the budget we announced $3.5bn of support for small business, and they don’t want to hear about it. They want to write it off as if it didn’t happen, because it doesn’t fit the rhetoric of the three rightwing parties and their allies.
This is a mob who think the future is making Tony Abbott the president of the Liberal party.
Updated
One Nation to raise money to hire more staff
Barnaby Joyce says recent polling showing a wave of support for One Nation is “humbling” but that it means the party is going to have to start thinking about portfolios and costings.
The rightwing party has been heavily criticised by the majors for not having a solid policy platform, but Pauline Hanson claims she has 29 policies.
Joyce, speaking to Sky News, says that the government hasn’t provided the party additional funding to hire more staff – so One Nation might have to “raise the money to hire the staff to do the job”.
[The polling is] very humbling, but it’s indicative, you do not get carried away with it
It starts to indicate responsibilities you have to take on board, portfolio responsibilities, costing responsibilities.
The party will soon have two lower house MPs (with the election of David Farley in Farrer), as well four existing senators.
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Thorpe calls for answers for Kumanjayi White’s family
Tomorrow marks a year on from the death of Kumanjayi White, a Warlpiri man who died after being restrained in an Alice Springs supermarket by police, and Victorian senator Lidia Thorpe says his family and community remain without answers.
Thorpe says that there have been no public findings, official cause of death, or decision about charges against the police officers involved released by the NT Director of Public Prosecutions.
The senator has called for CCTV footage to be released, and for an independent national police accountability body to be set up.
A year ago, thousands of us marched in mourning across the country, calling for justice for Kumanjayi White. Since then, all that has been delivered is silence.
The Albanese Government cannot keep pretending deaths in custody are only a state and territory issue. This is a national crisis and it demands national leadership. We need a national independent police accountability body so police are no longer investigating themselves.
Updated
NT government confirms one person has died from diphtheria
The Northern Territory government released a statement on Tuesday confirming that autopsy results from an overseas laboratory today has confirmed that a person most likely died from diphtheria in April.
As previously reported, the person, who died at Royal Darwin hospital in April, has been “formally classified as a probable death from diphtheria”.
NT Health stated that media reports of a second patient’s death in Central Australia over the weekend were incorrect, and the death was in no way related or linked to diphtheria.
The Territory’s health minister, Steve Edgington, said NT Health and its community organisations are rolling out a staggered vaccination response prioritising vulnerable and at risk communities.
Our government has taken this situation very seriously, and we are working hard to understand the causes and working to contain the situation.
NT Health is working with the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre, the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory, and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, to undertake a Territory-wide vaccination program to address the outbreak, with an initial focus on vulnerable people and at-risk areas. From 30 March, there have been 10,407 vaccinations.
NT Health continues to engage and consult with Aboriginal health organisations and primary care services to inform the community and increase vaccination. This includes contact tracing, testing, regular education sessions with vaccine providers and increased vaccination in communities.
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Pocock says BHP is “laughing” at Labor's climate safeguard mechanism
David Pocock has told the government that leaked documents from BHP show the company is “laughing” at the government’s key climate policy, the safeguard mechanism.
In Senate estimates, the independent ACT senator asked the government if it had reviewed the investigation from Guardian Australia and the ABC’s Four Corners into the mining giant’s apparent walking back on its climate commitments.
Pocock raised one document, where he said BHP had concluded internally that the safeguard mechanism would not affect its iron ore operations in the Pilbara for another 14 years.
Company facilities like mining sites captured in the safeguard mechanism can choose to make direct cuts to emissions at their facilities to meet a baseline of greenhouse gas emissions, or pay for offsets.
Pocock told climate department officials:
BHP had [to pay] $8m for emissions [under the safeguard mechanism] last year while getting $379m in fuel tax credits … you have to admit that’s pretty ridiculous … They are spending 2% [of what they receive in diesel tax credits]. That sounds like a joke to most Australians.
The industry minister, Tim Ayres, defended the safeguard scheme, saying it had reduced emissions by 5.5m tonnes in the two years since the government reformed it.
An official told Pocock it did “not make a lot of sense” to compare the company’s payments under the safeguard mechanism with the credits they received under the diesel fuel tax rebate. Pocock responded:
We have a government that’s telling us we are very ambitious and are doing everything we can with all these things in place, then we have leaked documents from BHP who internally they are laughing at the safeguard mechanism and they don’t have to worry about it for 14 years … I am concerned that no one has thought to go ‘hang on, these two things don’t really work together.’
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Joe Hockey ‘a little nervous’ about delivery of US Virginia-class submarines
Former ambassador to the US Joe Hockey says he’s nervous for the first time that about the delivery of the Virginia class submarines.
Australia is supposed to receive three to five Virginia class nuclear submarines from the early 2030s under the Aukus agreement.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Hockey says the feeling comes after a “few conversations on the Hill”, but says it’s not because of the relationship between the US and Australia, but two other factors.
Hockey says “there’s no one internationally Donald Trump is getting counsel from or listening to”, unlike his first term where he was speaking to former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe weekly. The other issue, is that “the US just has not got the production of the Virginia up to speed”.
He’s asked explicitly if he’s concerned that the submarines won’t arrive on time or Australia won’t receive the number pledged. Hockey says:
You know, for the first time I’m a little nervous about the Virginias.
I think the risk has increased and we need, again, to have a full court press on the ground in Washington. Our best friends are always going to be in Congress, in the house, in the Senate. There’s a lot of good will, it’s good that we are getting a new American ambassador here which will come up pretty quickly.
Hockey says that the government needs to build more “political buy in” from the US, but that the risk is “manageable … at this stage”.
Updated
Bondi Hanukah event given lowest risk profile by police, royal commission hears
The royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion has heard further evidence about NSW police “taskings” for the Chanukah by the Sea event at Bondi on 14 December, which was attacked by two gunmen who killed 15 people.
The beachside celebration was categorised as a “tier 1” event – the lowest of three levels of police tasking for a public community event.
The NSW police superintendent and commander of Eastern Suburbs police area command, pseudonymised before the royal commission as ABQ, was asked about police categorisation of the event, which was expected to attract about 1000 members of the Sydney Jewish community.
Counsel assisting the commission, Richard Lancaster SC, asked:
Do you accept the proposition that treating the Hanukah Bondi event as a tier 1 community event was a categorisation that was obviously too low?
ABQ responded:
No, because we treated the event based on the information we had at the time. It was a local community event. We were dealing with community fear and antisemitic incidents. I had no specific intelligence of a direct threat to the Hanukah event.
Lancaster put it to ABQ: “I suggest to you that allocating it or treating it as a tier 1 community event significantly understated the risk associated with the event occurring. Do you agree with that?”
ABQ:
The event was planned with the information available to us at the time and we allocated resources that, I believed at the time, were appropriate.”
Lancaster further asked:
In hindsight, do you accept it was a mistake to treat this event as a tier 1 community event?
ABQ:
No, I don’t accept that it was a mistake. But in hindsight, knowing what I now know, I absolutely think this event should be dealt with similar to Jewish High Holy Days [ie a higher risk profile and police tasking]
Updated
In pictures: protesters at Parliament House demonstrate against treatment of flotilla activists by Israel
Updated
Coalition agrees to support NDIS bill in lower house
The Coalition has agreed to pass the Albanese government’s sweeping NDIS changes through the lower house, amid speculation it could withdraw support for the controversial overhaul.
In a joint party room briefing this morning, the opposition reaffirmed it would support the bill designed to curb the NDIS’s growth through the House of Representatives ahead of a committee’s final report on the bill due mid-next month.
It was the first time the Liberals and Nationals had met formally since new polling released in the Australian Financial Review over the weekend predicted the near-total demise of the Coalition by One Nation if an election were held this month.
However, Guardian Australia understands the minor party’s rise was not mentioned by a single person in the room.
Instead, the leaders spoke about how the opposition was at its best when it had something to fight against and to fight for. Labor’s most recent federal budget has apparently given them that.
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We have more details coming in on the protest activity around parliament.
Guardian Australia has seen a dozen protesters sitting on the floor in the corridor in the basement of parliament, as the larger group of approximately 50 people shuts down the main entry into the building.
Three or so security guards are taking the smaller group in the basement out one at a time from the building.
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Protest against treatment of Gaza flotilla activists shuts Parliament House entry
About 50 people protesting Israel’s treatment of activists on the global Sumud flotilla have held a demonstration in the front foyer of Parliament House, with security shutting the main entry of the building.
The pro-Palestine demonstrators, some of whom were onboard the flotilla, kneeled in the “stress position” on the floor of the foyer, with arms behind their back – echoing the positions which the flotilla activists were placed by Israeli authorities, in images which were condemned around the world.
The group was quickly moved on from the area by security. Guardian Australia understands some of the protesters may be given banning orders from Parliament House.
We saw one woman being escorted out of the building by security, calling out “free Palestine” and “sanction Israel” to media cameras.
The front entrance remains closed, with a large line of tourists and a school group standing outside waiting to be let in.
A handful of people have been escorted out of parliament through the basement entryway.
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Almost three quarters of Australian businesses impacted by fuel shortages, ABS finds
In perhaps not entirely surprising news, data released on Tuesday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that fuel prices and supply availability have negatively impacted 72% of Australian businesses.
Tom Lay, ABS head of business statistics, said:
Today’s data from the Survey of Business Conditions and Sentiments, brought back earlier this month, helps us better understand the economic impacts of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on Australian businesses.
One in six businesses experienced disruptions in their supply chain, with transport, logistics, agriculture and small businesses among those most affected.
The ABS also found that 36% of businesses reported revenue had dropped over the past four weeks, while 27% expect revenue to fall over the next four weeks.
Need for First Nations voice has 'not diminished', key figures say on ninth anniversary of Uluru statement from the heart
Today marks the ninth anniversary of the Uluru statement from the heart, out of which arose the calls for voice, truth and treaty, with the referendum for an enshrined voice to parliament being defeated in 2023 vote, its leading voices are continuing to urge action – warning that inequities and inequalities are worsening.
“What has become increasingly clear since the Referendum is that the problems and issues facing communities have not disappeared but are further entrenched and, in some respects, have become drastically worse,” a statement from Uluru dialogues co-chairs, UNSW Scientia Prof Megan Davis and Pat Anderson AO outlines.
The Closing the Gap reports show no progress. Governments continue to announce policies, reviews, inquiries, and programs without proper consultation with communities. Incorporated entities are not the same as individuals living in community and representing community, being chosen by their communities to represent their voices.
The pair in a joint statement said the Uluru statement from the heart was offered as an “olive branch to the Australian people to move forward as a nation together for a better future.” It said its core mandate for self-determination and reform remains urgent and relevant.
The Referendum result was a political loss. Political loss is a normal part of political contestation. And alongside the 6.2 million Yes voters, we continue on in our advocacy for constitutional recognition.
Let us be very clear, the need for a Voice has not diminished. If anything, the failures of the current systems have made the case for reform even stronger.
Davis and Anderson write that there is an “exhaustion” being felt across the nation and argue that Australians are tired of the “same mistakes” repeated due to a lack of political change and leadership.
The exhaustion felt across the nation right now regarding Aboriginal Affairs is undeniable. People are tired of watching governments repeat the same mistakes while expecting communities to carry the burden of broken systems. They are tired of the Federal Government hiding behind the Closing the Gap agreement – which is not legally binding – and federalism to avoid showing the leadership demanded of them by the Australian people in the 1967 referendum.
On the ninth anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart, we reiterate that communities must have a guaranteed and direct say in decisions that impact their lives.
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EV sales surge climate and environment officials tell estimates
Sales of electric vehicles have roughly tripled since 2022, climate and energy officials have told a senate estimates hearing, with a surge in sales in recent months driven partly by the impact of the Middle East conflict on fuel prices.
The department said EVs accounted for 3.8% of all light vehicle sales in 2022, growing to 8.4% in 2023, 9.6% in 2024 and 13.1% in 2025. In 2026, up to the month of April, EVs accounted for 21.1% of car sales.
Officials said the surge in interest was driven partly by people switching to EVs amid increased fuel costs, as well as improved EV pricing and better charging infrastructure availability.
The Greens leader Larissa Waters asked whether the government had calculated the potential impacts on fuel consumption from its decision to phase out the fringe benefits tax waiver on EVs and replace it with a discount in coming years, a move expected to save the budget $1.7 bn.
Officials said they had not as this would require “quite complex modeling and assuming what a hypothetical business case would have been for that policy and what that might have done to consumers”.
Waters said:
I’m concerned that no one looked at the fuel consumption impacts of cutting $1.7 billion from the EV support program. Why on earth not? We’re in a fuel crisis.
The department said it expected reduced fuel consumption to continue as EV growth accelerated regardless of changes to the tax arrangements.
Industry, innovation and science minister Tim Ayres said “the behaviour in the market is already happening…People are buying electric vehicles because it’s cheaper to buy electric vehicles”.
New search for missing boy in outback South Australia
A new search for four-year-old Gus Lamont, who went missing in outback South Australia in September last year, has started today.
SA police said in a statement that Task Force Horizon members would search the family’s sheep station over the next three days. According to the statement:
The searching has resumed to take advantage of opportunities that may have arisen as a result of recent heavy rains on the property.
For months, Gus was considered missing, but in February police declared his disappearance a major crime and said they had a suspect, and that it was someone who lived with Gus.
Major crime detectives and specialist Star Group officers will carry out the search.
Anyone with information should contact Crime Stoppers online or on 1800 333 000.
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Tehan responds to Bowen’s response to travel criticism
We have Dan Tehan hitting back on Chris Bowen hitting back on travel expenses.
For those who have missed this particular brouhaha, Tehan claimed Bowen spent too much in his role as the Cop climate summit president of negotiations. Bowen responded by criticising Tehan’s travel as tourism and trade minister.
Here’s what Tehan said to reporters a short time ago:
The RAAF dictated where those flight plans went, and we had to stay a night coming back because we had to give crew rest, right? One night crew rest, so you know, I’m happy to go toe to toe … with all this stuff, because I can actually point to real outcomes.
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Lots of news about the energy grid around today. Speaking of which, here’s a coal power station being blown up just now:
https://www.youtube.com/live/_afBUGaQppU?si=TdXiNCDlYSElUYa-&t=3629
Federal government announces $2.6m in additional funding for Stolen Generations survivors and organisations
Today marks Sorry Day commemorations, which honours the tens of thousands of Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their families through government policies from 1910 up until the 1970s.
Stolen Generations survivors’ peak body, the Healing Foundation will receive up to an additional $1m to support its work with survivors and descendants, including community-led and trauma-informed programs.
The government also slated up to $1.6m in funding for up to eight Link-Up services across the country, which provide family contact tracing and connection support for survivors and their families.
Minister for Indigenous Australians, senator Malarndirri McCarthy said the additional funding aims to address the unfinished work of the landmark national inquiry and the 1997 Bringing Them Home report.
On this National Sorry Day, we reflect on the pain and harm caused to Stolen Generations by past policies of forced removal.
The Healing Foundation and Link-Up services continue to play a critical role in supporting Stolen Generations survivors and their families.
This investment recognises that next year marks the 30th anniversary of the landmark Bringing Them Home report and will underpin a range of community-led programs to support the healing of our Stolen Generations.
Earlier this year, the government committed $87m over four years to support individual and collective healing for Stolen Generations survivors.
Alex Antic to nominate for SA Liberal presidency, inspired by Taylor-Canavan-Abbott ‘dream team’
The hard-right Liberal senator Alex Antic will nominate to become the party’s South Australian state president, drawing inspiration from the “dream team” leading the federal team.
After years building and exerting influence in the party’s rank-and-file, Antic confirmed his candidacy for the president’s position in a message to supporters.
The message, seen by Guardian Australia, reads:
In recent months, we have seen encouraging green shoots at the federal level with the emergence of a strong leadership team featuring Angus Taylor and Senator Matt Canavan, further bolstered by the election of former Prime Minister Tony Abbott as President of the Federal Liberal Division.
This is, without doubt, a dream team – and it has inspired me to announce my candidacy for President of the South Australian Division.
The tilt at the state Liberal presidency would seemingly end speculation that Antic could defect to Pauline Hanson’s One Nation.
Antic talked up his record in Canberra fighting against “Labor’s economic failures, cultural radicalism, and assaults on our freedom”.
He said the results of the March South Australia election – where the Liberals were reduced to just five lower house seats – showed the party must return to Menzies tradition of “liberty and resolute opposition to socialism, or risk continued decline”.
Antic urged supporters to turn out to local branch AGMs (annual general meetings) to ensure he had the numbers to secure the presidency at the party’s state council.
He also encouraged backers to join the Liberal women’s council to help thwart a “serious challenge” from the party’s moderate wing.
Over recent years, the LWC (Liberal Women’s Council) has been a courageous and vital choice for Liberal women, fearlessly championing pro-life issues, fairness for women in sport, and many other critical matters affecting Australians.
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Hastie brushes off One Nation threat in his seat: ‘I don’t live in fear’
Liberal shadow cabinet minister Andrew Hastie says polls “keep you sharp” but he’s only focused on defeating Labor, not the rising popularity of One Nation.
Jumping back to the frontbencher talking to Sky News earlier, Hastie said he did not know why Pauline Hanson would want One Nation to challenge his seat of Canning in WA at the next election if she “wants to defeat Labor”.
Polling over the weekend showed One Nation could decimate the Coalition at the next election and even claim Hastie’s electorate.
Hastie said:
I don’t live in fear. I mean, my mission is clear – it’s to defeat Labor. One Nation, their mission is less clear. Pauline Hanson came out on the weekend and said she’s targeting Canning. Well, if she wants to defeat Labor, I’m not sure why she’d be targeting people like me on the centre-right. So we crack on, and two years is a long time.
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Jewish witnesses before royal commission targeted with harassment and intimidation
Jewish witnesses before the royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion have been targeted with online hate speech and harassment after giving evidence to the commission.
Before starting hearings on Tuesday morning, Commissioner Virginia Bell said at least one instance of online harassment and intimidation had been referred to the Australian federal police.
We have received reports from a number of witnesses concerning a dramatic increase in online hate messages after they have given evidence.
She described the online abuse – which the commission continues to monitor – as an “undiluted level of hatred and bigotry directed towards members of the Jewish community”.
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Bridget McKenzie’s travel expenses under scrutiny
Victorian Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has denied misusing taxpayer funds to attend her son’s wedding and engagement party, insisting her travel to Tasmania in 2022 and 2023 coincided with official business.
The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald reported on Tuesday McKenzie claimed taxpayer-funded flights to Tasmania on the weekend of the engagement party, when she was a minister in the Morrison government, and 10 months later, at the time of the wedding.
Total costs for the travel are unclear. Records from the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority show on 29 April 2022 McKenzie flew from Melbourne to Devonport, where her son lives. No cost has been disclosed. On 1 May, she billed taxpayers $259.40 for a flight from Devonport to Melbourne.
Her office said McKenzie undertook “a series of high-profile formal ministerial appointments” in Tasmania over the weekend of the engagement party.
“Senator McKenzie undertook legitimate activities while working in Tasmania, when she was a senior government minister,” a spokesperson told the Nine newspapers.
On the weekend of her son’s wedding, in February 2023, taxpayers paid $853.52 for McKenzie’s travel. Her official duties that weekend included a press conference on budget cuts for local infrastructure.
The Nationals leader, Matt Canavan, said he was “absolutely” confident McKenzie had followed the rules. He said on Monday she had paid for personal elements of the trip.
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Why was Bowen having a go at Dan Tehan this morning?
It wasn’t exactly out of the blue – but because Tehan released details from documents obtained by the opposition under FOI laws, that that Chris Bowen’s department has spent nearly half a million dollars in the first quarter of this year on trips to Turkey, Fiji, Germany and Korea.
Tehan says that department officials revealed in estimates last night that the trip to Fiji included a visit to the resort island of Denarau, where officials visited the Sheraton Hotel, which could be the venue hosting the so-called pre-COP climate conference.
He also says the documents also show that more than 100 people in Bowen’s department have been pulled into the ‘International climate negotiations’ section.
Bowen directly refuted that this morning during his press conference, saying that 30 officials are working on COP – and that they were already “were engaged on climate discussions anyway”.
UN special rapporteur to make submissions in North West Shelf court challenges
The federal court will allow a United Nations special rapporteur to make submissions in two legal challenges to the Albanese government’s approval of Woodside’s North West Shelf extension.
Friends of Australian Rock Art and the Australian Conservation Foundation have challenged environment minister Murray Watt’s controversial decision last year to approve an extension of the life of the gas processing plant in Western Australia from 2030 to 2070.
The cases are separate and made on different grounds but are expected to be heard consecutively in July.
On Monday, the court approved an application from the UN special rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, Astrid Puentes Riaño, to join the legal challenges as amicus curiae (“friend of the court”).
ACF climate campaigner Piper Rollins said:
We understand this means international law, including the ICJ’s (International Court of Justice) advisory opinion on states’ obligations on climate change, is relevant to the legality of the minister’s decisions about the North West Shelf extension.
It is the first time a special rapporteur has joined an Australian climate case. Puentes Riaño will provide information for the court, including on Australia’s international legal obligations.
Susan Swain, co-convenor of Friends of Australian Rock Art, said:
We always felt that this case was internationally significant for a number of reasons so we are pleased that the Amicus intervention by the UN special rapporteur has been allowed by the court.
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Nudify app-ban legislation ‘complex’ as government seeks to exclude ‘general purpose AI like Grok’
The federal government has said it will be “complex” for legislation to seek to ban deepfake AI nudify apps without catching general purpose apps such as Elon Musk’s Grok, freedom of information documents for estimates briefings for the communications department have revealed.
The Albanese government announced in September last year its intention to ban nudify apps that allow users to use AI to create deepfakes nudes of people whose images they upload.
The announcement was made before Grok users on the X platform began using the AI chatbot to create deepfake images of women and children with their clothes removed at the start of this year, drawing widespread outrage and a number of investigations across the globe – including Australia.
The legislation has yet to be introduced into parliament but, according to briefing documents prepared for the February 2026 estimates hearings, the department noted the Grok incident illustrated “the real harms posed by readily available nudification tools” and the need for action.
The department said the government is seeking to restrict the ability of anyone in Australia to access technology to create non-consensual, sexually explicit deepfakes, but noted it would be complex legislation to cover “general purpose AI like Grok”.
The way to achieve this in legislation will be complex as we want to retain the ability for Australians to continue to access AI services that are useful while restricting access to the elements of the technology that cause harm.
The department stated it was engaging with stakeholders on the matter and any app not captured by the new nudify laws would still be subject to other eSafety powers.
The eSafety commissioner has yet to announce the outcome of the Grok investigation, before a Senate estimates appearance on Wednesday afternoon.
Musk has previously denied Grok was used to generate child abuse material, or illegal images, and immediately after the scandal X restricted the types of images people could generate using Grok on the platform.
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It’s past 10am, which means that it’s party room time – but this fortnight that’s only for MPs, because senators are still locked away in estimates grilling public servants (and each other).
Party room is where leaders will give their MPs a pep talk and discuss what legislation they’re going to support or reject.
It’s sometimes also an opportunity for MPs to voice their concerns or ask questions on particular issues (which often gets leaked out to us in the media). We’ll keep our eyes and ears peeled.
Then the House will resume sitting at midday.
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Royal commission hears from NSW police in second block of public hearings
The royal commission on antisemitism and social cohesion will continue its second block of public hearings, with appearances from NSW police officers.
Three witnesses are scheduled to give evidence on Tuesday, an anonymised superintendent from the eastern suburbs police area command, as well as two assistant commissioners, Peter McKenna and Scott Cook.
The commission is expected to go into closed door hearings later this week to hear sensitive testimony about what information security agencies held about the two Bondi shooters before the December attack on the Chanukah by the Sea event.
Public hearings can be seen here.
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Minns insists state and federal intelligence agencies do communicate amid ‘intelligence failure’
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, has insisted that state and federal police and intelligence agencies do communicate, amid reports claiming that earlier warnings about the alleged Bondi gunmen went unheeded.
The premier was asked on 2GB radio earlier this morning if reports showed state and federal agencies did not communicate. He said:
If the question you’re asking is, do they communicate? They do. They’ve got the joint counter-terrorism taskforce. It’s a committee that comprises senior NSW police, the AFP and intelligence agencies. And I’m not suggesting that it’s perfect, and I’m definitely not suggesting that we can’t make it better, but I know that they’ve been credited with thwarting or stopping … terrorism events in NSW since the committee was established. So, again, this doesn’t mean that it’s running perfectly. We’ve clearly had a giant law enforcement and intelligence failure in December of last year that we need to correct and make better but I also don’t want the public believing that no one talks to each other.
The interim report of the royal commission into antisemitism recommended a review of joint counter-terrorism agencies, with “consideration of leadership structures, team integration, systems access and information sharing arrangements”. It called for a particular focus on the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team NSW.
The commission’s second block of hearings, focusing on intelligence, security and law enforcement agencies, continues today.
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Warning call issued for integrity agencies
The Centre for Public Integrity has launched a new report at Parliament House this morning calling for Australia’s core integrity agencies to be independent and accountable.
Along with crossbench MPs including Helen Haines, David Pocock and David Shoebridge, the centre has called for budget funding for agencies including the Australian National Audit Office to be provided through a process separate from government, and for limited terms of appointments be made for office holders.
The new report – Beyond Labels: Securing Functional Independence for Core Integrity Agencies – also calls for non-government led parliamentary committees to provide oversight for core integrity agencies.
Its release comes before departing National Anti-Corruption Commission boss Paul Brereton faces Senate estimates this afternoon.
Prof Gabrielle Appleby, CPI’s research director, warned the auditor general’s budget allocation meant it might not be able to fulfil its core functions of scrutinising government.
In this report, we address that lever of funding that government can pull against integrity agencies, and we call for greater transparency in relation to how governments fund integrity agencies with separate appropriations bill and greater accountability.
It’s unfortunate we are seeing these pressures on our integrity agencies but there are design solutions that we have in this report and we urge the government at this point to pick those up.
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‘Mr Tehan is the biggest hypocrite in the federal parliament’: Bowen
Bowen is going over the opposition’s criticism of his role as the Cop climate summit president of negotiations, and says there’s been a bunch of misinformation floating around.
There are 30 – not 100 – staff linked to the role, he says, and criticises the shadow energy minister, Dan Tehan, for spending thousands of dollars on international travel during the Morrison government.
A quick note here – Tehan was trade and tourism minister at the time, so some travel does come with the job.
Bowen says Tehan went to the Maldives twice on the VIP Royal Australian air force plane at the cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars, while he went to Europe last week via a commercial airline.
Mr Tehan is the biggest hypocrite in the federal parliament. When he was the last minister in his last year as minister, he went to France, Singapore, Vietnam, Korea, Japan, United States, Indonesia, India, United Arab Emirates, France, again Italy, Belgium, United Kingdom, and the Maldives twice at taxpayer expense.
Now, if Mr Tehan is going to criticise me for federal travel, for ministerial travel, he needs to justify why was he in all those countries at taxpayer expense in his last year as minister.
He wants to criticise me for international travel? All right, Dan, let’s have the debate.
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Bowen says BHP still subject to safeguard mechanism, responding to leaked memo
Bowen is asked by my colleague Dan Jervis-Bardy, about the Guardian’s reporting on a leaked internal memo from mining company BHP that it’s delayed or stalled key climate projects to reduce emissions.
The energy minister brushes off some of the concerns and says that he’s made his expectations on emissions reductions with emitters “crystal clear” both publicly and privately.
Bowen says there are some challenges around the technology available to reduce emissions but that either way BHP has to abide by the government’s safeguard mechanism.
I will say we have requirements under a matter of law with the safeguard mechanism, BHP is included in that, that does provide some flexibility because we do recognise that the 200 also biggest emitters in the country, in terms of facilities, they do face different challenges and opportunities, but I want to see all large emitters reducing emissions on site. That applies to BHP and everyone else.
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‘When coal breaks down, bills go up’: Bowen
The energy minister, Chris Bowen, is fronting the media on the latest default market offer for 2026-27, which will see household bills drop from 1 July when new rules come into effect.
He said this morning that increased renewable energy and batteries in the system have led to the bill relief – which will see some households bills on the east coast drop up to 10.7% and some small businesses see relief up to 20%.
Bowen acknowledges that there’s more to do but says the plan that Labor has put in place is “showing dividends for the Australian people”.
We’ve always said renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy, it’s the fastest to deploy. It’s more reliable. Coal breaks down every day and when coal breaks down bills go up.
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North Sydney pool to reopen in August
The North Sydney pool, one of Australia’s most beautiful, will reopen to the public in August after more than five years and a multimillion-dollar cost blowout.
At the end of the North Sydney council meeting last night, the mayor, Zoë Baker, confirmed that the formal handover of keys from the contractor to the council had taken place and the pool would open to the public on Friday 7 August.
She said:
The keys are with council staff. It is a significant milestone and it represents the transition from construction to operational readiness ahead of reopening to the community.
It first opened in 1936 and I can confirm that it will reopen to the public on the 7 August 2026 during its 90th anniversary year. Over the coming months, council teams will be on site completing the final stages of preparation to deliver the best possible experience for the community when the facility reopens.
The last stage will include additional fitouts, staff recruitment and final assessments. The famous art deco pool under the Harbour Bridge, which first opened in 1936, was due to reopen in 2022 after closing for a major refurbishment in 2021 but has been hampered by delays and ballooning costs – which have now reached $122m.
You can take a look at the refurbished pool here:
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Labor putting a ‘poison pill’ in budget bill, Hastie says
Coalition frontbencher Andrew Hastie says Labor is employing “classic wedge politics” to corner the opposition, by grouping capital gains tax changes with the tax offset for workers in one bill – which will be introduced Thursday.
Anthony Albanese confirmed yesterday that the working Australians tax offset (which will hand workers back $250 after the next financial year) will be in the same bill as negative gearing and CGT reforms (which the opposition has vehemently opposed).
The Coalition says it will oppose the whole bill – despite supporting the tax offset.
But Hastie tells Sky News the public will see through the politics.
Labor’s trying to put a poison pill in this bill, the working Australian tax offset, which we support, but nonetheless the Australian people did not vote for an increase to their taxes, and this is exactly what Labor is going to do, and this is ultimately a vote for more taxes, which is why we will oppose it.
This is classic wedge politics, and people can see through it, because in the end you’re going to get hit harder by a tax increase.
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Haines calls for transparency on Nacc appointment
After the shock announcement from Paul Brereton that he would step down as national anti-corruption commissioner – two years early – independent MP Helen Haines is calling for a transparent process to appoint his successor.
Speaking to media, Haines is also launching the Centre for Public Integrity’s report on the oversight on integrity agencies – including the Nacc and national audit office.
Haines says there should be stronger oversight and an independent appointments panel to determine who will replace Brereton:
We don’t have a clear understanding of how people are either tapped on the shoulder or whether there is an expression of interest going out, what the criteria are for appointment, and we need stronger oversight on those appointments.
Haines – who was a key architect of the NACC – made a rare intervention on Monday to urge the government to consider new merit-based and independent selection processes for major appointments, before Brereton announced his resignation.
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Minns says he and Albanese ‘disagree on a fair bit’ but downplays falling out
Returning to the NSW premier, Chris Minns has also responded to speculation that his relationship with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has deteriorated after the Bondi beach terror attack.
Asked about a 16 December meeting before a press conference in which the Sydney Morning Herald reported Minns and the prime minister argued over what information to share with the public, the premier said:
I don’t remember it being particularly acrimonious. There might have been a disagreement about what to say in that media conference that was taking place in the meeting afterwards but I’ve got to say … we disagree on a fair bit. There’s no doubt about it.
But Minns added that Albanese was “excellent” in responding to natural disasters or crises:
He never goes missing. He answers the call straight away. He never says no. I mean, I’ve been in a situation where he’s bounced his own officials, his own ministers, to get money and resources for NSW even when people have told him not to.
Asked if their relationship is “on the rocks”, Minns said:
It’s not … I’m always going to fight my corner and my responsibilities are different to his. I have to stick up for NSW. I have to sometimes put on the boxing gloves and make sure that we get our fair share, and sometimes that’s uncomfortable in terms of the relationship.
In recent months, the premier has been vocally critical of federal Labor, including over the allocation of GST, as well as what he has characterised as the budget’s lack of action on changes to income tax, in particular for those in the top bracket.
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Labor confirms women and children from Syrian camp travelling to Australia
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, has confirmed seven women and 12 children from a Syrian camp have made plans to travel to Australia.
He said – again – that the government “has not and will not provide any assistance to this group”.
In a statement, Burke said law enforcement and intelligence agencies have been preparing for the return of the cohort in 2014 and “have longstanding plans in place to manage and monitor them”.
These are people who have made the horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation and to place their children in an unspeakable situation.
As we have said many times – any members of this cohort who have committed crimes can expect to face the full force of the law.
The priority of the government, as always, is the safety of the Australian community.
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Opposition says Queensland coal behind drop in energy bills
The opposition has come up with its own reason for household and small business energy prices falling over the next financial year – Queensland coal.
Joining RN Breakfast, the shadow resources minister, Susan McDonald, says that Australians are already around $1000 worse off on their energy bills than the PM had promised when Labor came to power.
She says she’ll wait with bated breath to see if prices do come down under the next default market offer and, if they do, she reckons it’s not because of more renewables in the system.
Do we think that people are ever going to get that back in their pockets? People are struggling. Small businesses are closing. I will wait and see with bated breath whether or not this happens. But if it does, I suspect it’ll be from Queensland because they’ve extended their coal-fired power stations and they’re using fossil fuels.
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Resources minister dismisses BHP leaked memo
Madeleine King has dismissed the joint investigation by Guardian Australia and the ABC’s Four Corners program that shows BHP has backtracked on decarbonisation at a vast network of mines.
Leaked internal documents show the giant has quietly considered options to push major climate investments in its Western Australian iron ore operations into the next two decades.
Sally Sara asks King if she’s concerned about the reporting but King shrugs it off.
BHP is committed to cutting emissions. They will make their commercial decisions, as do others. BHP and other miners are subject to the safeguard mechanism.
Sara asks again if there are any concerns from the government over the revelations. King replies:
No, because they’re doing their job.
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King takes a dig at gas industry
Sticking to energy, the resources minister, Madeleine King, says the government has opened up consultation with the gas industry over its 20% east coast gas reservation scheme – which Labor says will reduce household gas bills.
But she’s not happy with how the gas industry is handling itself.
Speaking to the ABC’s RN Breakfast this morning, she says the government released a discussion paper yesterday to promote discussion on the issue – but the industry isn’t playing ball.
We could have brought in legislation that just reflects what we think, how we think it should operate. And I imagine the CEO and others from the AEP (Australian Energy Producers) and the gas industry would have objected to that wildly. So what we have chosen to do is have a discussion paper and an open discussion for consultation. They also object to that. So I really don’t know where they hope is the middle ground. I think open consultation and development of this policy involving gas producers is the best way to go. If they disagree with that, that’s a matter for them.
Host, Sally Sara asks how much the reservation scheme will drop energy bills – but King won’t say.
She also dismisses concerns that the reservation policy would have an impact on producers who are not exporters in the long term – and takes another dig at the peak body.
I’m disappointed by the AEP’s attitude in relation to this, but it’s not unexpected, to be fair. That’s why we’re going to consult to get it to get it right.
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‘This is very good value for money for Australia’: Bowen defends COP role
Chris Bowen, who has also taken on the role of president of negotiations at the Cop climate summit, says that Australia’s involvement is “very good value for money”.
He says that the price tag of $150m includes the negotiations for Cop, as well as broader engagement with the Pacific, of which he says Cop is just “one part”.
He accuses the opposition leader, Angus Taylor (who he, for God-knows-what reason, calls “Mr T”), of “lying” about the allocation of funding for Cop being $200m.
Mr T [is] out there saying it’s $200m. He’s lying. Secondly, these things do cost money. It cost money when John Howard chaired Apec. It cost money when Tony Abbott chaired G20. They were good for the country and the Labor party supported them because we’re a patriotic party. So this is an opportunity for Australia to play an outsized role in the climate negotiations.
This is a 12-month presidency. Most of the money has not yet been spent to answer your question, Mel. This is very good value for money for Australia.
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Batteries are ‘flattening the peak’ of prices: Bowen
Speaking of the energy minister, Chris Bowen says three things are contributing to the drop in energy bills for households and businesses:
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More renewable energy in the grid;
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Renewable batteries absorbing some of the coal and gas being used at peak times during the night;
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Reforming the default market offer to ensure “that only the absolutely necessary prices or costs are included.”
He tells the ABC’s AM program:
What we’re seeing is batteries working to what we call flatten the peak. So the biggest pressure on prices is in the night-time when coal and gas are called upon more. When we’re calling on batteries more, which saves the renewables from the middle of the day for the night, that is really putting very significant downward pressure on prices.
Host Mel Clark asks whether we should be concerned that prices will go back up as the energy crisis in the Middle East continues but Bowen says that, unlike when Russia invaded Ukraine and gas prices skyrocketed, it’s oil that’s been affected by the latest war – which shouldn’t have an impact on household or business energy bills.
There have been impacts on gas production but we’re really mainly seeing the impact on oil at the moment. But we’re not complacent.
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Household energy bills drop up to 10% across parts of east coast
The government says household standing offer time of use prices will fall between 1.1% and 10.7% in South Australia, NSW and south-east Queensland, under the latest default market offer over the next 12 months.
The DMO – which is the maximum price energy retailers can charge electricity consumers on default plans (known as standing offer contracts) – shows small business standing offer time of use prices are set to fall by between 12.1% and 20.9%.
Chris Bowen will be out and about this morning to spruik the drop in energy bills which comes as the nations main energy grids recorded over 50% renewable generation at the end of last year for the first time.
Labor says the 2026-27 DMO – which will come into effect on 1 July – will for the first time better protect households and ensure consumers “pay a price that better reflects the actual costs of supplying electricity”.
The benchmark price will down in NSW between $66 and $137, down $155 in Queensland, but up $33 in South Australia.
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Dan Repacholi says more can be done to support new fathers
Repacholi, the special envoy for men’s health, said fatherhood was “one of the proudest moments in a bloke’s life but it can also be one of the hardest”. He said the report “shows there is a real opportunity to make it easier for dads to talk about their health, get support early and stay connected during one of the biggest transitions of their lives.”
Pocock said he welcomed the attention Movember was bringing to the issue.
Investing in the mental health of parents sets both them and their children up for better outcomes.
Becoming a new parent is a huge transition at the best of times and, given all the additional pressures families are facing at the moment, there’s clearly more we can do to help people through it and get the best outcomes for everyone.
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Dan Repacholi and David Pocock push for greater support for new fathers
Men’s health project Movember is pushing for more support for new fathers, visiting parliament today with a new report warning of poor mental and physical health, isolation and loneliness for men with new families.
Labor MP Dan Repacholi and ACT senator David Pocock are supporting the push, which was also co-signed by Prince Harry during his recent visit to Australia. The Movember report found that while the overwhelming majority of men reported positive aspects of fatherhood – 84% saying it gave their life greater meaning, 77% saying it helped them express love and vulnerability more openly, 72% saying they were more involved in care than their own fathers – there were also some issues which were sometimes overlooked.
The report found 60% of new dads said they were never asked about their own mental health during their partner’s pregnancy or in the year afterward, which Movember called “a significant gap in how the health system supports dads”. A quarter of new fathers rated their mental or physical health as poor, and 20% reported feeling more isolated or lonely.
Movember is asking for more routine mental health screening for fathers as well as more investment in training health professionals and expanding community support programs to reduce isolation.
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Good morning, Krishani Dhanji here with you. Thanks to Martin Farrer for getting us started.
It’s going to be another big day in Canberra as Labor fights against the Coalition over its capital gains tax changes (with the legislation to be introduced on Thursday), and public servants and government senators steeling themselves to face another day of grilling at estimates today. That will include the national anti-corruption commission and its commissioner, Paul Brereton, who announced his resignation yesterday. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for that later this afternoon.
And, on a very different note, there’s a push in parliament today to give new fathers more support – a campaign backed by men’s mental health envoy Dan Repacholi and independent David Pocock. More on that shortly.
I’ve got my coffee, I hope you’ve got yours – let’s get stuck in!
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WiseTech chair alleges ‘threat of violence’ against CEO
WiseTech’s founder and chair, Richard White, wrote to staff late on Sunday evening to allege there had been “personal attacks, vitriol, and deeply offensive behaviour in group chats” regarding the restructure of the software company due to AI.
The company did not provide any examples of this when asked on Monday.
Multiple staff Guardian Australia spoke to suggest all questions to the executives in the chat have been seeking more information on the redundancies in a professional manner, and argue they are being attacked for asking questions.
White’s email also alleges the chief executive, Zubin Appoo, received a handwritten note “threat of violence … containing personal information and offensive comments directed at members of his family”.
A spokesperson for WiseTech said the matter “is under police investigation” and said: “WiseTech has zero tolerance for threats of violence, abuse, intimidation, harassment, vitriol or offensive behavior against anyone.”
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Almost 200 WiseTech Australian employees flagged for redundancy due to AI
Professionals Australia, the union representing workers at software company WiseTech has told Guardian Australia about 190 staff on the company’s product development and customer service teams have been notified their roles could go as part of the 2,000 cut due to advancements in artificial intelligence.
Guardian Australia reported last week that staff were told that they would be informed this week after nearly three months of waiting since the initial announcement.
Guardian Australia understands emails were sent out to affected employees and those who will remain with the company informing them either way, but were recalled and re-sent an hour later.
Professionals Australia said this was to allow those staff who may be cut to provide their personal email details before being cut off from WiseTech systems.
There will be a two-week consultation with WiseTech for those affected, with employees being invited to a meeting to discuss the changes. WiseTech has not yet outlined if it plans to offer more than the required redundancy.
A spokesperson for WiseTech said no final decisions had been made yet.
No final decisions will be made about any individual roles until the relevant requirements for each local jurisdiction have been met.
We recognise that a process of this scale, nature and complexity creates uncertainty for our people. We’ve taken a careful, deliberate approach to ensure our decisions are well informed and made with full regard to our business and our people.
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Renewables and batteries soar but ‘critical’ moment coming
Australia has become a top-three global player in batteries, and renewable energy met nearly half of the nation’s power in 2025, but the Clean Energy Council has warned that progress could stall as investment in new wind and solar plummeted.
The industry’s annual snapshot found renewable energy supplied 43% of Australia’s power throughout 2025, up from 39% in 2024. The year ended on a high, with clean energy generating more than 50% of power in the national grid in the final quarter.
Australia ranked third in the world for utility-scale batteries, behind only China and the United States – with 2GW of large-scale battery capacity connected to the grid, up 233% on the previous year.
Yet despite these achievements, the CEC chief executive, Jackie Trad, said the energy transition was approaching a “critical juncture”.
The next five years matter most. Our sector’s highest priority in 2026 must be to remove the barriers slowing investment in new large-scale wind and solar projects that will ultimately replace unreliable coal generators that threaten the security of our energy system.
A 48% fall in new investment in onshore wind and solar signalled a likely slowdown. This was most evident for wind, with 0.9GW reaching financial close in 2025, compared with 2.2GW the previous year.
According to the report, rising inflation, regulatory bottlenecks, slow delivery of transmission and delayed coal closures contributed to weakening investor confidence.
Investment in battery storage remained strong. The uptake of home batteries surged 260%, compared with 2024, helped by the federal government’s cheaper home batteries program. More than 268,000 small-scale storage systems were added during 2025 – a number that has since grown to 400,000.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Krishani Dhanji with the main action.
There’s good news and bad news for the environment: Australia has become a top-three global player in batteries and renewable energy met nearly half of the nation’s power in 2025 – but the annual industry snapshot warns that new investments are worryingly absent (especially notable given our big exclusive today on BHP’s renewables go-slow).
About 190 WiseTech staff have been notified their roles could go as part of 2,000 cuts due to advancements in artificial intelligence, unions have told the Guardian. More coming up.
The men’s health project Movember is pushing for more support for new fathers and will lobby parliament today. More coming up on that, too.
