What we learned, Wednesday 30 July
It’s time to wind down our lives news coverage for the day. Here’s what’s been keeping us busy:
Australia signed a new joint-statement of 15 foreign ministers, including France and Canada, on Gaza, expressing their “unwavering commitment” to a two-state solution.
The Labor MP Ed Husic says Australia joining with countries including France and the UK to recognise Palestinian statehood would end Hamas’s power in Gaza.
The Coalition, meanwhile, said it had “serious concerns” about the government recognising a Palestinian state “outside of a proper two-state process”.
A motion calling Israel’s aid blockade of Gaza a breach of international law and placing pressure on the Albanese government to ramp up pressure against Israel passed the Senate after Labor and the Greens teamed up.
The Zionist Federation of Australia revealed it was “deeply troubled” by the starvation crisis gripping Gaza and urged Israel to ensure sufficient aid flows to Palestinian civilians “without delay”.
The NSW premier said a pro-Palestinian protest on Sydney Harbour Bridge would be a “logistical and communications Everest”.
Inflation dropped to 2.1% in the year to June, from 2.4% in the year to March, as further evidence of waning underlying price pressures paves the way for a Reserve Bank rate cut next month. Jim Chalmers called the data “stunning”.
Google reacted to the government’s decision to include YouTube in the under-16s social media ban (though YouTube kids will be exempt), saying the platform was “not social media”.
Finally, what does a tech giant do when it comes to screen time at home? Scott Farquhar’s children have “very defined screen time” and he makes sure he is aware of what they are viewing, he said.
As ever, a big thank you for joining us. We’ll be back with more breaking news tomorrow from 7am.
Updated
Reality TV star’s trial delayed
The trial of reality TV star Matt Wright on charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice after a fatal outback helicopter crash has again been delayed.
The February 2022 crash killed Wright’s friend and Outback Wrangler TV show co-star Chris “Willow” Wilson, who was hanging from a sling under the chopper on a mission to collect crocodile eggs, AAP reports.
A jury was set to be chosen on Thursday.
But in the supreme court in Darwin on Wednesday, acting Justice Alan Blow rescheduled the empanelment for 5 August.
It ensures the jury will be selected after a long weekend, with 4 August marking the Picnic Day public holiday in the territory.
The start of the trial has been delayed several times and pre-trial legal argument before Blow is set to continue this week.
Updated
Greens Senate motion on Israel’s aid blockade of Gaza passes
A motion calling Israel’s aid blockade of Gaza a breach of international law and placing pressure on the Albanese government to ramp up pressure against Israel has passed the Senate this evening after Labor and the Greens teamed up.
Following a pause for some first speeches in the upper house, the motion’s speaker list resumed at 6pm with three more Greens senators and was agreed to on the voices by the remaining Labor and Greens senators in the chamber.
The Coalition noted their disagreement but did not call for a division.
The motion’s final wording stated:
Israel’s aid blockade, which risks mass death from starvation in Gaza and millions of Palestinians facing catastrophic hunger, is a breach of international law, and that it is critical the Australian government continue intensifying its efforts including diplomatic and further action to pressure the Israeli government to open all border crossings and allow the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid.
Updated
Labor Friends of Palestine: PM’s comments belittling, misleading and disrespectful
The Labor Friends of Palestine campaign group has criticised Anthony Albanese’s comments today downplaying the prospect of further sanctions on Israel over its military campaign in Gaza, saying his comments dismiss the sentiments of many inside the Labor movement.
Asked at a press conference about levelling further sanctions on Israel, Albanese responded: “What we haven’t done is go for slogans, frankly … which is the sanction that you would like?” The government has already put targeted financial and travel sanctions on two Israeli ministers.
Albanese shrugged off further sanction calls, saying “what we are about is meaningful action, not slogans”.
But many inside the Labor party are calling for sanctions. Victorian Labor’s state conference will debate, and is expected to pass, a motion from rank-and-file members urging further sanctions on Israel and the recognition of the state of Palestine. Labor Friends of Palestine has circulated similar motions, supported by 80 (and climbing) local ALP branches.
Peter Moss, co-convener of the Labor Friends of Palestine, said in a statement:
The Prime Minister’s comments today belittling the campaign for sanctions as ‘slogans’ are misleading and disrespectful to thousands of Labor Party members.
The Prime Minister and the government are well aware of the overwhelming support for sanctions that are clearly defined in a motion passed by more than 80 Labor Party units in recent weeks.
Labor Party members around Australia voted for ‘sanctions on the Israeli individuals and entities who are responsible for ongoing breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza, including the use of starvation as a weapon’.
The Prime Minister should not dismiss or distort the strongly held views of Labor Party members who worked hard for the re-election of his government.
Updated
Zionist Federation of Australia ‘deeply troubled by reports of hunger’ in Gaza
The Zionist Federation of Australia has revealed it is “deeply troubled” by the starvation crisis gripping Gaza and has urged Israel to ensure sufficient aid flows to Palestinian civilians “without delay”.
The federation said it is the “collective moral obligation” of Israel and the United Nations to address the humanitarian crisis in a statement on Wednesday, which was first reported by the Nine newspapers.
The group’s president, Jeremy Leibler, said:
Our humanity also compels us to recognise the pain and suffering of innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza. We are deeply troubled by the reports of hunger in parts of Gaza. We call upon Israel, the United Nations and their counterparts to do everything within their power to ensure that sufficient humanitarian aid flows to Palestinian civilians without delay. That is their collective moral obligation.
Leibler continued:
We welcome that Israel is taking steps to facilitate the distribution of more aid, including undertaking daily pauses in its operations, and opening new aid corridors.
We reiterate that ultimate responsibility for this humanitarian situation lies with Hamas – it started this war, refuses to release the hostages, refuses to accept a ceasefire agreement, deliberately steals aid to fund its war machine and sabotages its distribution. It is essential that Hamas returns to negotiations and accepts the hostage exchange and ceasefire agreement that is on the table, and ultimately, is removed from power in Gaza.
Updated
Fate of plan to convert Queensland’s Olympics villages into affordable housing uncertain
Queensland’s Olympics villages may not become affordable housing after the end of the games.
Under the previous Labor government, a minimum of 20% of the athletes’ villages were to be set aside as affordable housing. But parliamentary estimates heard on Wednesday that the new government had no specific target.
The director general of state development, infrastructure and planning, John Sosso, said “the exact percentage will be a subject of negotiation” but would “play an appropriate role in the housing stock”.
The deputy premier, Jarrod Bleijie, also revealed that the state government was considering selling the land beneath the Gabba cricket ground – which is set to be demolished – to fund the new 17,000-seat Brisbane live arena next door.
He said:
We would never say we would never say no to an arena if the private sector needs a deal to be done with the land. The one thing the state does have is the land. The one thing the state does have is the powers of planning and the levers to be pulled to unlock that infrastructure.
Read more here:
Updated
New South Wales light plane crash kills a man in his 50s
A person has died after a plane crash in NSW’s west today.
Police said emergency services were called at about 2pm to D-Block Road, Balranald, about 130km west of Hay, after reports of a light plane crash.
A man, found in a critical condition, was treated by paramedics at the scene but could not be revived.
The man, believed to be in his 50s, is yet to be formally identified, police said in a statement.
Police said the crash site had been secured as a crime scene. A report will be prepared for the coroner and an investigation into the cause of the crash will be undertaken by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau.
Updated
Doctor turned politician and Israel ally says ‘no words’ to describe Gaza suffering
The final speaker on the Greens’ motion on Gaza is Michelle Ananda-Rajah, a Labor senator who visited Israel during her first term as a Labor MP in the previous parliament.
Ananda-Rajah, a doctor turned politician, spoke of her experience in Israel after the 7 October attacks, describing it as “another level of atrocity and depravity that I’ve never experienced before”.
But the self-described ally of Israel said the situation in Gaza had “distressed” her.
She continued:
Right now, the people of Gaza are suffering. There is a humanitarian catastrophe. There are no words left any more in our lexicon to describe what is going on there. It is unconscionable that children should be starving. It should be. It is unconscionable that pregnant mothers cannot deliver, that there is no anaesthesia, painfulness, insufficient antibiotics … Israel has, I should say, the Netanyahu government has really not articulated to the global community what the political solution is to this …
Because not only are [the Netanyahu government] bringing Israel into disrepute, and further isolated, there is an unconscionable stain on this country’s, I fear, history with the deaths of so many people disproportionately. And I say this as an ally of Israel. My Jewish community know who I am. They know how hard I fought for them, and I will continue to do so, but there must be a better solution to this conflict here.
The motion’s speeches were suspended while fresh senators delivered their first speeches. It’ll resume later this evening.
Updated
Lidia Thorpe: government ‘has the power to take real action’ on Gaza
The independent senator, Lidia Thorpe, spoke to support the Greens’ motion on Gaza, saying the crisis “didn’t happen overnight” despite the “sudden concern” of the Albanese government.
Each time this government stays silent, Israel is given the green light to carry on its genocide, knowing they can get away with it. Strongly worded emails and sharpened criticism of Israel’s actions are not enough to hold Israel accountable. This government has the power to take real action and put an end to the mass murder of Palestinians.
The Palestinian population is on the brink of complete annihilation as its genocide enters its final iteration, we demand urgent action before it’s too late.
Updated
Labor to move amendment to Greens’ Gaza motion
The Labor senator Tim Ayres has spoken on the Greens’ urgency motion, largely repeating comments made by the prime minister and foreign affairs minister previously.
Ayres starts out by outlining the government’s position:
The position of the Australian government is very clear: every innocent life matters. We reiterate our call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the release of all of the remaining hostages. The government remains unequivocal in our condemnation of Hamas and its ongoing acts of terror. Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe. Israel’s denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children seeking access to water and food, is indefensible. We call on Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law.
Labor will move an amendment proposing to tweak some of the wording. It proposes the following statement:
Israel’s aid blockade, which risks mass death from starvation in Gaza and millions of Palestinians facing catastrophic hunger, is a breach of international law.
Updated
Cash ‘saddened’ about Gaza but Coalition won’t support Greens motion
Following Mehreen Faruqi’s speech on the motion to urge the Albanese government to do more to pressure the Israeli government to “open all border crossings and allow the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid”, the opposition Senate leader, Michaelia Cash, is ready to speak.
Cash says the opposition will not be supporting the motion but says:
Nobody wants to see the suffering of people in Gaza, and we are saddened and shocked like everybody at the loss of life in Gaza …
The remainder of the speech centres heavily on Palestinian militant group Hamas rather than the ongoing humanitarian crisis, which has left much of Gaza’s population in starvation.
She says:
The Greens never seem to want to actually admit that the blame for this war lies squarely at the feet of the militant terrorist organisation Hamas. The Coalition, on the other hand, fundamentally believes that the moral responsibility for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is squarely on the terrorist group Hamas.
Updated
Chair of parliament’s pro-Israel caucus has concerns about Australia’s ‘willingness’ to recognise a Palestinian state
Andrew Wallace says a pro-Israel caucus has concerns around the Albanese government’s “willingness” to recognise a Palestinian state.
The Liberal MP and chair of the Australia Israel Allies Caucus told the ABC a short time ago that the Coalition favoured a two-state, negotiated process between Israel and Palestinians “and we think that any attempt to try to bring unilaterally the recognition of a Palestinian state forward is really just rewarding Hamas for the attacks that it perpetrated on Israel on 7 October 2023”.
He said Australia did not have to follow in the UK’s footsteps:
The war could be over today if Hamas was to lay down its weapons, surrender, return the current 50 or so hostages that are still being held. Now to be talking about a Palestinian state at this point in time is still too early and it has to be done through a negotiated process.
Just because the United Kingdom lands on a certain position doesn’t mean that Australia has to either.
Updated
There’s no role for Hamas in a potential Palestinian state, Chalmers says
Jim Chalmers says Anthony Albanese and Penny Wong are “making sure that there’s no role for Hamas” in a potential Palestinian state.
The treasurer told the ABC a short time ago that he did not pay heed to Michaelia Cash’s comments that a Palestinian state should come only once peace had been reached in Gaza and was akin to a reward for Hamas.
“Clearly an obstacle is … making sure that there’s no role for Hamas,” he said of plans around recognising a Palestinian state.
He said the statement released by 15 countries, including Australia, was “really, really important” in that it denounced the terrorist act of 7 October, demanded a ceasefire, access for humanitarian workers and the release of the hostages, and called on countries to work towards recognition as part of progress towards a two-state solution.
Chalmers said:
From my point of view, personally and as a member of the government, there is real momentum here. That momentum, that progress, is welcome, but it’s also conditional.
Updated
Faruqi says 'we warned you all' as Greens move motion on Gaza
Over in the Senate, the Greens are moving a motion for a matter of public urgency on Gaza.
The Greens senator Nick McKim moves the motion, which reads:
That the risk of mass death from starvation in Gaza, with millions of Palestinians facing catastrophic hunger, is a result of Israel’s aid blockade, and that it is critical the Australian government intensify its efforts – including diplomatic and economic measures – to pressure the Israeli government to open all border crossings and allow the unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid.
First up to speak is Mehreen Faruqi. She says:
It is brutal, it is inhumane and it is savage. We warned you all from the very beginning that this is where we will end up … but you flocked to defend Israel knowing they have long been killing, arresting, torturing and permanently injuring Palestinians for decades. Labor MPs, including members of this chamber, flocked to Israel for photo opportunities with genocidal Israeli soldiers …
Updated
Here’s a clip of the Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar describing how he deals with screens and online dangers in the privacy of his own home.
The father of three told the National Press Club his approach is to opt for strict screen time limits and to make sure he knows what his children are viewing.
Updated
New select committee to take on climate change misinformation
The Greens have passed an inquiry this afternoon into third-party and groups who peddle mis- and disinformation about climate and energy policy in Australia.
The minor party gained the support of Labor and some crossbenchers to form a new select committee into how misinformation and disinformation related to climate change and energy is “financed, produced and disseminated”.
The Select Committee on Information Integrity on Climate Change and Energy will also examine the links between Australian organisations and international thinktanks and influence networks that are known to spread mis- and disinformation.
The final vote was 39 ayes to 28 noes. One Nation and the United Australia party senator Ralph Babet joined with the Coalition to vote against the inquiry.
Updated
Google scraps Parliament House event amid debate on under-16s social media ban
Google has scrapped at the last minute a major showcase event in Parliament House on the day the Labor government decided to include YouTube in its social media ban.
As we reported on the weekend, the “Google at Parliament House” event was to go ahead tonight, with popular YouTube creators and Australian band the Rubens among the entertainment.
A large number of politicians and staffers attend the event each year. The event was being put together inside parliament’s Great Hall today – passersby could hear the musicians sound-checking.
But in an email to attenders this afternoon, Google said the event would be postponed.
“Out of respect for grieving families who have gathered in Parliament House today, we have decided to postpone the annual Google at Parliament House event,” the email read.
It continued:
We apologise for the late notice, and appreciate your understanding. We will be in touch with a new date as soon as possible.
It appeared to be a reference to the families involved in the 36 Months campaign who Anthony Albanese and the communications minister, Anika Wells, met today and who had been pushing for the under-16s social media ban after their children lost their lives following issues with social media like bullying.
Read more here:
Updated
Groom among six injured in minibus crash on way to wedding
A groom on the way to his wedding is among six people injured in a Hunter Valley minibus collision this morning.
New South Wales police said the 56-year-old was with four male wedding guests when the minibus he was travelling in collided on Mount View Road and veered down an embankment shortly after 10.30.
The groom was seriously injured and taken by air to John Hunter hospital. A member of his wedding party was also seriously injured, the Hunter Valley district commander, Supt Steve Laksa, told reporters.
The four other minivan occupants were taken to the same hospital, where the male driver underwent mandatory blood and alcohol testing.
An investigation by crash investigators was under way.
Updated
Brisbane Olympics swimming venues to cost taxpayers $1.2bn
A new national aquatic centre plus another swimming project planned for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics will cost the taxpayer $1.2bn.
The aquatic centre – to be built in central Brisbane – will be the long-term home for four swimming sports and host 25,000 spectators during the Games.
The Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority interim CEO, Nick Elliott, revealed the estimate at a state parliamentary estimates hearing. It also includes an upgrade of the Chandler pool, he said.
All games venues are to be built within a $7.1bn cap, according to the state government. Government witnesses confirmed that the figure included any debt financing through public-private partnerships.
The largest venue, a new stadium at Victoria Park, is budgeted to cost $3.785bn alone. A project validation report for it is due to be completed next year, Elliott said.
Read more here:
Updated
‘No black skivvies’ in Wiggles HQ lobbying against YouTube under-16s ban
Management for the Wiggles have responded to the communications minister, Anika Wells, claiming she was lobbied to keep YouTube out of the under-16s social media ban by “black skivvies” in Wiggles management, saying they don’t wear black skivvies.
Wells mentioned in a press conference earlier today it wasn’t individual Wiggles, but “it was the black skivvies, it was Wiggles Inc, it was Wiggles management”.
In a response provided to Guardian Australia, a Wiggles HQ spokesperson said “there are no black skivvies worn at Wiggles HQ”.
The group was not paid by YouTube to lobby on their behalf to stay out of the ban, with Wiggles HQ stating it was providing an “independent perspective” to Wells on the ban as children’s content creators:
Video platforms like YouTube, when used to watch trusted children’s programs, function differently to social media. Millions of Australian parents (including Minister Wells) and their children watch The Wiggles on YouTube much like they would on smart TVs, not as part of a social media feed.
Updated
Thank you, Krishani Dhanji. I’m Daisy Dumas, here to keep you company for the remainder of the afternoon. Let’s get going.
A big thanks for following along on the blog with me today, I’ll leave you with the lovely Daisy Dumas for the rest of the afternoon.
I’ll see you here first thing tomorrow morning – with plenty of caffeine in hand!
Hanson-Young says government must legislate a duty of care for big tech
It’s “delulu” to believe big tech companies will do the right thing about the government’s under-16s social media ban without being legally required to, the Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says.
At a press conference shortly before question time, the Greens’ communications spokesperson urged the federal government to legislate a duty of care for social media companies, noting users could still view content on social media sites without logging in.
The idea that there’s going to be two classes of safety is ridiculous. The companies need to be legally held responsible. So the first thing is a duty of care, requiring these companies to uphold a duty of care to their customers, to their users.
The second thing is to make sure they’re licensed so that that duty of care is enforceable. Just hoping that these big social media companies will do the right thing is delusional. It’s delulu to think that Google will just do the right thing. They need to be forced to do it.
Updated
Tl;dr: here’s what we learned in question time today
Before question time could properly start, a small group of protesters were shouting “sanction Israel now” up in the public gallery. They were promptly escorted out by security.
The opposition started again on bulk-billing rates today, but then put several questions to Chris Bowen on energy prices increasing. He said the latest inflation data shows energy inflation has started going down – which didn’t satisfy those on the opposite side of the chamber, who argue that households are still paying huge bills.
Tony Burke provided an update to the house on the work of police investigating the arson attack on the Adass Israel synagogue in Melbourne, which happened in December last year.
And Dai Le asked why the government hasn’t yet scrapped or amended the Job-ready Graduates scheme – the government wouldn’t say.
Updated
NSW MP Gareth Ward taken into custody to await sentencing
The disgraced New South Wales MP Gareth Ward has been remanded in custody to await sentencing after he was convicted last week for serious sex offences involving two young men.
Justice Kara Shead said she was “unpersuaded” that Ward, because of his profile or disabilities, cannot be managed in a custodial setting.
The MP for Kiama, aged 43, had been permitted to remain on bail after last week’s verdict under strict bail conditions requiring him to remain at either his residence on the south coast or his flat in Sydney.
The prosecutor, Monika Knowles, applied to the NSW district court today to have Ward jailed, noting that due to the seriousness of the crimes that Ward has been convicted of there was virtually no chance he would avoid a custodial sentence when sentencing took place.
On Friday a jury found Ward guilty of three counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual intercourse without consent. The lesser convictions carry a maximum penalty of five years and the more serious rape conviction a maximum penalty of 14 years.
Ward’s barrister, Edward Anderson, had argued Ward was at particular risk due to his high profile as a politician.
He also expressed concern about whether his visual impairment due to his albinism would put him at risk. Ward is close to legally blind and requires technological support to read and write.
Shead said there were procedures in place to ensure that his devices could be required.
Ward is due to be sentenced on 19 September.
Updated
Labor ‘looking at’ NT funding in response to reintroduction of spit hoods, minister says
The federal government is “looking at” commonwealth funding arrangements with the Northern Territory in response to the reintroduction of spit hoods for 10-year-old incarcerated children, the Indigenous affairs minister, Malarndirri McCarthy, says.
In Senate question time, the independent senator Lidia Thorpe asked the minister whether action would be taken against states and territories that reintroduce measures, including spit hoods and restraint chairs.
The use of spit hoods across the country ceased after Australia formally endorsed a United Nations protocol against torture and inhumane punishments in 2017.
McCarthy conceded it was “very tough”, given there were “no actual penalties in that agreement” for those who choose not to follow it.
She said she was considering a call by some NT land councils to restrict commonwealth funding in response to the decision made by the territory’s Country Liberal party government.
McCarthy said:
The difficulty here, Senator Thorpe, is that nearly 80% of the Northern Territory budget comes from the commonwealth, so we have to be responsible in our response to the Northern Territory, but we also have to be responsible to all citizens of the Northern Territory, who receive that, and I am looking at those numbers, and I am looking at those links in terms of the federal agreements, but not just for the Northern Territory. This also has to be about the federal agreements and the communications that we have with all states.
The minister said attorneys general from around the country would discuss the issue next month in a meeting.
Updated
Can you question a member’s competence in question time?
During a final dixer on penalty rates, Amanda Rishworth has a go at her opposition counterpart Tim Wilson:
We know the shadow minister loves grandstanding. Perhaps to distract from the truth and perhaps to distract from his lack of competence …
The opposition asks Rishworth to withdraw the comment on competence.
Tony Burke says that the house would “basically be ending debate if we could not have discussions about somebody’s competence in this place”.
Milton Dick decides Rishworth doesn’t have to withdraw her comment.
She ends her answer and with that QT is over for another day (the second last for this sitting fortnight).
Updated
Nationals MP asks about fuel tax credit system
The Nationals MP Jamie Chaffey asks the prime minister if he’ll rule out any changes to the fuel tax credit system. The system provides businesses with credits for the fuel excise that’s paid in filling up vehicles such as machinery, equipment and heavy vehicles.
The prime minister says the diesel tax rebate and system have been in place for “some time”.
We have not changed anything.
He then goes to the Coalition’s opposition of the government’s top-up tax cuts and asks if they’ll introduce their own private bill to repeal them.
Updated
Chaney asks why National Reconstruction Fund isn’t moving faster to invest
Kate Chaney gets the next crossbench question, and asks about why the $15bn National Reconstruction Fund isn’t moving faster to invest in projects when the government is trying to get to net zero by 2050.
Pat Conroy (representing the minister for industry, Tim Ayres) says that he’s “delighted” to inform the house that since it was established less than two years ago, the NRF has made nine investments worth over $430m.
That’s still less than 3% of the fund.
Conroy says:
The NRF has invested $200m in rare earths, which will deliver the rare earth minerals essential for renewables and the energy grid of the future. These investments will ramp up over time but, as I said, the fund was established less than two years ago. This is only one part of this government’s commitment to seizing the opportunities from global race to net zero.
Updated
Opposition returns to energy price debate
Back to the opposition and we’re back on the energy price debate (not that it’s been getting particularly far).
The new Liberal member for Monash, Mary Aldred, asks the question.
She says the PM said on 22 July that energy prices are going down, but Australia’s fourth largest energy retailer has said prices are going up for Victorian families by 4%.
Chris Bowen takes the question, and immediately disregards the question, instead attacking Angus Taylor, who delayed making public key information about energy price rises before the 2022 election.
You can barely hear anything because the opposition is shouting, and tries to make a point of order on relevance.
Milton Dick tells them to stop adding their own commentary at the beginning of their questions, which gives the minister space to offer their own commentary.
Bowen continues, saying thousands of households are saving money through the government’s home battery scheme.
Updated
Police are investigating people in Australia and offshore over Melbourne synagogue attack, Burke tells parliament
Josh Burns, a Jewish Labor MP, asks the next dixer, asking the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, what actions have been taken in respect of the investigation into the Adass Israel synagogue attack.
Burke says one 21-year-old man was arrested today, and that police are investigating not only people in Australia but criminals offshore as well.
Burke thanks the more than 200 members of the counter-terrorism team investigating the arson attack.
More than a week after the attack and you could still smell the smoke as though it was fresh. And you could still see it at your feet the rubble of the building which had been burnt …
Not widely known but in the week following the attack, the prime minister had raised with me that the rabbi was on a temporary visa and his family which was soon to expire … I took on behalf of the government the most deliberate action you can take which was that week to make him and every member of his family permanent residents of Australia, to say they belong.
Sussan Ley stands up after Burke to also thank the officers, and says she shares the government’s concerns about antisemitism seen in Australia.
Updated
Boele asks what is Labor’s plan to phase out fossil fuels
The independent MP for Bradfield, Nicolette Boele, who beat the Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian by just a handful of votes, gets the next crossbench question.
She says the “Climate Council has advised that Australia’s 2035 climate target will not be credible and this includes a commitment to an orderly phase-out of fossil fuel use reduction and exports”. So what’s the government’s plan to phase out fossil fuels?
Chris Bowen says we “can’t wish away fossil fuels” and the best thing to do is to build more renewables.
You simply cannot say that we can phase out fossil fuels or fossil fuel exports and make a difference unless you are working with countries to reduce their use of fossil fuels.
Updated
A third question goes to Chris Bowen on the $275 energy bill promise – this time it comes from the deputy Nationals leader, Kevin Hogan.
Bowen’s speaking at lightning speed, basically recapping everything he just said, and tries to needle the Coalition on its promises on energy in the lead-up to the election.
The manager of opposition business, Alex Hawke, stands up to make a point of order, but Bowen speeds up his last sentence by an extra 10% and sits down before Milton Dick can allow Hawke to speak.
Updated
Dan Tehan is up again, and asks more directly if the government still stands by its commitment to reduce energy bills by $275.
Chris Bowen gets up again and says that modelling was done in 2021 (which earns a roar from the opposition benches who have been asking this question for the last three years).
Energy prices have fallen, as I just said, by 6.2% in the year just gone and they would know that that was not inevitable, they would have been 16.6% higher if the honourable member had his way in energy bill relief not being applied, that was the key difference.
Tehan gets up with a point of order, and Milton Dick says Bowen should stick to what the government is doing (and not stray into criticising opposition policy).
Bowen says the government commits to reducing energy prices by bringing more renewable energy online and delivering home batteries.
Updated
Coalition asks if Labor still stands by 2022 election promise to cut energy bills by $275
Back to the house, the shadow energy minister, Dan Tehan, asks Chris Bowen about whether the government is still committed to its 2022 election promise to reduce energy bills by $275, when prices have gone up more than $1,300 for some households over the last three years.
Bowen’s answer is short – he says today’s CPI figures, which he says Tehan conveniently didn’t refer to in his question, show energy prices are down 6.2% in the year to June.
He says it’s due to the government’s energy bill relief and that households could save up to $1,300 by installing a home battery under the government’s policy.
Updated
Coalition ‘divorced from reality’ on Gaza, Wong says
Penny Wong has accused the Coalition of being “divorced from reality” after Michaelia Cash asked the Albanese government to rule out recognising Palestinian statehood while Hamas is in control of Gaza.
During Senate question time today, Cash asked the foreign affairs minister if the government would “categorically rule out ever recognising a Palestinian state while Hamas is in control of Gaza” amid commitments from France and the UK in the last week.
Wong said the Albanese government condemned Hamas and pointed out that conversations with other nations in the Middle East were focused on reform of the Palestinian Authority and the demilitarisation of Hamas.
Countries have made clear that they want the security architecture in the Middle East to assure the security of Israel. This is where the international community is at … This is where the discussion is, senator, and this is where the government is engaging … if we want long-term peace and security in the Middle East, for both Israelis and Palestinians alike, then we need to deal with the issue of a Palestinian state. That is the best way to ensure stability and peace for both Israelis and Palestinians alike. So, senator, I would suggest to you it might be good to grapple with that reality, because that is where the discussion is.
Cash repeated the question, to which Wong replied:
People should understand in this place just how out of touch the Coalition is on this. They don’t even support a ceasefire, which the whole world, including President Trump supports … that says something about the extent to which your position is divorced from the reality of what is happening on the ground, what is happening for people In the Middle East and what is happening to the women and children of Gaza who are, no, they are not all Hamas …
Updated
Le asks why Labor hasn’t reversed Coalition’s Job-ready Graduates scheme
The first question from the crossbench comes from Dai Le, who asks about why the government hasn’t reversed the controversial Job-ready Graduates scheme, which was introduced under the Morrison government.
She says many students in her western Sydney electorate studying arts degrees have been unfairly disadvantaged by the scheme.
Albanese says the government’s legislation to cut Hecs debt by 20%, which will reduce both university and Tafe debts, will help students in her seat, as well as the extension of fee-free Tafe courses.
The final report from the University Accord states that the scheme “failed to meet its objectives” and recommended urgent reform.
Albanese doesn’t say anything about whether the scheme will be reformed, but says the government is “focused on the issues that people in her [Le’s] electorate and electorates like hers are most concerned about”.
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Ley calls Chalmers ‘out of touch’ over inflation
Sussan Ley is back up again and has taken umbrage with Jim Chalmers calling the latest inflation data “outstanding”, when the price of eggs has increased by 34% and bread has increased by 18% over the last three years.
She calls Chalmers “out of touch”, which the speaker, Milton Dick, is not having, and tells Ley to withdraw that descriptor.
I don’t think Chalmers is unhappy about the question – as Ley says, he’s been calling the numbers outstanding, and he says it a few more times in his answer.
When we came to office that food inflation was running at 5.9%. And now it is about half of that: 3.0%. If the member for Farrer is unhappy about food inflation, she must be absolutely livid at the underperformance of her own government, the government she was a cabinet minister in. Because when we came to office, inflation had a six in front of it and it was absolutely galloping.
Chalmers says he “hopes” the opposition keeps asking about inflation because the data is “very encouraging”. He does still acknowledge that there’s more to do on cost of living.
Updated
The first dixer is on the social media ban (again, no surprises here, the government uses dixers to promote its policies).
Anthony Albanese says a lot of similar lines as he did in his press conference earlier.
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PM angers opposition with Medicare ‘green and gold’ jibe
While the protesters were shouting, Sussan Ley asked her first question to the prime minister.
She starts on bulk-billing rates, saying that the PM has said on 71 occasions that seeing a GP is free, but the facts state differently.
She cites data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare that Australians paid more than $166m in out-of-pocket costs to see a GP in May.
Anthony Albanese says the government is strengthening Medicare, to increase the bulk-billing rate.
He then decides to have a bit of the go at the opposition, and this line gets them pretty incensed.
This is an important part of the reform agenda where Labor not only created Medicare but we will always work to strengthen it. I know it annoys those opposite to see this little bit of green and gold. Green and gold the same colour our athletes proudly wear …
Ley tries to stand up with a point of order but then Albanese continues, and says that the government values Medicare.
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Protesters shout ‘sanction Israel’ as question time begins
In a different part of the public gallery, there are four people standing up with posters shouting “sanction Israel now”.
Other members of the public in that area are being cleared out so parliament security can get to the protesters.
They keep shouting “sanction Israel now” until they exit the public gallery.
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The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, also acknowledges the former Olympic athletes in the chamber today.
She says the decision for some athletes not to compete in the 1980 Moscow Olympics came with a “personal cost”.
We would not send athletes to Olympics in Moscow today and the Australian government was right to support a boycott then. That decision, correct as it was, takes nothing away from the Australians who did compete. They should not be personally attacked, they should never have been personally attacked. I repeat to you in the gallery today, you made Australia proud.
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Before questions begin, Albanese acknowledges the group of 1980 Olympians sitting in the gallery.
Today in our parliament we honour your contribution to our nation. We recognise your participation but importantly as well we recognise your pain. And we extend that recognition to all those who cannot be with us today.
Forty-five years ago, the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan cast a dark shadow over what should have been your shining moment. As nations around the world grappled with the boycott, Australia’s athletes, some still only teenagers, were placed in an incredibly difficult position.
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Parliament acknowledges athletes who competed at 1980 Moscow Olympics
Anthony Albanese has formally acknowledged 121 athletes who defied the government and competed under a neutral flag at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.
There’s a cohort of that group who have been in parliament to mark the occasion and some are sitting in the public gallery to watch question time today.
Across from them is the former Olympian Dan Repacholi, a Labor MP, who’s also wearing his Olympics blazer in the chamber today!
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Do you have any questions for Back to Back Barries?
Folks, we are on the downhill slide to question time (today’s moving quick!) but before we get there we ask …
Do you have any questions about politics this week?
Back to Back Barries is Guardian Australia’s political analysis podcast. Each week veteran political journalist Barrie Cassidy joins former Liberal advisor and pollster Tony Barry to pull apart the spin behind the strategies.
And they want to hear from you. Send your politics questions to backtobackbarries@theguardian.com and they’ll pick some to answer on this week’s episode, out this Saturday.
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Angus Taylor says Gaza situation ‘tragic’ but recognising Palestinian state ‘putting the cart before the horse’
Angus Taylor says the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is “tragic” but Australia cannot recognise Palestine until Hamas is removed from Gaza and Israeli hostages are returned.
The shadow defence minister told Sky News on Wednesday afternoon the choice to recognise Palestinian statehood right now was “putting the cart before the horse”.
The UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, has committed to recognising Palestine by September unless Israel abides by a ceasefire in Gaza and commits to a two-state solution. It follows French president Emmanuel Macron‘s decision earlier to recognise Palestine at the UN general assembly in September.
Australia joined 14 other countries this morning to describe the recognition of Palestine as “an essential step towards the two-state solution”. Anthony Albanese, however, declined to commit to a timeline for recognition of statehood, saying the government was looking at the “circumstances where recognition will advance the objective of the creation of two states”.
Since Labor was elected in 2022, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has adjusted Australia’s language on the peace process, saying the “pathway out of the endless cycle of violence” in the Middle East can only come with recognition of “a Palestinian state alongside the State of Israel”. Australia had previously seen Palestinian statehood as a final step of a negotiated outcome between Israelis and Palestinians.
Asked whether the starvation of Gaza was a contributing factor for the Coalition to reconsider its current policy on the timing of a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, Taylor said:
It’s clearly tragic. But as I say, you’ve got to remember the origins of what’s going on here, which ... was this attack by Hamas. We still have, of course, hostages being held. They haven’t been released. This is another prerequisite for getting to a peace agreement, and we’re not there.
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Australia could ‘win the quantum race’, Atlassian co-founder says
Staying with Scott Farquhar at the Press Club, the Atlassian co-founder says Australia has an opportunity to dominate in quantum technology.
“We won’t win the race for AI chips in the near future in Australia,” he said, but “we could win the quantum race”.
He said Australia has a “huge opportunity” to win when it comes to building data centres, not least because of its proximity to South-East Asia – and only if “we can get legislation right”.
He added that Australia also had the opportunity to succeed in software, including business-to-business AI applications.
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Atlassian co-founder says his children have ‘very defined screen time’
Over to the Press Club in Canberra, where Tech Council of Australia chair and Atlassian co-founder Scott Farquhar is now taking questions after his speech focused on an AI future.
For any parents struggling with navigating screens and online safety for their children, the tech heavyweight says his three school-age children have “very defined screen time” and that he makes sure he is aware of what they are viewing.
“We spend time with our kids together and educate them about age-appropriate things they need to be worried about on the internet, in the same way we educate them about crossing the road,” he said.
He said he spends time looking at what his children are spending time on and then, at “every stage, when they adopt a new platform, we spend time chatting with them about the dangers and the opportunities of that platform.”
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NSW premier says protest on Sydney Harbour Bridge would be a ‘logistical and communications Everest’
The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has been asked about claims by a member of his own government that he overstepped his authority by ruling out a protest involving a march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
(We covered the comments made by upper house Labor MP Stephen Lawrence here, who said it is a matter for the police, not the state.)
Minns responded that his point, in ruling it out, was purely to do with the route and not the protest itself. He said that closing down the bridge for such an event is “a logistical and communications Everest”.
He said:
I do appreciate and I completely recognise that many Australians are very concerned, very concerned about the humanitarian aid crisis in Gaza, as well as human rights for Palestinians. I’m not dismissing that. I’m not suggesting that the motives of the protesters are wrong or misplaced. I completely accept that many people living in New South Wales would want to protest this international situation.
My point, and it’s an important one, is that to close down the Harbour Bridge, which has happened maybe two or three times in a decade, is a logistical and communications Everest. It’s incredibly difficult to do. And I understand that some people say, ‘look, it’s easy to shut down the bridge.’ It’s not easy. When it happens for a marathon, it’s nine to 12 months in the planning. It doesn’t happen overnight.
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Chalmers says economy is ‘softer than we would like’
Jim Chalmers says “the economy is softer than we would like”, which he blamed on “a period of higher interest rates”, global uncertainty linked to Trump’s trade war, and the ongoing pressure on households from high living costs.
The treasurer’s comments at a press conference in Parliament House this morning come after fresh figures showed inflation fell to 2.1% in the year to June, from 2.4% in March.
“We need to get the economy growing quicker (and) in a more sustainable way,” he said, acknowledging that there has been “some softening around the edges of the labour market”.
We are attentive to those cyclical issues - weaker growth, getting on top of inflation - but we’re also increasingly focused on the bigger structural issues.
Analysts are now locking in a Reserve Bank rate cut at the next board meeting on 11-12 August.
Stephen Smith, a partner at Deloitte Access Economics, said the inflation number “shows Australia’s policy settings must shift from containing inflation to stimulating economic growth”.
Smith said that interest rates at current levels were “hard to justify given ongoing global economic volatility and the continued sluggishness of our own domestic economy”.
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Billionaire’s lawyers fight subpoena in Latham DVO hearing
Lawyers for the billionaire WiseTech founder Richard White are hoping to quash a subpoena to produce any communications with the former partner of New South Wales MP Mark Latham, Nathalie Matthews.
Nicholas Olson, appearing for White in a court hearing on Wednesday, foreshadowed the application and said he would seek a suppression order on the material. There was also an application to set aside a subpoena directed at Matthews regarding the communications.
Latham’s lawyers have sought the material under subpoena as part of his defence against a Domestic Violence Order (DVO) application Matthews has made against Latham and after texts reportedly between Latham and Matthews allegedly referring to White were published by the Australian newspaper earlier this month.
White is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Latham’s defence is seeking to have the DVO application lodged by Matthews set aside.
The matter is scheduled to return to court on 6 August for a further mention.
Among the allegations Matthews has made in documents filed with the court are that Latham intimidated her and forced her into demeaning sexual acts.
Latham has strenuously denied the allegations.
Latham is also facing a censure motion in the NSW upper house over unrelated matters when the state parliament sits next week.
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Coalition says Australia should not recognise Palestinian state ‘with Hamas still in control of Gaza’
The Coalition says it has “serious concerns” about the government recognising a Palestinian state “outside of a proper two-state process”.
The government has said recognition does not have to come at the end of a peace process with Israel.
Shadow foreign minister Michaelia Cash has said in a statement that recognition cannot happen “with Hamas still in control of Gaza”, and that Australia should “not reward” Hamas with a pathway to statehood.
The Coalition has been consistently clear that there can be no recognition of a Palestinian state with Hamas still in control of Gaza, and Hamas can have no role in governing a Palestinian state.
The Albanese Government should explain to Australians why it is canvassing recognition of a Palestinian state while there are still hostages in tunnels under Gaza.
This is a moment for international leaders to be applying maximum pressure on the listed terrorist organisation Hamas to immediately and unconditionally release all remaining hostages and disarm.
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Senate votes down Liberal senator's Hecs bill amendment to cap indexation
The opposition has abstained from voting on its senator Sarah Henderson’s amendment to the Hecs bill – which would cap indexation at 3%.
The Senate is currently debating the bill and voting on several amendments – one by Henderson, and several by the Greens, which have so far been voted down by the government.
Henderson, who was dumped from Sussan Ley’s frontbench, went at it alone when announcing this week that she would push the government to cap the indexation rate.
The four One Nation senators, Tammy Tyrrell, David Pocock and Ralph Babet voted with Henderson.
The government and Greens senators voted against it, meaning it didn’t get up.
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Cost-of-living pressures continue despite drop in inflation
As we wrote below, inflation has dropped all the way to 2.1% in the year to June, from 2.4% in March.
But it’s not all good news.
The ABS’s consumer price index climbed by 0.7% in the three months, as electricity prices jumped by 8.1% in the quarter, after taxpayer-funded energy bill subsidies rolled off in Perth and Brisbane.
Michelle Marquardt, the ABS’s head of prices statistics, said “while electricity was up this quarter, it’s down 6.2% compared to 12 months ago as rebates remained in place for most capital cities”.
The annual inflation rate was below the 2.2% consensus forecast among economists, thanks in large part to a 10% drop in petrol prices over the year, according to the ABS.
There are still plenty of signs of cost-of-living pressures, even if the trajectory is a positive one.
Rents were up 4.6% versus a year ago (from 5.5% in March), and insurance 3.9%.
Breakfast costs are also higher than this time last year: egg prices are up 19% thanks to bird flu outbreaks, while tea and coffee costs are 9% higher thanks to major issues in overseas coffee bean-growing regions, the ABS said.
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Latest inflation data is ‘stunning’, treasurer says
Jim Chalmers says the latest inflation figures are “very encouraging news” but won’t predict whether it’ll result in a rate cut at the next Reserve Bank board meeting.
The treasurer is speaking to Sky News (and will be doing a press conference shortly), and gives himself a bit of a pat on the back for how much inflation has dropped since Labor was first elected in 2022.
These are pretty stunning numbers. When you consider when we came to office, inflation had a six in front of it. Now it’s around a third of that very, very encouraging development … No doubt the Reserve Bank board will weigh that up.
Updated
Tsunami threat warnings for Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Fiji after earthquake off Russia
There are tsunami threat warnings for several countries near Australia including Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and Fiji.
There are no warnings for Australia.
We’ll keep you updated, or you can follow the Guardian’s live blog on the tsunami here:
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Inflation rate falls from 2.4% to 2.1% in year to June
Inflation dropped to 2.1% in the year to June, from 2.4% in the year to March, as further evidence of waning underlying price pressures paves the way for a Reserve Bank rate cut next month.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ quarterly report also showed the RBA’s preferred measure of inflation, which removes more volatile price movements, dropped to 0.6% in the three months to June.
That lowered the annual “core” rate from 2.9% to 2.7%.
The RBA board’s decision to hold the cash rate at 3.85% earlier this month came as a shock to investors and analysts, with the majority of the monetary policy board voting to hold fire until they had further confirmation that inflation was tracking as anticipated towards the 2.5% target.
Economists leading into this morning’s release said that a quarterly underlying inflation rate of 0.7% or less would provide that comfort.
The prospect of a rate cut on 12 August will be welcomed by mortgaged homeowners struggling with ongoing cost of living pressures, but less so by those hoping to buy a home amid resurgent property prices.
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June quarter’s inflation figures to be released at 11.30am
The countdown is on for the 11:30am release of June quarter’s inflation figures, which should determine whether the Reserve Bank cuts rates next month.
Michele Bullock, the RBA governor, has signalled that she and her board were waiting on further evidence that inflation is tracking sustainably towards the mid-point of the 2-3% target range, and this morning’s consumer price report should provide that comfort (or not).
Economists predict inflation will fall from 2.2% in the year to June, from 2.4% in March.
Surely that alone is enough for a rate cut?
Not so fast.
The RBA targets the “headline” inflation rate, but it leans on underlying measures which remove more volatile price movements (often for things such as petrol and fruit and vegetables) to guide its policy decisions.
The so-called “trimmed mean” rate of inflation was 2.9% in the year to March.
Analysts reckon the underlying rate needs to come in at 0.7% in the three months to June – or below – to lock in a rate cut.
That would lower the annual pace to 2.7%.
Updated
Is YouTube a social media network?
YouTube issued a statement overnight saying it should be exempt from the social media ban because it’s a video-sharing platform, not social media.
But if you search “is YouTube a social media network” on Google, YouTube’s parent company, its AI overview bot says … yes it is.
The overview states: “While [YouTube] is primarily known as a video-sharing platform, it also facilitates user interaction, content creation and community building, which are core characteristics of social media.”
Google says its AI overview provides an “AI-generated snapshot with key information and links to dig deeper”, so it’s not reflecting what Google actually thinks.
Needless to say, it’s a bit funny.
Updated
Coalition accuses Labor of breaking promise over YouTube under-16s ban
The Coalition is accusing the government of a “blatant broken promise” over including YouTube in the under-16s social media ban, after the video service was previously exempt under the draft rules.
The shadow communications minister, Melissa McIntosh, alleges Labor “deliberately misled the public” over the move, in a statement.
[This is] a blatant broken promise to the Australian people … When the government introduced the legislation in November, they specifically excluded YouTube. This was the premise on which the legislation passed the parliament.
McIntosh noted the government had issued media releases setting out the YouTube carveout, and had written to Google promising the same.
But after advice from the eSafety commissioner, the government has changed its mind. The Coalition back the under-16s restrictions, but McIntosh is unhappy with the YouTube issue.
The Albanese Labor government can change a minister, but they cannot hide the fact they deliberately misled the public at the last election by promising to keep YouTube out of the social media age minimum.
The prime minister and the Labor government reaffirmed YouTube’s exemption before the election … It makes you question what has really changed behind the scenes in the government on this issue, and whether it was an election stunt.
Updated
IMF upgrades Australia’s economic growth outlook
The International Monetary Fund has upgraded its outlook for the Australian and global economy thanks to a “modest decline in trade tensions” after Donald Trump failed to follow through on the worst of his tariff threats.
In an overnight update to its April world economic outlook, the IMF forecasts Australian GDP will rise by 1.8% this year, and 2.2% in 2026.
The estimates were 0.1 and 0.2 percentage points higher, respectively, than the forecasts three months ago.
The IMF in particular noted the de-escalation of trade tensions with China in May, which reduced the effective tariff of imports into the US from 24% to 17% - the highest in 90 years.
Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas, the IMF’s chief economist, said “this resilience (in the global economy) is welcome, but it is also tenuous”.
While the trade shock could turn out to be less severe than initially feared, it is still sizeable, and evidence is mounting that it is hurting the global economy.”
Compared to the IMF’s pre-April and pre-trade war forecast, global growth is expected to grow 0.2 percentage points more slowly. Gourinchas said":
At around 3%, global growth remains disappointingly below the pre-Covid average.
Albanese ends the press conference stressing that Australians don’t want the conflict brought here.
My priority has been to try and navigate what is a very difficult situation but, you know, the young Jewish boy or girl going to the local school should not be harassed because of who they are. They are not responsible for what is going on in Gaza. And Arab Australians or Muslims are not responsible for what Hamas did.
He says the media also has a responsibility not to stoke tensions in the community.
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Albanese not surprised Aukus review taking US longer than 30 days
Albanese says he’s not surprised that the US is delaying the completion of its Aukus review until Australia’s spring.
The office of the US under secretary of defence for policy, Elbridge Colby, released a statement on X a short time ago, stating the review would be completed in the US fall, and that it would engage with the UK and Australia during that review.
Albanese says:
We expected a review from an incoming government just like the Keir Starmer government did it. We expect that those things take longer than just 30 days.
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‘Sometimes out of a crisis comes a moment of opportunity to actually advance forward’
Albanese is asked whether the government will place more sanctions on Israel, and accuses those calling for more sanctions of just using “slogans”.
He says the government is “about meaningful action” and lambasts protesters who caused his electorate office to be shut down on Friday.
There’s been a lot of comparison between the number of sanctions on Russians, compared to Israelis, but Albanese says Israel is democratic, while Putin’s regime is not.
Pushed further on his comments that Hamas should not have a role in a future Palestinian government, Albanese is asked what that means for senior bureaucrats that have been involved in the Palestinian health administration.
Albanese says the government is “not at that point of detail”.
Clearly one of the things that the Palestinian Authority have said is to speak about a demilitarised Palestinian state. What that implies is not just no military in the conventional sense but also obviously no paramilitary.
If people are serious, and I’ve been serious about the rights of Palestinians and them having justice since, you know, well before I came to this place … One of the things that I’ve said … is that sometimes out of a crisis comes a moment of opportunity to actually advance forward, in a real way, advance forward for Israelis and Palestinians.
Updated
Albanese asked about recognising Palestinian state
On to other issues, Albanese is asked whether the government is now looking at a specific timeframe for recognising a Palestinian state.
Albanese says there’s not a timeline, but specific circumstances to enable that to happen.
He says he spoke to Keir Starmer overnight, and expects to speak with the British PM again in the coming days.
We’ve signed another statement today with many nations. That statement, I think, has a number of things in it are important.
Asked whether Starmer declaration on statehood has influenced Albanese’s thinking, the prime minister the world is “continuing to engage with each other” formally and informally.
The world was horrified by the terrorist act and the atrocities committed by Hamas on 7 October. The world looks on what is happening in Gaza and expresses that it is unjustified and it is a tragedy, the ongoing loss of innocent life.
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‘My government is pro Wiggles’: Albanese
This morning Wells said Wiggles management tried to appeal to the government to allow YouTube to be exempt from the ban.
She says they told her that YouTube is a video platform, not a social media platform – the same argument a spokesperson for YouTube made in a statement overnight.
Wells clarifies that it was Wiggles management, not the actual Wiggles, who made the appeal, and Albanese adds” “We’re not here to sledge the Wiggles. My government is pro Wiggles.”
Wells also said a bit earlier that in terms of age-restrictive content, it should be up to the social media companies to explain why kids might have access to that content.
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Wells on implementing social media band: ‘The onus here is on the platforms’
Albanese says the government will be holding an event at the UN General Assembly later this year with the 36 months and the Let Them be Kids campaigns to advocate for the social media ban.
This legislation is the first of its kind worldwide, but Albanese says other nations are looking at what Australia is doing and considering the impact social media is having on their kids.
Our own Josh Butler asks Wells what “reasonable steps” to reduce harm means, and when the public will know what verification measures the platforms will implement.
Wells says the platforms are working on a one-on-one basis with the eSafety commissioner, but doesn’t clarify what “reasonable steps” should be.
Each platform works differently. Obviously they’re all competitors. That means they need to work on a one on one basis with the eSafety commissioner.
But I think reasonable steps is reasonable. We are backing parents. The platforms have a responsibility, a social responsibility, as the PM would say, the onus here is on the platforms. Come 10 December, if your kid has a Facebook account, it is on Facebook to deactivate that account. It’s not on the parent to police that on behalf of Facebook.
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Albanese says even if children find ways to access social media, the ban will still make a difference
Albanese says that just because children may get around the ban, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be done.
We know this is not the only solution, and there’s more to do, but it will make a difference. We know as well that there are those who will say young people will find their way around it. That’s not a reason to stop the other laws that we put in place about alcohol consumption or about purchasing of tobacco.
The latest decision to include YouTube in the ban is a result of advice from the eSafety commissioner.
Anika Wells says the government can’t ignore evidence that “four out of 10 Australian kids report that their most recent harm was on YouTube.”
She adds that the government won’t be “intimidated” by social media companies and says the regulations are about prioritising “parents ahead of platforms”.
As parents, we are really trying our best when it comes to the internet, but it is like trying to teach your kids to swim in the open ocean with the rips and the sharks compared to at the local council pool, we can’t control the ocean, but we can police the sharks, and that’s why I will not be intimidated by leaving threats when this is a genuine fight for the wellbeing of Australian kids.
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Albanese holds press conference: 'Social media is doing social harm'
Prime minister Anthony Albanese and communications minister Anika Wells are standing up for a press conference this morning, on the decision to include YouTube in the social media ban for children under 16. YouTube kids will still be exempt.
Albanese starts by recognising three parents who are with him, all who have lost a child.
Mia, Rob and Emma are three parents, but their stories are felt by countless other parents and by communities right across the country. We know that social media is doing social harm, and my government and this parliament is prepared to take action to protect young Australians.
Updated
Tsunami alert issued for Pacific islands and Japan after earthquake off Russia
Leaving parliament again for a moment, there’s a tsunami warning for the Pacific after an earthquake off the north-east coast of Russia.
According to the US weather service, there is a “potential threat” warning for Russia and Japan. There is also a “watch” alert for Hawaii.
There’s no sign yet of any danger south of the equator.
You can stay updated at our live blog:
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Two Australians deported from Israel after they were detained on Freedom Flotilla boat
Two Australians on board a boat intercepted by Israeli troops earlier this week have been deported from Israel and are on their way back to Australia, according to their lawyers.
Tania “Tan” Safi and Robert Martin were detained on Monday while onboard the ship Handala, which was attempting to reach Gaza with aid as part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
Adalah Legal Center, a Palestinian legal rights group, said the pair were among a number of activists who have been deported so far, with the remainder of the 21 people detained expected to be deported in the coming days. Adalah said in a translated statement:
Australian activists Robert Daniel Martin and Tania Safi were transferred to Jordan and are scheduled to depart on July 30 via a flight that includes a stop in Dubai before arriving in Australia.
Adalah said those left in detention were continuing an open-ended hunger strike after their detention:
According to testimonies collected by Adalah’s field team during today’s visit, the activists continue to be subjected to harsh and degrading detention conditions and are continuing an open-ended hunger strike for the fourth consecutive day in protest against their unlawful arrest and detention conditions.
Dfat has been approached for comment.
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Staying with Lawrence’s comments, he said it is “rarely, if ever, the role of the state to prevent mass protests, and that it is the “obligation of the state to facilitate, support and make safer such events.”
Lawrence also said he has given repeated warnings in parliament about since October 2023 about “the risk of violence on our streets if attempts are made by the executive government to unreasonably prevent peaceful mass protests.”
The management of this planned protest should be left entirely to NSW Police, who should be allowed to make an independent and principled decision according to law.
NSW Labor MP 'extremely concerned' by premier's stance on Palestine protest
A member of Chris Minns’ government has said he is concerned the New South Wales premier tainted the police’s decision on whether to facilitate a proposed protest that would involve marching across the Sydney Harbour Bridge, arguing that it was not within his authority to do so.
On Tuesday afternoon, the deputy police commissioner, Peter McKenna, said police had rejected an application from organisers of a protest, citing safety risks as the reason. The organisers of the rally, the Palestine Action Group, have vowed to fight the decision in the supreme court.
It came after Minns had said on ABC Sydney Radio that the mass protests relating to Gaza would not be allowed on the Harbour Bridge under “any circumstances”.
The upper house Labor MP Stephen Lawrence, who is also a barrister, said he was “extremely concerned” by these comments. He wrote in a statement on social media:
This detailed [NSW] statutory regime as I understand it gives no substantive role to the premier in deciding whether authorisation is given.
I am concerned the premier has in effect made a purported decision himself to try and prevent this protest, that this will taint proper consideration of the matter by police and that violence may ensue as a consequence.
I have felt the need to give these warnings because an environment has been created by senior political leaders, Labor and conservative, hostile to protests concerned with the rights of Palestinian people.
Updated
US review of Aukus to be completed late this year, Pentagon policy chief says
The Aukus review is expected to be completed late this year, the US has said in a statement on X.
The statement is from the office of the under secretary of defence for policy, Elbridge Colby, and states that the department working on the review will engage with Australia and the UK.
It doesn’t add a whole lot of new information, but does confirm that the review will take longer than its initial 30-day timeframe.
The new statement says:
As part of this process the department looks forward to continuing regular engagements on this important matter with other parts of the US government, the US congress, our other allies Australia and the United Kingdom, and other key stakeholders.
The department anticipates completing the review in the fall.
The fall, or autumn, in the US is between late September and late December.
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Australia signs joint statement calling for two-state solution in Palestine
Australia has signed a new joint-statement of 15 foreign ministers, including France and Canada, on Gaza, expressing their “unwavering commitment” to a two-state solution.
It states that the nations, ahead of the UN General Assembly meeting in September:
Have already recognised, have expressed or express willingness or the positive consideration of our countries to recognise the State of Palestine, as an essential step towards the two state solution, and invite all countries that have not done so to join this call.
The statement condemns the 7 October attack, and demands an immediate ceasefire, immediate and unconditional release of all hostages of Hamas and calls for ensuring unhindered humanitarian access.
The statement also “welcomes the commitments made by the President of the Palestinian Authority” on 10 June, including where the president condemned the 7 October attacks, called for the liberation of hostages and disarmament of Hamas, and committed to “call for elections within a year to trigger generational renewal”.
It was signed by the foreign ministers of: Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Slovenia and Spain.
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Husic says there is ‘deep feeling’ in Labor caucus to recognise Palestine
Recognising Palestinian statehood would end Hamas’s authority in Gaza, Husic says
The Labor MP Ed Husic says Australia joining with countries including France and the UK to recognise Palestinian statehood would end Hamas’s power in Gaza.
One of the major stumbling blocks for countries considering statehood is the role of the terrorist organisation, which was responsible for the 7 October attacks on Israel and still holding hostages.
But Husic, who says other members of Labor’s caucus want action from the Albanese government, says moving on statehood will deny Hamas authority.
“Hamas is built largely on grievance,” Husic says.
That grievance gets removed with the establishment of a state of Palestine, nurtured with the cooperation and support of the international community, progressed through the development of democratic institutions. And that would champion the delivery of humanitarian aid to nourishing … children.
On backbench discussions about the war and next steps from the international community, Husic said he wanted Labor MPs to make their own statements.
We have been talking. Colleagues have been considering this, across the backbench. There is a deep feeling within the caucus, about how right it is to recognise Palestine, and I would much rather that colleagues speak for themselves.
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Victorian government announces ban on private bail services
Leaving federal politics for a moment, the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, and attorney general Sonya Kilkenny are holding a press conference at parliament to announce privately owned bail services will be banned in the state.
As part of the bail bill announced yesterday, commercial operators will no longer be able to provide monitoring services.
It a similar move by the NSW government in May, after private operator BailSafe collapsed I earlier this year, without notifying authorities. It led to a mad scramble to locate about 20 alleged offenders on bail in NSW and eight in Victoria.
Allan says:
We saw the situation earlier this year where a private company, BailSafe, shut up shop. They didn’t tell anyone across the justice system, the courts, Victoria police, and that’s just absolutely unacceptable. When that happened, I was determined that we would stamp out the use of private companies in the provision of electronic monitoring here in this state.
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Australia can build momentum on Palestinian recognition: Husic
Speaking in the press gallery corridor, the Labor MP Ed Husic says Australia should move with the UK to recognise Palestinian statehood.
Husic says “moral momentum cannot be ignored” and has implored the government to “reconsider its approach” to recognising a Palestinian state.
I would urge our government to reconsider its approach. We can still maintain that we have conditions that we believe need to be satisfied, the least of which is the build up of democratic institutions within the state of Palestine, the demilitarisation of Hamas, for example.
But we can flag our preparedness to join with both France and the UK to signal our commitment to recognise Palestine. Now it is important that that occur. I believe it’s critical that we back them in and build a sense of international momentum.
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‘A question of when, not if’ – government MPs on Palestinian recognition
In response to the UK government declaring it could recognise Palestine as a state in September, unless Israel takes immediate steps towards peace, government ministers have said this morning that the question for Australia is “when, not if”.
Earlier when Anika Wells spoke to ABC News Breakfast, she said there are still things to be worked through to get to a two-state solution.
It is a question of when not if. There is things to work through. We need Hamas to release the hostages and we need to secure aid as quickly as possible. Everybody is working on that.
Over on Sky News, Julian Hill offered similar remarks.
The government will determine its position based on our conception of Australia’s national interest, working with like-minded countries around the world, and the PM is in dialogue.
[It’s] a question of when, not if, to recognise the state of Palestine
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Cash accuses Albanese of being a 'Seinfeld prime minister' over 'nothing' response to Trump's tariffs
Anthony Albanese is a “Seinfeld prime minister”, says shadow foreign minister Michaelia Cash, over the governments response to Trump foreshadowing higher tariff rates of up to 15 to 20%.
Why Seinfeld? It’s a show about nothing, so “stop being a show about nothing” says Cash.
On a panel with Clare O’Neil on Sunrise earlier, Cash said Albanese had still failed to get a face-to-face meeting with Trump since he was elected.
Other countries [are] meeting, they are successfully negotiating trade deals that benefit their countries. We now hear it could go 15%, it could go 20%. Mr Albanese needs to stop being the Seinfeld prime minister, stop being a show about nothing, step up, get a meeting with President Trump, and advocate on behalf of Australians.
O’Neil says the comments from Cash are “really rude and disrespectful” and the opposition should have a team Australia view.
She says the government is working calmly and working through the appropriate channel to get the “best deal”.
We will manage this not with some of the kind of flamboyant language Michaelia used there. We will manage it in a calm and considered way. That is how our government restored our relationship with China, France all the countries that were left by the way side by the opposition.
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Wells says she ‘can’t ignore’ new eSafety evidence about YouTube
Anika Wells says she can’t ignore new evidence from the eSafety commissioner that more than a third of kids have experienced harm online “at the hands of YouTube”.
The communications minister is speaking to ABC News Breakfast and says YouTube will need to work with the eSafety commissioner to change its platform in response to the social media ban.
She says YouTube needs to stop users being able to access age-restrictive in a logged-out state.
Fresh evidence from the eSafety commissioner that 37% of kids had their most recent or most impactful online harm at the hands of YouTube. That is evidence that I can’t ignore and they are joining the ban.
Kids who are under 18 will find a way to smoke. There [are] kids who are under 16 who will find a way around this but it is about making a positive impact.
We would rather kids work out who they are before social media platforms assume who they are.
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Shadow education minister on Naplan results: ‘We need to look at what it is we are teaching’
The opposition says the latest Naplan results aren’t a “cause for particular celebration” but there are positive signs.
Shadow education minister Jonno Duniam told ABC News Breakfast earlier that the gap between regional, remote and metro and other disadvantaged students including Indigenous children is “very concerning”.
Duniam says it might be time for a relook at the curriculum.
Under our federated system, where no one should be worse off because of where they live or any other particular attribute, some are falling behind, which needs addressing.
We are falling behind and we have been for a long period of time. This is not just a now problem, this has been for decades. We need to look at what it is we are teaching.
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Clare on Naplan results: ‘Good news, but there’s still more work to do’
The government says there are encouraging signs from the latest Naplan school results.
Two thirds of students have achieved a “strong” or “exceeding” proficiency level, but for the first time since 2017, numeracy results improved across years five, seven and nine.
In a statement, education minister Jason Clare said there are still more improvements to be made:
The improvements in literacy and numeracy are good news, but there’s more work to do.
That’s what the new agreements we’ve now signed with every state and territory are all about.
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Paterson says Australia should not push to recognise Palestinian state at this time
Opposition frontbencher James Paterson says Australia shouldn’t join the UK in pushing to recognise the state of Palestine this year.
On RN Breakfast, Paterson says Australia recognising a Palestinian state before Hamas is dismantled would be “counterproductive”.
It’s not for me to comment on the foreign policy of other countries, but if the Australian government was to make a similar move, I wouldn’t agree with it.
Asked whether the images out of Gaza are evidence of starvation of its population, Paterson said there are “credible reports of that”.
Premature recognition of a Palestinian state before Hamas has been dismantled, before the Palestinian Authority recognises Israel’s right to exist, before they give up their aims of using terrorism to abolish the Israeli state, I think would be extremely counterproductive.
There’s certainly credible reports of that [widespread starvation]. I’m not on the ground and I can’t independently assess it. But I think very clearly there is very serious suffering happening in Gaza.
He went further than his leader Sussan Ley yesterday who declined to say wouldn’t say there was evidence of starvation during a press conference yesterday.
But says he’s still “cautious” in not wanting to “endorse claims that are made by Hamas” while observing the “very serious humanitarian situation”.
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‘I’ve got sharp elbows’: Wells on any potential legal action by Google
Asked about whether she’s concerned about potential legal action from Google, Wells says she’s got “sharp elbows”.
We have had threats come in. But look, I’ve got sharp elbows. This is too important for us not to have a crack. They are world leading laws.
While social media has a place persuasive and predatory algorithms do not. And that’s what we’re cracking down on.
Wells says the laws will not be set and forget, and the social media platforms will have to work with the eSafety commissioner to figure out how to put the new restrictions in place.
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Wells reveals 'Big Wiggle' lobbied for YouTube ban exemption
The communications minister, Anika Wells, says “parents, we have your backs” in announcing her decision to include YouTube in the social media ban.
Wells told the Today Show the laws “aren’t infallible” but it’ll be up to the platforms to take reasonable steps to stop children being on them.
When they find their way around this, because we know that kids will, god bless them, the platforms [need to] take reasonable steps to mitigate that from happening and to correct errors.
These laws aren’t infallible, none are but this is about the chilling effect [of social media]. And there’s a study that asked kids who are 16, 17, 18, ‘do they wish that they had not gotten on social media as early as 13?’ And they all said, yeah, they regret it.
Wells said that Google sent the Wiggles management team to try to “persuade” her on the decision.
This was Big Wiggle. This was Wiggles Inc, the management around the Wiggles …
The Wiggles are a treasured Australian institution. But like I said to them, you’re arguing that my four-year-old twins right to have a YouTube login is more important than the fact that four out of 10 of their peers will experience online harm on YouTube.
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Liberal senator says YouTube decision represents a ‘broken promise’
The Liberal senator Paul Scarr says the decision to reverse YouTube’s exemption from the social media ban could amount to a “broken promise”, but won’t say whether or not including it in the ban is the right decision.
Over on Sunrise, Scarr and Greens leader Larissa Waters have been reacting to the news overnight.
There is a lot of harmful content out there. But the fact of the matter is the legislation, when it was first passed by the parliament, specifically excluded YouTube, and now the government appears ready to change their position in that respect. And that’s a broken promise.
Scarr says the party will take a “careful” look at the regulations, and it’s important to “get the balance right” between protecting children and freedom of speech and privacy.
Waters says the bans aren’t going to work, and the social media giants should do better to make the content on their platforms safer.
Kids are so tech savvy, they’re going to find a way around these bans. These bans are not going to work. So what we actually need to do is to make those platforms safer and safer, not just for kids but for anyone who’s accessing them. And I think that’s where the responsibility should be on the big tech companies. They’re getting off scot-free right now.
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Ted O’Brien says government has ‘questions to answer’ on YouTube decision
The opposition is critical of the government’s backflip to include YouTube in the social media ban, saying Labor has “questions to answer” over the decision.
Deputy opposition leader Ted O’Brien says his party will wait and see what rules the government puts forward for the ban, which are expected to be tabled to parliament today.
On Sky News, O’Brien says the government “failed” to flag that it would put the ban on YouTube, after the eSafety commissioner offered advice to do so.
They [the government] were silent on the possibility that it would be brought in… and so let’s wait and see what they table. The eSafety commissioner’s advice needs to be scrutinised.
I make the point they failed to tell the Australian people about this before the election.
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Good morning,
Krishani Dhanji here with you, thanks to Martin Farrer for getting us started.
The government will be discussing its decision this morning to include YouTube in its social media ban for under 16s – though the more tightly curated YouTube kids will be spared.
And this morning the UK has increased pressure on Israel, declaring it will recognise a Palestinian state later this year unless Israel takes urgent steps to commit to peace. We’ll be following all local reaction to that this morning.
Stay with us, it’s going to be another busy day!
Google insists YouTube is 'not social media'
Google has reacted to the government’s decision to include YouTube in the under-16s social media ban (though YouTube kids will be exempt).
The search engine giant says it will “consider next steps”, after it threatened to sue the government over the weekend if it was included in the ban, before the decision was announced.
A spokesperson for YouTube said in a statement that the platform is “not social media”.
We share the Government’s goal of addressing and reducing online harms. Our position remains clear: YouTube is a video sharing platform with a library of free, high-quality content, increasingly viewed on TV screens. It’s not social media.
The Government’s announcement today reverses a clear, public commitment to exclude YouTube from this ban. We will consider next steps and will continue to engage with the Government.
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Bowen raises ‘sensible pathway for Australia to work towards the recognition of Palestine’
Chris Bowen was also asked on 7.30 for his reaction to the decision by the UK prime minister to recall his cabinet from their summer break for an emergency meeting on the Gaza crisis.
Asked if Australia, as a middle power, would join a joint effort to ensure more aid gets into Gaza, Bowen said:
I think the best thing I can do, Sarah, is very warmly and strongly and positively point you to the prime minister’s comments.
One, his abhorrence at what has been happening in Gaza in recent times, his condemnation of that action and his statements about Australia’s role in the pathway going forward. A sensible pathway for Australia to work towards the recognition of Palestine at the right time but also his abhorrence at the breaches of international law.
There is a high degree of coordination between Australia and like-minded countries, or middle powers, as you correctly put it. There is a very high degree of coordination there and you should expect that to continue. Now, I’m not going to comment on the details of what Keir Starmer may or may not be doing because that’s a matter for the United Kingdom. Obviously, we would respond in due course.
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Chris Bowen: ‘Anybody can set a high target with no plan to get there’
The minister for climate change and energy, Chris Bowen, appeared on ABC’s 7.30 last night and was asked about calls by a top UN official for Australia to go “big” on its 2035 emissions reduction target.
Simon Stiell, who is visiting several countries ahead of the Cop30 climate conference in Brazil in November, said in a speech in Sydney on Monday the 2035 target would be a defining moment for Australia.
He urged the government to not pick a “bog-standard” number but to “go for what’s smart by going big”.
Bowen said:
We have a very rigorous process [and] world’s best practice for setting a climate target.
We agree a good, strong target is good economic policy and it also has to be achievable, a target we can set out and achieve. Anybody can set a high target with no plan to get there. That’s not the approach our government has taken and not the approach we’ll take in the future.
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Just one in seven Australians back Israel’s actions in Gaza, poll shows
Guardian Australia’s Essential poll is out this morning, and the top line is the public’s general scepticism over whether they will ever see the US deliver a nuclear submarine to the Australian navy.
But as always the poll asked a range of questions. Other interesting results include:
Only 15% of Australians believe Israel is justified in continuing its military action in Gaza. Some 41% of voters want Israel to permanently withdraw its military action, while 25% want a temporary ceasefire.
31% of voters say Australia should consider levelling our own tariffs on the US, while 45% say we should prioritise staying on good terms with Trump and keep negotiating for exemptions.
You can read the full story here:
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More from Sarah on last night’s Senate motion.
Liberal frontbencher, Maria Kovacic, stood to speak in support of the motion, saying that while it was important to protect children from online harm, “ensuring every adult logs into an account to browse the internet is taking the esafety commissioner’s power to a new level, which must be debated and scrutinised further”.
Corinne Mulholland, a newly elected Labor senator, questioned why senators would be against a law that “helps to prevent illegal content from spreading by restricting access to and the distribution of harmful content”.
To me, it all makes just common sense, so I’m not sure why it’s so controversial ... The most ludicrous thing is wasting our time in the Senate when we can be getting on with the real business of debating legislation.
Read more here:
Senate votes against search engine ID checks
The Senate voted last night to pass an urgency motion against new rules requiring search engines, such as Google, to undertake user identity checks by the end of the year.
To refresh your memory, the previous parliament passed rules banning under-16s from many social media sites. As a result, a number of platforms are now required to verify a user’s age by the end of the year with a federal government trial of age assurance systems still underway.
Put forward by United Australia Party senator Ralph Babet on Tuesday night, the urgency motion read:
“The need to recognise that the internet search engine services online safety code, which requires age assurance measures for account holders of search engines, must be amended as it represents another layer of digital surveillance, dressed up as child protection and raises many privacy issues.”
It was supported by the Coalition, the Greens, One Nation and other crossbenchers – including David Pocock, Lidia Thorpe and Fatima Payman – with only Labor senators opposing it. The final vote was 38 ayes and 25 noes.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the best of the overnight stories before Krishani Dhanji picks it up.
There was some evening activity in the Senate last night as senators voted to pass an urgency motion against rules requiring search engines, such as Google, to undertake user identity checks by the end of the year. More details coming up.
Chris Bowen appeared on 7.30 last night when he was grilled about climate policy but also about the UK government’s decision to hold an emergency cabinet meeting about Gaza. The energy minister played that question with a straight bat but the fact that the UK has announced overnight that it will recognise Palestine unless Isrel agrees a truce will increase calls today for Australia to follow suit. More coming up.
Plus the latest Essential poll shows that barely one in seven Australians back Israel’s military action in Gaza. More on that soon too.
