What we learned, Thursday 28 August
Another busy final sitting day of the week. We are wrapping up the live blog here. This is what made the news:
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja met the prime minister to discuss gambling ads and Gaza, with the meeting initially cancelled but eventually rescheduled.
The Pentagon walked back a statement describing defence minister Richard Marles’ meeting with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, and vice-president JD Vance as a “happenstance encounter”.
Marles and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, faced questions on that in the final question time of the week, as well as Australia’s relationship with the US and Israel.
Albanese said the South Australian algal bloom was directly related to climate change.
Richard Boyle has avoided jail time for blowing the whistle on unethical debt recovery practices at the Australian Taxation Office.
Bob Katter told a journalist “I punch blokes in the mouth for saying that” for mentioning his Lebanese heritage during a press conference where he threw his support behind the anti-immigration, so-called “March for Australia” rallies planned for 31 August.
Qantas’ net profit rose by a third to $1.6bn in the year to June as customer numbers surged and Jetstar revenue surged while fuel costs fell.
We’ll be back tomorrow with a regular live news blog. Take care until then.
Updated
ABC welcomes decision not to convict ATO whistleblower
The ABC has welcomed the decision not to convict ATO whistleblower, Richard Boyle and again called for strengthened whistleblower protections.
Boyle gave information to investigative journalist Adele Ferguson in 2018 on tactics used on taxpayers who owed money that resulted in a joint Nine and Four Corners investigation in 2018.
ABC director of news Justin Stevens said:
We acknowledge the seriousness of these offences. However, Boyle had principled intentions, and his actions were in the public’s interest. His allegations were vindicated. He received no personal gain and has paid a high personal price for his whistleblowing.
If it wasn’t for whistleblowers such as Richard Boyle coming forward to journalists, there are many important issues affecting people’s wellbeing and livelihoods that the public would never know about.
Updated
Human rights organisations condemn noncitizen deportation bill
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and the Human Rights Law Centre are among the organisations condemning legislation introduced into parliament this week that removes procedural fairness for noncitizens the government is seeking to move to third countries.
In legislation introduced in the parliament on Tuesday, the home affairs minister said the changes will address the cohort who have remained in Australia following the NZYQ high court decision.
He said:
Procedural fairness is a fundamental principle in many areas of decision-making. However, these provisions can and are being used by noncitizens to delay and frustrate their removal, at cost to the commonwealth in circumstances where it is neither necessary nor appropriate for it to continue to apply.
The amendments in this bill are largely directed at noncitizens who have come to the end of any visa processes, and who are on a removal pathway.
These provisions are primarily directed to noncitizens who have exhausted all legitimate avenues to remain in Australia – and for whom removal is the only remaining outcome under Australian law.
He said the purpose of the law should be clear to give effect to removal as swiftly and effectively as possible.
The human rights organisations say the bill would “strip migrants and refugees of their legal rights” when sending them to third countries such as Nauru, and was “yet another attempt at rushed law-making”.
Jana Favero, deputy CEO of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, said:
The decisions are serious and lifelong. We are talking about people being permanently deported to places like Nauru. Decisions like this must not be made without fundamental legal safeguards. This legislation is clearly designed to manipulate the law so that the government is not accountable to the courts.
Josephine Langbien, associate legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre, said:
This legislation would save the government from having to consider basic questions like whether someone can access the medical care they need in Nauru, or whether they would be permanently separated from their families. By eliminating safeguards that are designed to ensure fairness and accuracy, the government is showing that it does not care if it gets these life-changing decisions wrong.
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Family of girl killed in Stonehaven bus crash release statement
The family of Milla Killeen, the 12-year-old girl killed in the bus crash at Stonehaven in Victoria yesterday, have released a statement and a photo to the media.
The family said:
Our whole family are struggling to come to terms with the loss of our beloved Milla.
We were made aware of the crash quite quickly, but it wasn’t for several hours that our worst fears were realised - Milla was the one that was sadly taken.
She was a beautiful soul with the whole world in front of her.
Milla had the patience of a saint.
She was so kind and protective of those she loved, especially her younger brother.
Milla was thriving at school where she loved learning new languages.
It brought us great joy when she would come home and try to teach her nan bits of Indonesian or Japanese that she’d learned throughout the day.
Milla was very artistic, enjoyed drawing and designing lots of different things and she loved her sport.
She used to play junior footy but lately had been focusing on basketball where she reached representative level and was about to play in a final on Friday night.
Milla was a passionate supporter of the Geelong Football Club, and we will always remember her sitting in the stands with her mum and pa, cheering for the Cats.
We don’t know why this has happened.
It’s difficult to describe all the emotions we feel right now but we are supporting one another and now ask that our family’s privacy is respected.
Updated
Age assurance company to brief on technology trial next month
We’re all awaiting the release of the final report of the age assurance technology trial that will inform what technology the social media sites will use to keep under 16s off their services from December.
The report has been with the federal government since the start of the month, but there haven’t been any indications on when it’ll be released.
There is a sign it may be imminent, however, with the head of the trial, Tony Allen, posting on LinkedIn that there will be a series of briefings on the outcome of the trial in Australia and New Zealand towards the end of September.
The office of the communications minister, Anika Wells, was approached for comment.
The trial has kept quiet about its findings, mostly, since the report was finalised, amid concerns about leaks to media.
Taylor defends focus on Marles meeting
The shadow defence minister, Angus Taylor, has defended the Coalition focusing on whether the defence minister, Richard Marles, did meet with his US counterpart or not, arguing it was important whether Aukus and the US alliance are strong.
He told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing that there had been conflicting statements, and there was a material issue:
I think the material issue here is what progress are we making ensuring Aukus, ensuring the US alliance at a time which is the most dangerous since the second world war, authoritarian regimes are flexing their muscles and we need a strong alliance and we need a strong Aukus. We want to see progress on this and that is why we are asking the questions and questions need to be continued to be asked of the defence minister and of the prime minister.
He said the government should be offering to seriously fund the defence force.
Updated
Marles’s US meeting was ‘productive’, assistant minister says
Matt Thistlethwaite, the assistant minister for foreign affairs, has said the meeting between the defence minister, Richard Marles, and his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, was “productive” and dismissed attention on whether it was a “happenstance” or a meeting from the Coalition.
Thistlethwaite told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing Marles told him the meeting was productive, and the government believes the alliance is going well and strong.
Asked why the Pentagon initially described it as happenstance, the assistant minister said that was a question for the Pentagon.
I don’t know about that statement put out, [but] we can confirm the meeting occurred and Richard also met with Marco Rubio and the vice president JD Vance. Critical minerals, treaty relationship, issues internationally were discussed.
He said a meeting had been requested with US president Donald Trump and that “is all we can do”.
He questioned the “priorities” of the opposition in raising it during question time, rather than a specific question on Aukus, when the government has been focused on the cost of living for Australians in parliament this week.
Updated
Federal government condemns planned anti-immigration rallies
The Albanese government has condemned anti-immigration rallies scheduled for this weekend, saying the “brand of fight-right activism grounded in racism and ethnocentrism” has no place in modern Australia.
A series of so-called March for Australia rallies are planned in cities across the country on Sunday to protest against “mass migration”.
In a statement on Thursday, the minister for home affairs, Tony Burke, said there was “no place in our country for people who seek to divide and undermine our social cohesion”.
We stand with modern Australia against these rallies – nothing could be less Australian.
The multicultural affairs minister, Anne Aly, said “multiculturalism was an integral and valued part of our identity”.
We stand with all Australians, no matter where they were born, against those who seek to divide us and who seek to intimidate migrant communities. We will not be intimidated.
This brand of far-right activism grounded in racism and ethnocentrism has no place in modern Australia.
The shadow multicultural affairs minister, Paul Scarr, earlier this week condemned a pamphlet promoting the rallies that referenced Indian migrants.
Scarr said at the time:
So I am compelled to rise in this place at the earliest opportunity to call it out and to condemn it and say that the language and references to Australians of Indian heritage is unacceptable. It is outrageous ... it seeks to divide Australians at a time when we need to unite.
Updated
Whether or not he thinks Folbigg innocent is ‘irrelevant’ to payout calculation, NSW AG says
The innocence of Kathleen Folbigg, jailed for two decades after the deaths of her four children, was “irrelevant” to the calculation of a $2m payout, the NSW attorney general says.
Folbigg was jailed in 2003 before being released and having her convictions quashed in 2023, when fresh scientific evidence cast reasonable doubt over her guilt.
Michael Daley did not meet with her before announcing the payment offer on 7 August, telling a budget estimates hearing on Thursday that “it would not have assisted” him in determining the amount offered.
The best way to deal with ex gratia payments is to deal with the objective facts. When you meet with people seeking ex gratia payments, it raises expectations.
Daley said he did not plan to meet with her now that “the matter has concluded”.
I can’t see any point in doing that. I don’t want to hold any hope out to her that she can come in and ask for that figure to be varied because I think the premier has indicated quite clearly, on a number of occasions, that it won’t be.
Labor has been under pressure to explain how it arrived at the $2m figure, after experts suggested it should be five to 10 times higher.
Lindy Chamberlain, jailed for four years before authorities agreed a dingo had likely taken her baby from an Uluru campsite, was awarded $1.7m, including legal costs, in 1992. That sum would be worth $4 million today.
But Folbigg’s case stood alone, Daley suggested.
Medical evidence, which led to her release and acquittal in 2023, did not exist at the time of her trial.
“That was a huge factor,” the attorney general said.
“What set this matter apart was there was no proven malfeasance on the part of the state.”
He said he followed a process to determine the amount offered.
Whether he considered Folbigg innocent or guilty was “completely irrelevant” to his decision.
- AAP
Updated
That’s all from me on the blog this week, thanks for joining me on what ended up being a very lively afternoon in Parliament House.
I’ll leave you with the very capable Josh Taylor for the rest of the afternoon’s news.
Tl;dr here’s what happened in question time
Before questions began, the prime minister, opposition leader and member for Indi all gave their condolences to the family, friends and community of the two officers killed in Victoria.
They then welcomed US congressman Jason Smith to the House, to observe question time – Sussan Ley jokingly remarked that he was about to witness Australia’s “very robust” and “unique” democracy.
And it was robust indeed, because there were some absolute scenes over whether Richard Marles had a meeting with his US counterpart Pete Hegseth in Washington DC. Richard Marles deflected the question, and in response called the Coalition a “joke”, and Angus Taylor “Captain Conspiracy”.
Milton Dick was well and truly over the political antics today – he had to tell the government and Coalition to pipe down on multiple occasions, and even threatened to stop allowing the opposition to make points of order.
Independent MP Kate Chaney asked the government when it would respond to Peta Murphy’s gambling inquiry from June 2023. The PM said the government had done a lot to tackle gambling ads, but didn’t actually answer the question as to when Labor would formally respond.
Updated
Minister pays tribute to 12-year-old Milla Killeen, killed in bus crash outside Geelong
Victorian education minister Ben Carroll has told Victorian parliament’s question time the student killed in a bus crash outside Geelong on Wednesday was 12-year-old Milla Killeen. He told the chamber:
Her parents would have sent her off to school, [but] she died on the Hamilton Highway when her bus rolled over. My deepest sympathies go out to Milla’s parents, family members, friends and fellow students during this heartbreaking time. I spoke with Christian College Geelong principal, Dr Mathilda Joubert, yesterday. She described Milla as a beautiful person with an infectious personality, a talented basketballer, who had only recently represented her college at the state basketball championships. She was a treasured member of the college. Milla, and her loss, I know, has been deeply felt by all the students and staff.
Killeen’s basketball team also posted a tribute on social media. They said:
Milla was a cherished part of our girls program at Try Boys, and her absence will be profoundly felt by everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.
With her easygoing nature and infectious smile, Milla had a special way of lighting up every room she walked into. She quickly endeared herself to teammates, coaches and the wider community, not just as a talented player ... but as a beautiful soul who brought joy wherever she went.
Updated
Question time ends
Nationals turned independent MP Andrew Gee asks about why some emergency workers who served during the 2022 central west New South Wales floods were not eligible for the national emergency medal.
Albanese says he’ll take the question on notice.
At the worst of times, we always see the best of the Australian character and we did on that occasion as well. I will take that on notice.
And with that, question time is over.
Updated
Albanese says SA algal bloom directly related to climate change
Shadow environment minister, Angie Bell is up next, and asks why the government can fund “inner city cycleways” in Sydney, but puts less support towards the algal bloom in South Australia.
Before the PM gets up, Milton Dick tells everyone to pipe down, because he’s “not happy with the level of interjections.”
Albanese says the algal bloom is directly linked to climate change, and has met with the local councils affected by the issue.
We have provided a range of funding, indeed every piece of funding we have been asked for has been provided.
He then turns his attention back to the Coalition, and takes a stab at their internal debate over net zero.
Now, does anyone think that abolishing our commitment to net zero and action on climate change will make these events more likely or less likely to happen in the future?
Milton Dick is not happy with the opposition’s attempts to make points of orders today. Dan Tehan tries to get up, but Dick threatens to stop the opposition from being allowed to make points of order altogether.
Updated
Nationals ask Albanese about ‘deteriorating relationship’ with US and Israel
Deputy Nationals leader, Kevin Hogan, now takes the stand and asks the prime minister what he’s doing to repair the “deteriorating relationship” with the US and Israel.
Anthony Albanese says he finds it “extraordinary” that the opposition asks a question about the “deteriorating relationship” with the US when a US congressman is in the room.
The opposition benches are getting pretty loud today, we can hear some shouts of “300 days” – in reference to Albanese not having secured a face to face meeting with Trump. Albanese takes a shot at the opposition’s choice of questions today:
We had a question to the deputy prime minister alleging, somehow, like the fake moon landing or something, that meetings held by the deputy prime minister with the vice president of the United States ...
Alex Hawke, manager of opposition business, stands up and tells Albanese to answer the current question.
Albanese jokes that he thought Hawke would be asking for “an extension of time” (it’s a rinse and repeat jibe – see Josh Butler’s post below). He ends by saying the relationship between the US and Australia should be above partisan politics.
(I note US congressman Jason Smith is keeping a very straight face.)
Updated
Jeers and waves from Labor amid Coalition attacks over Hegseth meeting
A lot to unpack in the House from this interaction between Marles and Taylor just now. Labor MPs always ham it up when Taylor asks a question, and jeered at his initial question.
After Taylor got up to lodge a point of order – which was swiftly shut down by Speaker Milton Dick – energy minister Chris Bowen jokingly called up to Marles and asked “did you fake the moon landing as well?”
When Marles shot back at the Coalition to call Taylor “Captain Conspiracy”, manager of opposition business Alex Hawke leapt to his feet, prompting an explosion of laughter from those on the Labor benches, with numerous MPs raising their hands and waving in mock surprise. Labor MPs have also mocked Hawke’s relatively occasional interruptions and calls for points of order.
“Give him an extension [of time]!” Albanese jeered at Hawke. It’s a callback to earlier in the week, when Hawke asked for Albanese to have an extension of time, to talk more about the government’s antisemitism response.
Updated
Marles deflects Hegseth questions, calling Angus Taylor ‘Captain Conspiracy’
This question gets a second blog post – because this is becoming a bit of a saga.
Marles says, “I think we all understand the question from Captain Conspiracy over here was whether ...”
The House goes nuts, and the manager of opposition business, Alex Hawke, stands up and says Marles must refer to Taylor by his title, and takes a stab at the deputy PM.
We do know why the deputy prime minister is angry, and we understand it is been a bad day.
Tony Burke then chimes in with this burn:
That is so much nicer than what his own colleague say.
Marles finishes off his answer (to a much quieter House now) and says, “The relationship between Australia and the United States should be above partisan politics.”
And near the end of that drama, the member for O’Connor, Liberal Rick Wilson gets kicked out of the chamber.
Updated
Angus Taylor questions Marles over Hegseth meeting
Richard Marles is in the hot seat – and is asked about the meeting with US defence secretary Pete Hegseth.
Marles looks at Congressman Smith and chuckles, “You are in for a treat.”
The deputy PM calls the Liberal party a “joke”, and says the question from shadow defence minister, Angus Taylor, shows that the Coalition is “completely broken”. He’s not holding back in his criticism, and the House is going pretty wild.
Those opposite firstly suggesting it was not going to be a meeting at all, then a little bit of a debate about whether it’s a meeting or whether it’s a happenstance, presumably those opposite think the photos have been published or magically generated by AI.
Taylor comes up for a point of order which Milton Dick says “he’s not especially inclined” to hear, but Taylor says he’s asking Marles for the outcome of the meeting.
Updated
Albanese asked about delay in gambling advertising reform
To the crossbench, independent MP Kate Chaney asks the prime minister about tackling gambling advertising.
Chaney, a long time advocate for gambling reform, asks why the government hasn’t responded to the Murphy gambing review, handed to the government in June 2023.
Is the delay due to successful lobbying by powerful interests and what you say to people experiencing gambling harm who are still being bombarded by gambling ads?
Anthony Albanese says it’s not correct to say the government hasn’t responded – but I note, Labor has not formally responded to that review.
He mentions measures including the establishment of the betstop exclusion register, and banning the use of credit cards for online wagering.
We have done more as a government than any government in Australia’s history since federation. As simple as that.
We respect people’s right to have a punt but we have a responsibility to make sure the industry act responsibly and that’s what we are doing.
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja was in parliament today – to push the government to act on gambling reform, and take more action to support Gaza.
Updated
Questions turn to energy price rises
The opposition now moves on to energy prices, and Dan Tehan asks why energy prices have increased 39%, when the government (in 2022) promised that bills would be reduced by $275 by 2025.
Energy minister Chris Bowen starts by saying yesterday’s inflation numbers reflected price increases due to the end of some state energy rebates.
He then also does a bit of an energy compare and contrast – which doesn’t sit well with the opposition.
Tehan stands up on a point of order; before he speaks, Milton Dick tells everyone to be quiet, saying “there’s just far too much noise for anyone’s liking.”
Dick agrees with Tehan’s point that Bowen should stop slagging the Coalition, the Speaker says the question isn’t an opportunity for a “free-for-all to talk about the opposition’s policies”. Bowen continues:
I was referring to the report this week of the Australian Energy Regulator about the Australian market today, which is also dealing with the impact of 4 gigabits of dispensable power leaving the grid over the last decade, that’s what the government and Energy Market Operator and everybody involved in energy system is dealing with.
Updated
Question time begins on decision to list Iran’s IRGC as terrorist organisation
Sussan Ley begins the questions, and asks why the government delayed listing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, when a report in Nine newspapers said the home affairs department advised Labor to list the IRGC as a terror organisation more than two years ago.
Albanese reiterates the argument that the government received the advice from Asio that Iran was involved in two antisemitic attacks in Australia on Monday. He then also brings up Andrew Hastie’s comments on Tuesday that he had pushed for the terror listing while the Coalition was in government.
Sussan Ley stands up (twice) to get the PM to stick to the question, on why that home affairs advice was ignored.
Albanese also says the shadow home affairs minister, James Paterson, backed the decisions.
I stand with the government, as does the rest of the Coalition. That’s what the shadow minister responsible said this morning. He went on to say, went on to say as well, not just yesterday, it backs up his statement yesterday that the decision was a good one. It was backed up by forensic intelligence provided by Asio and other partners.
Updated
US congressman welcomed to parliament
The PM also welcomes US congressman Jason Smith, chair of the Ways and Means Committee.
Albanese says he had a lengthy meeting with Smith yesterday, and that the congressman has met with several parliamentarians in recent days.
Sussan Ley jokes that Smith is “about to witness Australia’s robust and unique democracy from a front row seat.”
She then also takes a jab at Anthony Albanese.
Face to face meetings are important. So, we welcome yours with the prime minister.
Updated
Sussan Ley says police deaths a ‘heartbreaking tragedy’
Ley says the deaths are a “stark reminder” of the danger police officers face each day.
The deaths of these men is a heartbreaking tragedy that touched us all. Today our nation grieves for these officers who have lost their lives, their families, their friends and their colleagues. Our thoughts also go out to the injured detective who is now recovering.
We must recommit ourselves to stronger action to cure the sickness that has seized the outer-most fringes of society.
The alleged offender has been linked to the sovereign citizens movement, a group which the government has said is a “growing risk”.
Helen Haines, the independent MP for Indi, who represents the area of Porepunkah, also speaks to the House.
She says the police officers are heroes and their names will never be forgotten.
To the beautiful people of Porepunkah, I acknowledge that you are living with grief and shock and this event is not over for you yet. And I stand in this parliament today in solidarity with you, today and beyond, I thank you all for everything you’re doing right now to support the emergency services who are undertaking a most difficult and traumatic search for the offender.
Updated
PM offers condolences to families of police officers killed in Porepunkah
Before we get into questions, the prime minister offers his condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the two police officers killed in Victoria, and the third officer who was injured and remains in hospital.
Albanese says he’s told the Victorian government that the federal government “stands ready” to provide support where needed.
Right now the Victoria Police are still engaged in their search for the killer at the centre of these terrible events … I’ve been speaking regularly with Victoria premier Jacinta Allan and the commonwealth stands ready to provide any support now or in the future. I understand in these raw early days, the close knit community of Porepunkah is grappling with the sense of horror and also disbelief.
The events are a “sombre reminder”, says Albanese, of the dangers police officers face every day to keep communities safe.
I say it not just on behalf of this parliament, but as Australia’s prime minister on behalf of every Australian. Detective leading senior constable Neal Thompson was a hero. Senior constable Vadim De Waart was a hero. They’ll be honour and remembered as heroes by Victoria Police, by Victorians, by all of us and all Australians.
Updated
Marles’s trip to US a ‘magical mystery tour’, Angus Taylor says
Angus Taylor says he “can’t make heads or tails” of deputy prime minister Richard Marles’s trip to the United States.
As we’ve been bringing you, there’s been a lot of back and forth over whether he and US defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, had a meeting or not.
A US defence spokesperson told Nine it was a “happenstance” event, but the chief Pentagon spokesperson told Guardian Australia it was a meeting and had been organised in advance.
Taylor tells Sky News that, whatever it was, there’s still little detail on what that meeting involved.
It truly has been Richard Marles’ magical mystery tour, and it would be good for you [Marles] to front the media and explain what happened, what the outcomes were.
Asked whether the US administration should take some responsibility for the communication mishap, Taylor says the administration is “concerned, as I am actually, that we have an administration here in Australia, a government here in Australia that is underfunding defence”.
Updated
Expelled Iranian ambassador waves to media
The expelled Iranian ambassador to Australia has been spotted again outside the embassy.
He and three other Iranian diplomats have been ordered to leave the country, after Asio revealed Iran was involved in two antisemitic attacks in Australia.
Ahmad Sadeghi has just been seen smiling and waving to the cameras, but won’t be doing so for much longer – his time to leave the country is running out.
Updated
Independent Helen Haines says whistleblower protections ‘insufficient’
Independent MP Helen Haines says the government needs to better protect whistleblowers, after former Australian Taxation Office employee Richard Boyle avoided jail time for blowing the whistle on unethical debt recovery practices at the ATO.
Boyle avoided a conviction after admitting to four criminal charges linked to his 2017 exposure of the ATO’s practices in May.
Haines spoke to the media a bit earlier and said the attorney general needed to prioritise whistleblower reforms.
It’s not enough to see Richard Boyle walk free today … time and time we stand up in this place speaking to you about the solutions to this problem, and the solutions are the complete rehauling of the Public Interest Disclosures Act.
We know that there are whistleblowers out there right now who are too afraid to come forward and they rightly should be afraid because there are insufficient protections.
Updated
You can read the full story on the meeting – turned “happenstance” – turned meeting here:
Updated
Pentagon clarifies earlier statement to say Marles-Hegseth meeting was planned 'in advance'
There’s been a lot of back and forth this morning over whether the deputy prime minster and defence minister, Richard Marles, actually met with his counterpart Pete Hegseth.
There were reports this morning that a US defense spokesperson said the pair didn’t meet, but interacted after “a happenstance encounter”.
Well, the plot thickens!
The chief Pentagon spokesperson has told Guardian Australia that the encounter was, in fact, a meeting, walking back that previous statement, and confirming that it was coordinated “in advance”. Chief Pentagon spokesman, Sean Parnell, said in a statement:
Secretary Hegseth welcomed the opportunity to meet in person with Deputy Prime Minister Marles for the third time this year. Their meeting at the White House on Tuesday was coordinated in advance.
Updated
Labor’s penalty rates and overtime bill passes
The government’s legislation to enshrine penalty rate entitlements into law has passed parliament.
You can read more about the purpose of the bill here:
The Coalition was critical of the legislation, saying that whilst they’re supportive of penalty rates, the government hadn’t released an impact statement on the affect of the legislation on small businesses.
Shadow small business minister Tim Wilson said this morning that there was still confusion over whether the legislation would affect current awards.
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NSW transport minister challenged on toll revenue from sinkhole-plagued road
Returning to NSW budget estimates, transport minister John Graham has been asked why the financial forecasts in this year’s state budget include toll revenue from the troubled M6 motorway project.
As Guardian Australia has reported, the opening of the “unbuildable” motorway in Sydney’s south has been pushed back from 2025 until at least late 2028, following geological issues including a 245-metre section plagued by sinkholes.
NSW Liberals deputy leader Natalie Ward asks: “How many cars are going through the M6 ... to generate those tolls?”
Graham says: “That’s why there’s zero revenue assumed for the current financial year.”
The transport minister says the government’s expectation at the time of the budget in June was that the first stage of the motorway would be generating revenue from users in the “outer years” of the forecast, which extends to 2028-29.
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‘Strange’ to see ‘kickback’ about Marles’s US trip, Jim Chalmers says
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has talked down any difference in statements between Washington and Canberra over Richard Marles’s visit to the White House this week.
American officials have this morning denied the defence minister had a formal meeting with his US counterpart, Pete Hegseth, during a last-minute trip, casting doubt on the federal government’s account of the visit.
Marles is back in Canberra on Thursday and could face questions about the trip in question time this afternoon.
Chalmers said the trip was valuable regardless of whether Marles met Hegseth.
The deputy prime minister of Australia met with the vice president of the United States and Secretary Rubio has a number of roles. Crucial roles.
I haven’t had a debrief from Richard on the discussions he had with the defense secretary as well, but by any objective measure going to the US and meeting with people of that seniority in the administration, when we have so many issues at play … I find it quite strange quite frankly to see some of this kickback about the trip.
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Human Rights Law Centre says ATO whistleblower avoiding jail time a ‘small ray of light’
The news that Richard Boyle will avoid jail time is a “small ray of light” at the end of a “sorry saga”, the Human Rights Law Centre has said.
HRLC associate legal director, Kieran Pender, said the court’s ruling today was a wake-up call for the Albanese government to do more to protect whistleblowers.
Pender said:
Today concludes a sorry saga that has been devastating for Richard Boyle and undermined Australian democracy. While the no-conviction sentence is a small ray of light, this never should have happened. Richard Boyle made the brave decision to speak up when he witnessed wrongdoing, for years he has faced prosecution and punishment.
The Albanese government must not stand idly by as whistleblowers are punished, they must act with urgent law reform and the establishment of a whistleblower protection authority, to ensure prosecutions like this never happen again.
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NSW transport minister: ‘highly likely’ work has been redone on delayed metro extension
The NSW transport minister, John Graham, is appearing before budget estimates today, where the opposition has sought to pin him down on the opening dates of additions to Sydney’s high-speed metro network.
Extensions to the existing city line, via Sydenham to Bankstown in the inner west, as well as a line connecting the new Western Sydney airport to the city’s rail network, have been pushed back by delays, including industrial disputes with the rail unions resolved earlier this year.
Graham says it is “highly likely” that construction work to convert stations and platforms on the Bankstown extension, originally promised to open late this year, has had to be redone, contributing to delays. He has not committed to a more precise completion date for the multibillion dollar project than some time in 2026.
“It’s not that the government is hiding information. We are clear that it will open in 2026, that’s the best information we’ve got at the moment and as we move to the high-speed testing, we will be really clear with those communities.”
He also would not commit to a start date for the airport line, originally planned to open alongside the new terminal in 2026, but which has been delayed by up to a year, in part because of a dispute with the private consortium building the line.
Updated
Bob Katter responds to journalist who mentions Lebanese heritage
Bob Katter has told a journalist “I punch blokes in the mouth for saying that” during a press conference where he threw his support behind the anti-immigration, so-called “March for Australia” rallies planned for 31 August.
The independent MP for Kennedy had just told a journalist at a press conference in Brisbane he wanted to deport people who had attended a pro-Palestine rally.
“You’ve got Lebanese heritage yourself … ” a channel Nine reporter, Josh Bavas, then asked, before Katter cut him off.
“I punch blokes in the mouth for saying that, don’t you dare say that,” Katter said, in a loud voice.
My family have been in this country for 140 years ...
I have, on many occasions, punched blokes in the mouth, right? So I’m restraining myself today. Don’t say it!
He then refused to take any more questions from Bavas.
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Chalmers ‘grateful’ for Usman Khawaja meeting about Gaza
Jim Chalmers joined the PM in meeting with Usman Khawaja today, and says he was grateful to Albanese for making time for Khawaja, and grateful for the Australian cricketer coming to Parliament House.
Khawaja is in Parliament House focused on two key issues today: tackling gambling advertising and advocating for stronger action against Israel and increasing humanitarian support for Gaza.
Chalmers said they had a good discussion, and clarified that the meeting was about Gaza. He calls Khawaja a friend and a “wonderful humanitarian”.
We have a lot of respect [for Khawaja], and we listened to him on the issues, as you’d expect … he’s a leader of real substance, not just the leader of in the faith community, but a leader more broadly. And so I take his contribution very seriously. I’m grateful … that he’s made the time to come and talk with us directly about these issues.
I did see that there was some coverage about whether that meeting would go ahead, and I’m pleased to have played a role in making sure that it did.
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Trade minister ‘disappointed’ US raising import tariffs on post
Jumping back to that press conference with Jim Chalmers, Don Farrell and Tim Ayres, Farrell says he was “disappointed” by the US raising tariffs on post being sent to the US, and has raised the issue with the administration.
The new tariffs, announced earlier this week, have forced Australia Post to temporarily suspend sending most parcels over the to the US.
Farrell says he raised the issue with the general counsel of the United States Trade earlier this week
[I expressed] our disappointment about the application of these tariffs on small businesses in Australia, about 3,000 of them. They’re often mum and dad operations that have had it successful product going into the United States …
We have said to the Americans, firstly, we don’t agree with what you’ve done, but if you’re going to do it, and you’ve got to do it in a way that people can comply with these, these, these operators were given less than a month to make changes to get their product into the United States. And I’m hopeful that there’s result of our representations.
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ATO whistleblower Richard Boyle avoids jail
Richard Boyle has avoided jail time for blowing the whistle on unethical debt recovery practices at the Australian Taxation Office.
The former tax office employee received a 12-month good behaviour bond on Thursday morning, avoiding a conviction after admitting to four criminal charges linked to his 2017 exposure of the ATO’s practices in May.
In May, Boyle pleaded guilty to disclosing protected information to another entity, making a record of protected information, using a listening device to record a private conversation and recording other people’s tax file numbers.
The commonwealth director of public prosecutions withdrew 15 charges, while five others were dropped in March.
Last year, South Australia’s court of appeal ruled that Boyle was not protected by federal whistleblowing laws – because the charges related not to his whistleblowing but to steps Boyle had taken while preparing to blow the whistle internally, including taking photos of documents and recording conversations.
– with AAP
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Cricketer Usman Khawaja gets meeting with PM on Gaza
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja has met with the prime minister, after he told the media that meeting had been cancelled.
Khawaja had set up the meeting, ahead of two roundtables one gambling ads and the other on Gaza.
This morning, he was told the meeting would be cancelled, which he said was “disappointing” but that he has a lot of “love and respect” for Anthony Albanese.
Well, something changed – because we’ve now been told that the meeting did go ahead. We’ll chase more details on how that conversation went down.
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Qantas’ share price jumps to record high as profit soars
Qantas has achieved a record market value of $18bn after revealing a big boost to its profit margin by holding ticket prices steady in 2024-25 while enjoying lower fuel costs.
Early trading after the company handed down its annual earnings results saw Qantas’ share price jump 10% to a record high. It was worth just half as much a year ago.
Results released on Thursday showed the group’s operating margin picked up over the year from 10.4% to 11.1%. Jetstar grew its margin for the third year in a row, to 13.7% and as high as 16% for domestic flights.
Across the group, ticketed passenger revenue and ticket sales both rose by about 7%, reaching nearly $17bn from 56m tickets, so unit revenue held steady.
Costs fell for the second year in a row as fuel prices slipped, meaning air fares surged relative to the price of jet fuel, confirming analysis from the competition watchdog earlier in August.
All those profits will mean shareholders receive $400m in dividends on top of the $400m payout awarded in February, which was the company’s first dividend payment since 2019. A share buy-back meant earnings per share is at the highest since the pandemic began.
Qantas has forecast strong travel demand for the rest of 2025, further lifting revenue from passengers, and a further $50m lift in earnings from its frequent flyer program.
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Chalmers speaks about removing nuisance tariffs
Today has definitely been a slower start to the day than yesterday (probably linked to last night’s Midwinter Ball), but Jim Chalmers, Don Farrell and Tim Ayres are now up doing a press conference about those nuisance tariffs.
Chalmers says removing the nuisance tariffs is an important step and “capitalises on the momentum” built from the economic roundtable.
These nuisance tariffs often do more harm than good. Nuisance tariffs push up compliance costs, they push up input costs, they push up prices for consumers as well. This decision that we are announcing jointly today is all about making it easier for business and governments when it comes to these nuisance tariffs.
Farrell says tariffs are the “top word” being used around the world right now – it’s a bit of a dig at the US, and says the government is focused on free trade.
We’re putting out money where our mouth is right here with these changes.
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Government to ditch 500 more nuisance tariffs
The government will abolish 500 more nuisance tariffs, following last week’s economic roundtable discussion.
What is a nuisance tariff, you ask?
Great question, the Productivity Commission defines them as tariffs that “raise little revenue for the government, have negligible benefits for Australian producers, but impose compliance costs on businesses”.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers has announced he’s got a list of 500 nuisance tariffs to ditch, including levies on TVs, tyres and wine glasses, and will consult on the proposed list.
Chalmers says the full list of tariffs to be removed will be in next years’ budget.
With this reform, we’ll have removed around 1,000 tariffs over two years and streamlined approximately $23bn worth of trade, saving Australian businesses $157m in compliance costs annually.
The idea was canvassed at last week’s roundtable, so no surprises that it has been announced today.
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Coalition pushes to remove PM’s power to determine parliamentarian staffing numbers
The Coalition is trying to push forward legislation that would remove power from the prime minister to determine staffing numbers for parliamentarians.
The prime minister cut staffing numbers from the independents in their previous term of government, and then cut the opposition’s staffing numbers this term, a move which was labelled “vindictive” by the Coalition.
In the Senate a little earlier, Cash accused the prime minister of “undermining democracy”.
Parliament isn’t the prime minister’s private office, and it is the people’s house. And those who are not on the govt benches have an obligation to the Australian people to ensure that the actions of the government are properly scrutinised … Mr Albanese has treated parliamentary staffing like a political weapon.
The Coalition’s bill, which will receive support from some independents on the crossbench (but is unlikely to get over the line), would legislate a minimum number of staff for the opposition, minor parties and independents.
The Greens leader, Larissa Waters says that the government has given the Greens just 3% of the government’s staffing levels, despite receiving a national vote of 12% and 35% of the government’s vote at the last election.
But while not supporting the prime minister’s power to pick staffing levels, she accuses the Coalition of trying to “entrench” the power of the major parties. Under the Coalition’s bill, a minor party with more than eight members would still only get 5% of the government’s staffing levels.
It’s completely inappropriate that minor party and independent parliament staffing is at the discretion of the prime minister. Under the current arrangements the government of the day can disempower minor parties and independents and use staffing allocations punitively … the model proposed by the Coalition however, is more of the same.
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Plibersek says sovereign citizen movement a ‘growing risk’
Tanya Plibersek says the sovereign citizens movement is a “growing risk in Australia”.
Speaking to Sky News, Plibersek says the belief by the movement, that the laws don’t apply to them, is a “very dangerous slippery slope”.
In Germany, we saw an attempted coup, in fact, by a similar sort of ideologically motivated group.
Our law enforcement and intelligence personnel take this risk very seriously. The government takes the risk very seriously. [The] Asio director has reminded us, numerous times, that the growing threat of rightwing extremism is something that cannot be ignored in Australia.
The alleged shooter, who allegedly killed two police officers in Porepunkah, has been described as a sovereign citizen.
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Qantas’ net profit rises by a third to $1.6bn
Qantas’ net profit rose by a third to $1.6bn in the year to June as customer numbers surged and Jetstar revenue surged while fuel costs fell.
The airline’s profit boost will see shareholders paid 26c per share, on top of the 26c they have already been paid for the financial year 2024-25.
Underlying earnings rose more than $200m to $2.6bn, with Qantas domestic flights contributing $1bn of that. Jetstar saw its contribution to underlying earnings rise for third year in a row, to $769m, as the cheaper alternative brought on new plane fleet.
Qantas’ loyalty program also delivered underlying earnings of over $550m, after an increased number of customers earned 222bn frequent flyer points but redemeed only 185bn of them.
Higher earnings meant Qantas saw cash inflows rise to $4.2bn in 2024-25 despite its many legal difficulties, a point its annual report made sure to note:
These were higher than the prior corresponding period primarily due to an increase in earnings and working capital, despite the impact of ACCC penalties, compensation to date and legal fees as well as ground handling compensation in financial year 2024/25.
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PM pulls out of Khawaja meeting on gambling ads
The prime minister has pulled out of a meeting with Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja at parliament today.
The two were supposed to meet to discuss gambling ads, and the war in Gaza, before a roundtable discussion on gambling with public health experts and doctors.
Khawaja tells journalists in Parliament House that he’s disappointed and hopes the cancellation is just a “scheduling conflict”.
I texted the Prime Minister a couple of days ago. I said, look, if you give me a 15 minute phone call… I don’t have an agenda. I just want to talk to you, mano e mano, because my heart’s in the right place. So hopefully he’ll accept that invitation, at some point, I will talk to him.
Khawaja says he respects the prime minister, that Anthony Albanese has shown courage by recognising Palestinian statehood, and says that this is the start of the prime minister’s legacy.
I actually wanted to go up and shake his hand and say, I want to congratulate you. For the first time in my life someone is recognising Palestine.
You look at the great presidents of us in the past. They fought for the people. Will they fight for civil rights, or they fight for slavery, whatever it might be their road, the great ones, the road was never easy. They had to do something. They had to make some hard choices. So for the prime minister, he has an opportunity right now to cement his legacy.
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Scientists to meet with PM over South Australian algal bloom
A group of scientists, mayors and industry representatives will meet with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, and others today to brief them on the South Australian algal bloom, and to call for a $6m investment to develop a “health record” for the Great Southern Reef.
SA’s deadly algal bloom looks set to continue and potentially worsen into summer.
On top of existing state and federal funding, the group wants extra investment for underwater monitoring of the health of the reef. In the longer term, the group wants a $40m, 10-year national reef health program. Stefan Andrews, from the Great Southern Reef Foundation, said:
This bloom has been devastating for communities and coastal industries across SA. $6m is the bare minimum to finally give the Great Southern Reef a national framework and baseline biodiversity data it needs.
Without that coherent picture, recovery efforts stall, species assessments lack context and future crises will hit us just as hard.
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Labor’s Dan Repacholi and Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie call for faster implementation of national firearm registry
There are growing calls from within parliament for the government to accelerate the implementation of a national firearm registry, after the deadly shooting of two police officers in Victoria this week. Two officers were killed and another is in hospital, while the alleged shooter is still at large.
Earlier on the Today show, Labor MP – and former Olympic shooter – Dan Repacholi and Nationals senator – and shooting enthusiast – Bridget McKenzie were on a joint ticket on accelerating a national register.
State, territory and federal governments agreed to establish a national firearms registry after a national cabinet meeting in December 2023 but it’s only due to take effect in 2028.
Repacholi said he knows the issue “intimately” and that the work is happening to get the registry established.
We need to make sure that we know where our firearms are in this country … We’ve got to get the states and territories to all work together because they’re the ones that ultimately look after firearms registrations for their states.
McKenzie said a registry is needed but it must be secure.
When Dan, as an Olympian and a Commonwealth Games shooting athlete goes to compete in different states, it’s a problem. If we had have had Albury police head down to Porepunkah, being from NSW, they might not have been able to appreciate that this guy had firearms. So we do need a national firearms register.
We don’t need law-abiding firearm owners like Dan and I’s personal details leaked like we’ve seen from some states, because then organised crime can come and get our firearms. So we need it to be secure.
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After last week’s top-level discussions about productivity, it might interest the country’s political classes that a trial of a four-day week for two Scottish government agencies resulted in higher productivity and better morale.
The two organisations, which had 259 employees in total throughout the trial, implemented a 32-hour working week for a year without any loss in pay or benefits for staff, while committing to maintaining standards of service.
Staff at the two organisations reported less work-related stress and greater satisfaction with their jobs and work-life balance.
Almost all (98%) workers at one of the agencies believed the four-day week trial improved motivation and morale, while there was a decrease in workers taking time off sick and a 25% fall in those taking sick days for psychological reasons.
Read our full story here:
Questions over whether Marles and Hesgeth had formal meeting
Did Richard Marles and his US defence counterpart, Pete Hegseth, actually have a formal meeting?
There are reports from Nine News that the meeting wasn’t a meeting but more of a “happenstance encounter”.
Marles flew over to Washington DC and was expected to do a media press conference after meeting with Hegseth – but so far that hasn’t happened. In fact, Marles arrived in the US without having formally confirmed a meeting with his counterpart.
James Paterson isn’t fazed and tells Sky News it’s a “good thing” that Marles went over and has had extensive dealings with Hegseth since the Trump administration was elected. He’s less enthusiastic about the fact that Anthony Albanese still hasn’t met with his counterpart.
What we need is for them to go the next step and ensure the prime minister meets with President Trump. We’re now 290 odd days on since he was elected and that meeting hasn’t happened, and it’s getting embarrassing and awkward for everybody.
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Coalition offered support to list IRGC as terrorist group in last parliament, James Paterson says
James Paterson says the opposition offered bipartisan support to change the criminal code to allow the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to be listed as a terrorist organisation in the last parliament.
As shadow home affairs spokesperson at the time, Paterson tells Sky News he wrote to then home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, in February 2023, but that the government didn’t take up his offer.
We knew they were intervening in our domestic politics. We knew that they were surveilling Iranian dissident communities and diaspora communities. That was reason enough to list them, and we shouldn’t have required any further evidence to do so.
More on those warnings in this report from Ben Doherty and Tom McIlroy:
There are reports today in the Australian newspaper that Asio is investigating whether an attack on the former Sydney home of Jewish leader Alex Ryvchin was ordered by Iran.
Paterson says that if Iran is found to be involved, it would make “what is already a very serious domestic security crisis, with a shocking international dimension, an even more serious one.”
It would have to demand even further action from the Albanese government than what they have done already.
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Australia-Israel relationship will not be repaired without ‘changes of government’, former ambassador says
Sofer says politicians should avoid “megaphone diplomacy”, in response to Benjamin Netanyahu’s labelling of Anthony Albanese as “weak”.
But he says the government should not have cancelled the visa of Simcha Rotman, which escalated tensions between the Israel and Australia.
I think that megaphone diplomacy under any shape, form or circumstances is not the right way to go about relations between two countries, especially two countries which have had such a close history with its ups and downs, yes, as Israel and Australia.
Asked whether the bilateral relationship is at its lowest point, Sofer says it’s “not at its highest point” and that the relationship must be repaired.
We’ve had relationships which have far exceeded this in their quality. But I think that we are where we are and it has to be dealt with … I think that what’s important is that the Australian-Israel relationship finds its way to claw its way back into a bipartisan relationship of good feeling. And I’m not sure how possible it is given the current leadership. And I won’t go into which country the current leadership is, but I think that we will need to have changes of government before we can see a return to the status quo ante.
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Former Israeli ambassador rejects Israel's claim of credit for Iranian ambassador expulsion
Israel’s former ambassador to Australia says he has no doubt the government’s decision to expel the Iranian ambassador and list the IRGC as a terror organisation was independent, contrary to claims from Israel that its pressure on Anthony Albanese led to the move.
Speaking to RN Breakfast, Mark Sofer, who was ambassador to Australia between 2017 and 2020, says he wasn’t surprised at the allegations Iran was behind two antisemitic attacks. He also says attacks could have been carried out by Iran in other nations, not just Australia.
I think: well done, Australia, for the intelligence information in finding it. But to be honest with you, I’m not surprised because wherever the Iranian regime is, you will find these sort of nefarious dealings.
I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that they [Labor] took the decision independently. And so, anyone who claims to the contrary basically is probably doing so just to score points internally with their own electorate or externally, I don’t know. But I personally have no doubt whatsoever that the decision was made based on information. Yes, information which could have been gleaned from a number of different sources around the world, perhaps including Israel, perhaps not.
Sofer also says it’s important, first and foremost, to separate the Iranian regime from the Iranian people.
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Wilson says he fears ‘unintended consequences’ of penalty rates legislation
Jumping back to Tim Wilson’s interview on RN, the opposition small business spokesperson says he’s concerned about unintended consequences from the government’s penalty rates legislation.
The legislation is being debated in the Senate, and Wilson says there’s some confusion of whether there will be changes made retrospectively to existing award arrangements.
He says the workplace minister, Amanda Rishworth, said that it wouldn’t apply retrospectively, but Wilson says when asked in the Senate yesterday, cabinet minister Murray Watt had a different message.
They’ve said there’s not going to be any unintended consequences. In the House of Representatives, the minister said that there would be no retrospective changes to existing award arrangements to the awards from the legislation. In the Senate, the minister acting for Minister Rishworth is saying something different. So we have one minister saying one thing in the House, another minister saying something different in the Senate.
Watt told the Senate on Wednesday:
Just as today there will be unions and employer groups seeking to vary terms and conditions in an award – either to raise pay rates, reduce pay rates, add conditions or take away conditions – then I’m sure some people will make use of this provision once it’s passed.
Sally Sara says that other workplace laws, like the right to disconnect, haven’t led the “sky to fall in”, according to Rishworth. Wilson accuses Rishworth of “hyperventilation”, and says no one had argued the sky was going to fall in.
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International reputation of Australian universities declining, new report finds
Australia’s international education market is stagnating, a new report suggests, amid warnings a “stringent policy environment” is deterring prospective students from enrolling.
The global student flows research, released by higher education analyst QS Quacquarelli Symonds on Thursday, found Australia risked losing its leading study destination position if visa settings and graduate outcomes didn’t meet the expectations of international students.
It forecasted Australia’s international education sector would stagnate under current settings compared with global competitors, with an annual rise of 2% compared with around 10% prior to the pandemic.
Jessica Turner, chief executive of QS Quacquarelli Symonds, said the reputation of Australian institutions among academics and employers had been in long-term decline.
Education exports contributed around $50bn in 2023/24.
However, a more stringent policy environment – where the country’s student visa fee has become the most expensive in the world and visa allocations are set at individual institutions – could depress the 2% growth forecast in coming years.
The report projected total international enrolments would stand at about 770,000 by the end of the decade across higher education, English language and non-award courses.
The figure is well below the federal government’s revised target of 295,000 annual places from next year, equating to more than 1.1 million students by 2030.
The new National Planning Level granted an additional 25,000 places compared with 2025 after Labor’s international student cap failed to receive Coalition backing last year.
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Tim Wilson suggests evidence of IRGC actions in Australia ‘was clear earlier’
The Coalition has been critical of the government for not listing the IRGC as a terrorist organisation sooner, but is facing its own questions as to why the previous Coalition government didn’t do so.
Liberal MP Tim Wilson, was on ABC RN Breakfast earlier and said the evidence for the government to list the IRGC has prevalent over the last two and a half years.
When asked whether the previous Coalition government should have done more, Wilson says they listed Hezbollah and Hamas as terrorist organisations.
Obviously, these things come down to the advice at different times to make sure that we accumulate the evidence to do so … we always welcome the decision of the government to have taken this step at this time. And the most important thing is that the actions have been taken now, even if we wish that had have been done earlier because we believe the evidence was clear earlier.
Host Sally Sara pushes Wilson, saying that Asio’s evidence of Iran’s involvement in two antisemitic attacks in Australia has only come out now. Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that he was briefed by Asio on Monday, and then promptly pulled diplomats out of Australia’s embassy in Tehran on Monday night. Wilson says:
It’s been pretty clear they’ve [Iran] been involved in trying to inflame tensions in Israel and around the world. That is what has now come to light explicitly since in the past couple of days, but it’s been pretty clear since [7 October 2023].
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Good morning
Krishani Dhanji with you for the final sitting day of the week, thanks to Martin Farrer for getting us started.
Following last night’s midwinter ball, there might be a few dusty faces around parliament’s corridors today, but there will still be plenty of action.
There’ll likely be more reaction today to the listing of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terror group, and to the expulsion of the Iranian ambassador.
Stay with us, it’s going to be a busy one!
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Politicians dress up for Midwinter Ball
In case you missed it, Canberra’s Midwinter Ball was held last night giving the pollies (and press gallery) the chance to dress up.
Attenders included, of course, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and his fiancee, Jodie Haydon, seen here arriving for the festivities at Parliament House.
And the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, and her fellow female Liberal MPs.
And you can see many more pictures from the night at our gallery here:
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Usman Khawaja to meet prime minister to discuss gambling ads
Australian cricketer Usman Khawaja will today meet the prime minister to discuss gambling ads, before a roundtable discussion with public health experts and doctors.
Khawaja, who will also speak to Anthony Albanese about the war in Gaza, has been critical of the close association between sport and the wagering industry, given the potential for social harm.
Khawaja will also attend the roundtable discussion with crossbenchers David Pocock and Kate Chaney, the Australian Medical Association, the Australia Institute, public health expert Samantha Thomas and people with lived experience of gambling harm.
The group is calling on the federal government to adopt the recommendations of a parliamentary inquiry led by the late Labor MP Peta Murphy, which called for a ban on gambling ads and inducements, among many other changes.
Earlier this week, when asked why it had taken more than two years to respond to the inquiry, Albanese told parliament the government was mindful “of whether people just go offshore” to continue gambling. Offshore gambling service are banned in Australia and not subject to consumer protections.
Thomas, who will deliver a short speech at the event, said that argument should not delay reforms.
Despite industry rhetoric, there is limited independent evidence to suggest that ad bans would lead to a mass exodus to illegal markets. Independent analysis also shows that we don’t need gambling ads to protect free-to-air television and big media brands. If we are to move forward in Australia, we must also disrupt industry influence over policy.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then Krishani Dhanji will be along to take you through the day.
Australia’s international education market is stagnating, according to a new report, with the blame being directed at a “stringent policy environment” and higher visa fees that are deterring students from enrolling. More coming up.
The cricketer Usman Khawaja meets the prime minister today to discuss gambling ads before a roundtable discussion with crossbenchers David Pocock and Kate Chaney, doctors and public health experts. Khawaja will also raise the situation in Gaza with Anthony Albanese. More coming up.
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