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1h agoPaterson accuses PM of ‘no standards’ over golf club error
1h agoAndrew Hastie says a lot of report ‘rings true’ with his experiences
2h agoDarwin teenager to face court on charges of collecting documents likely to facilitate a terrorist act
3h agoATO could have done better on credit card ban, Mulino says
4h agoMan cautioned after allegedly stalking two SA members of parliament
4h agoPM says Coalition's fair trade credentials will be 'shredded' if EU deal support withheld
5h agoGreens announce plan to make Yarra River swimmable
5h agoCutting spending best way to address ‘silent tax’ of inflation, Hastie says
6h agoUS increasingly seen as a ‘threat’ by Australians, survey shows
6h agoSocial media a ‘business model for hate’: Chalmers
Continuing from the previous post, Greens senator David Shoebridge argued there was a lack of accountability for the SAS leadership.
The thing that is eroding faith and trust … is this seeming accountability gap between what happens if you don’t have gold braid on your shoulders, where the book gets thrown at you … and the people who are in leadership positions who were either aware of it, or had the data that should have triggered that [awareness], and have not taken action.
Outside parliament, opposition frontbencher and former SAS captain Andrew Hastie said the report’s findings resonated with his experience in the regiment.
I lived a lot of what I read in that report. There’s almost 50 findings and a lot of it rings very true to me as a junior officer at the time.
He said officers were responsible for the actions of those they commanded.
Providers help just 12.9% of jobseekers get work
Last night, Senate estimates showed that just 12.9% of jobseekers were being helped into work by the job provider industry, which costs taxpayers about $2bn each year.
Under questioning from Liberal senator Jane Hume, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations was asked why the target to help 15% of jobseekers into work had never been met. In the 26/27 corporate plan, the 15% target was labelled as “a stretch”.
The first assistant secretary, Lisa Schofield, said:
The current data that we have for the 12-month period to 31 May 26 is sitting at 12.9%. It’s not meeting that 15% target that’s been in place for the program. We agree that 12.9%, as it is now, and the other numbers that you’ve mentioned is not high enough, and it should be higher. The language around a stretch target sort of came as a result of us … looking at what the data has told us over the last few years and that, obviously, as you’ve read out, you know, that 15% hasn’t been met. It is really one of the things that is driving the way we are thinking about reform.
The current data that we have for the 12-month period to 31 May 26 is sitting at 12.9%. It’s not meeting that 15% target that’s been in place for the program.
We agree that 12.9%, as it is now, and the other numbers that you’ve mentioned is not high enough, and it should be higher.
The language around a stretch target sort of came as a result of us … looking at what the data has told us over the last few years and that, obviously, as you’ve read out, you know, that 15% hasn’t been met.
It is really one of the things that is driving the way we are thinking about reform.
Queensland former MP remembered for ‘colourful’ past in parliament
“Colourful” former Queensland MP Vince Lester has been remembered for his 30-year career in state parliament.
Lester served as an country and national party MP from 1972 until 2004, and minister under premier Joh Bjelkie-Petersen, but is perhaps best known for his position on toilet doors.
Parliament heard that he was particularly passionate that they open inwards, to make it easier to help someone in a medical emergency.
The treasurer, David Janetzki – who had Lester as a constituent – said he was nicknamed “the minister for dunny doors”.
Rob Katter was one of a string of Queensland MPs to share their personal memories of the “colourful” politician in a condolence motion on Thursday. His father, Bob, a cabinet colleague, often shared tales of his fellow regional MP and his media stunts, hard work and endless lobbying for local improvements in his constituency, Katter said.
“Listen to Vince, he taught me everything I know,” Bob once told Katters’ Australian party MP Shane Knuth, the fellow KAP MP said.
Lester twice walked long distances backwards to promote causes, backing up for 25km to raise money for a leagues club in 1977 and the 18km between Yeppoon and Emu Park in 1991.
Lester died in August.
Only 50 applications for Centrelink compensation that could affect hundreds of thousands
Last night in Senate estimates, it was revealed that the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has received just 50 applications for compensation over its bungle of Centrelink cancellations.
The TCF was operating unlawfully, cutting off or reducing the income of an estimated 310,000 people between 2020 and 2024. Payment cancellations related to compulsory activities have now resumed.
The department said it would “proactively” be contacting about 50,000 people and asking them to apply. But under further questioning, it was revealed it has sent just 1,430 invitations and received 50 applications.
Anyone who believes they were affected by an incorrect cancellation or reduction of their payment can apply for compensation.
The opposition is continuing to push the prime minister on a $6m grant given to the Marrickville golf club.
Anthony Albanese on Tuesday admitted he got it wrong after telling parliament the golf club funding was to stop “raw sewage” going into the nearby river.
But on Thursday, Liberal senator James Paterson told News24 the prime minister should have acted sooner:
Whenever you make a false statement, as soon as you become aware of it, you are obliged to go at the earliest opportunity to correct the record. He did not do so. In years gone by, this would have cost a minister their job. Under Albanese’s government, there are no standards at all.
Whenever you make a false statement, as soon as you become aware of it, you are obliged to go at the earliest opportunity to correct the record. He did not do so.
In years gone by, this would have cost a minister their job. Under Albanese’s government, there are no standards at all.
When Albanese conceded “it was not correct” to say the funding was for sewerage works, he added it was a matter for the infrastructure department, and said the council was finalising the design of the project – including improvements to the clubhouse, stormwater harvesting, a new toilet and landscaping.
‘Unacceptable behaviour’ within SAS, ADF chief says after report findings
Some Australian SAS officers knew that soldiers under their command were using “throwdowns” – planting weapons on dead Afghan civilians to portray them as combatants – but did nothing to stop the unlawful practice, a previously unpublished military report has said.
The executive summary of the report by the inspector general of the Australian defence force was quietly published online this week. And the chief of the ADF, Admiral Mark Hammond, was interrogated on the report in Senate estimates Thursday morning.
He said he agreed with the report findings, stating there had been “serious failures” within the SAS and its command structure. He said the report revealed:
Unacceptable behaviour … it is extremely unprofessional, that behaviour is absolutely not in concert with our values, our professional standards, the behaviour that we expect of our personnel
Hammond was asked specifically about the finding that legal officers within the defence force obstructed investigations into allegations of war crimes.
Cross-parliamentary women’s network launches, inspired by Haines
Female politicians across federal parliament will launch a women’s network to build stronger connections across parties after the alleged attack on Helen Haines and to encourage more women into politics.
The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, shadow minister Melissa McIntosh, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young and independent MP Rebekha Sharkie announced the establishment of the Network of Women in Parliament (NOW) this morning.
“Our purpose of NOW is to build connections, strengthen relationships and create an environment where women in parliament can share experiences, support one another and learn from each other beyond political lines,” they said in a joint statement.
While Labor has internal women’s groups, female MPs from other parties have told Guardian Australia they have struggled to establish similar networks of their own due to smaller numbers.
The statement launching NOW said the group came amid “a growing recognition of the value of stronger connections between women in parliament”.
The devastating [alleged] attack on our parliamentary colleague Helen Haines has further highlighted the importance of coming together in support, solidarity and friendship across political divides. Helen has always demonstrated the importance of kindness, compassion and genuine connection across political divides. In many ways, she embodies the very spirit of what NOW hopes to achieve. We recognise that while our political views may differ, we share many of the same experiences, challenges and responsibilities as women in public life. Through friendship, trust and solidarity, we want to strengthen the voice of women in parliament, encourage more Australian women into public life and stand together when it matters.
The devastating [alleged] attack on our parliamentary colleague Helen Haines has further highlighted the importance of coming together in support, solidarity and friendship across political divides.
Helen has always demonstrated the importance of kindness, compassion and genuine connection across political divides. In many ways, she embodies the very spirit of what NOW hopes to achieve.
We recognise that while our political views may differ, we share many of the same experiences, challenges and responsibilities as women in public life. Through friendship, trust and solidarity, we want to strengthen the voice of women in parliament, encourage more Australian women into public life and stand together when it matters.
Helen Haines’s offices to reopen
As Indi MP, Helen Haines, continues to recover in hospital, her staff are preparing to reopen her electorate offices in Wangaratta and Wodonga. They will be open from 10am to 3pm, three days a week, between now and the end of the year.
“Thank you to everyone who continues to show such care and support for Helen, her family and our team,” Haines’s team said in a statement on Thursday.
We know there continues to be great concern for Helen. We won’t be providing updates on her health or circumstances, and we ask that the privacy of Helen and her family continues to be respected. Thank you for your patience, kindness and understanding as we navigate the weeks ahead.
We know there continues to be great concern for Helen. We won’t be providing updates on her health or circumstances, and we ask that the privacy of Helen and her family continues to be respected.
Thank you for your patience, kindness and understanding as we navigate the weeks ahead.
Haines has lost both of her legs as a result of last week’s alleged attack in Wangaratta. A 43-year-old man has been charged and the incident continues to be investigated by police.
An update from the AFP as the prime minister urges the Senate to pass his government’s latest social media reforms.
A teenager in Darwin is set to appear in children’s court today over charges of collecting documents likely to facilitate a terrorist act, as well as schematics for 3D-printed guns.
The Australian federal police said officials began an investigation earlier this month. They allege the teenager was the operator of several social media channels that accessed, discussed or reposted violent extremist material.
A search warrant was undertaken on Wednesday, where officials allegedly found documents and electronic devices that contained violent extremist material and instructions for the making of 3D-printed firearms.
The teenager faces several charges, which carry a maximum sentence of between five and 10 years’ imprisonment each.
NSW government says it’s not ‘sitting back and waiting for rain’ at Menindee
The NSW water minister, Rose Jackson, says “no one is underestimating the challenge at Menindee this summer” after water volumes at the Menindee Lakes fell to their lowest point in five years.
As we have reported this morning, experts have warned that unless conditions improve there is potential for fish kills in the region that suffered millions of fish deaths in 2018, 2019 and 2023.
No one is underestimating the challenge at Menindee this summer, with lake levels now at their lowest point in five years and the prospect of another hot summer. Our focus is on doing everything we can to protect water quality and native fish through the months ahead. Significant inflows would improve conditions but we aren’t sitting back and waiting for rain.
No one is underestimating the challenge at Menindee this summer, with lake levels now at their lowest point in five years and the prospect of another hot summer.
Our focus is on doing everything we can to protect water quality and native fish through the months ahead.
Significant inflows would improve conditions but we aren’t sitting back and waiting for rain.
Temporary restrictions are in place for some upstream water users. Jackson says the government has also installed a temporary fish passage to allow for better movement of native fish.
The assistant treasurer, Daniel Mulino, says the tax office was dealing with a “complex” problem when deciding how to address the ban on credit card payment surcharges but, with the benefit of hindsight, it could have done better.
Speaking on ABC’s Radio National this morning, Mulino said the tax commissioner, Rob Heferen, said the reforms were really important and the Australian Taxation Office had been concurrently trying to negotiate with credit card companies while determining an adequate transition period.
The ATO stopped accepting credit card payments after the ban came into effect at the beginning of October. Heferen previously warned it would cost the ATO about $200m a year if it could not pass on the banking and credit card fees on to customers.
The ATO will now extend accept credit card payments for an extended transition period until the end of June next year.
Overnight, Heferen told a Senate estimates hearing he first realised the Reserve Bank’s surcharge ban would be a “real issue to grapple with” back in April.
The tax boss said he had received a letter from Mulino on 28 April informing the tax office of the RBA’s reforms, which brought the proposal to a “sharp head”.
If we accept credit cards, it needs to be funded, and ceasing credit cards will have an effect on people who use credit cards. And some of our discussion was, ‘OK, what’s the appropriate transition for people up to transition through?’ And so that awareness, fair to say, around June, July [2026], we had staff before that who were already thinking about the issue, already formulating proposals.
Taylor says country needs to get ‘balance right’ on datacentres
Angus Taylor, the opposition leader, said the country needs to get the “balance right” on AI, but powering datacentres with renewables only would not deliver for Australians.
Taylor spoke to reporters earlier, saying the debate around datacentres was “pretty commonsense”.
It’s like gas, you’ve got to get the balance right. And the balance is, put them in the right locations where there’s community support, and there will be locations with community support. Critically, make sure you’ve got the energy you need. So these datacentres are not going to drive up the cost of energy for Australians. I tell you, a renewables-only strategy is not going to deliver on this.
It’s like gas, you’ve got to get the balance right. And the balance is, put them in the right locations where there’s community support, and there will be locations with community support.
Critically, make sure you’ve got the energy you need. So these datacentres are not going to drive up the cost of energy for Australians.
I tell you, a renewables-only strategy is not going to deliver on this.
A man who allegedly targeted two South Australian member of parliament has been cautioned.
SA police issued stalking cautions to the 44-year-old man on Tuesday afternoon and said the cautions related to separate alleged incidents involving two MPs that were not connected.
He was also arrested for a separate alleged breach of bail.
The state’s education minister, Lucy Hood, and another Labor MP, Ella Shaw, spoke about their alleged experiences during a press conference on Wednesday.
Shaw alleged she was involved in an incident in her community while working and said she made the report because she didn’t want “any young person in my electorate to feel the way I was made to feel”.
The education minister said it was “frustrating and unfortunate”, telling reporters:
It is a sad occurrence that the political discourse has moved to such a level that we see young women in our parliament who are having to put up with this behaviour.
Albanese dismisses economic criticism from ‘partisan participant’ Peter Costello
The PM is asked about criticism of the government’s handling of economic issues from former Liberal treasurer Peter Costello, who served under John Howard.
In response, Anthony Albanese offers a prediction for the next election in 2028:
Peter Costello is a partisan participant. He’s not an observer. He’s not a commentator. I quite like Peter. I’ll make this prediction: when the election’s on in 2028, there’ll be a splash in a broadsheet which is ‘Howard condemns Albanese government’ – wait for it.
Peter Costello is a partisan participant. He’s not an observer. He’s not a commentator. I quite like Peter.
I’ll make this prediction: when the election’s on in 2028, there’ll be a splash in a broadsheet which is ‘Howard condemns Albanese government’ – wait for it.
Inflation rise part of ‘global uplift’: Albanese
Anthony Albanese has once again pointed to international affairs when pushed on cost pressures faced by ordinary Australians.
Some of these pressures are global, which is why we’re seeing that global uplift in inflation, and we’re not immune from that impact. It’s one of the reasons why we have continued to call for a de-escalation in conflict in the Middle East, because it is having an impact here.
Some of these pressures are global, which is why we’re seeing that global uplift in inflation, and we’re not immune from that impact.
It’s one of the reasons why we have continued to call for a de-escalation in conflict in the Middle East, because it is having an impact here.
PM insists government is addressing the cost of living
Following yesterday’s latest inflation figures, the prime minister has maintained his government is bringing down the cost of living.
Anthony Albanese points to his government’s budget surpluses and other measures that “ensure that any cost-of-living measures are ones that not just provide help for people today, but build a stronger tomorrow”.
‘Nativist’ opposition to EU trade deal not in national interest: Albanese
Opposition to the EU free trade deal is “an excuse for going down the road of protectionist and nativist politics”, Anthony Albanese says.
Nativist politics is not in Australia’s national interest. We are a trading nation. We are an island continent in which economic growth and productivity is boosted by engaging with the world.
The Coalition’s support for free and fair trade will be undermined unless it supports the government’s deal with the EU, the prime minister has said.
For people who say they belong to a political party that supports markets and supports free and fair trade – that will be completely undermined and shredded unless they support this legislation.
PM talks up EU free trade deal amid scrutiny
The Australia-European Union free trade agreement has come under the spotlight this sitting week.
Anthony Albanese says it would boost the economy and benefit areas like critical minerals, fruit and vegetable production, and the wine industry.
But it has been under discussion for years and continues to face roadblocks due to concerns from farmers.
