That's it for today, thanks for reading
Here are the main stories on Thursday, 9 May:
The Albanese government’s gas plan sparks a backlash from within, as at least four Labor MPs express concern about fossil fuels;
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi has applied to have her federal court case against Pauline Hanson re-opened to hear additional evidence, less than a week after the court adjourned for the justice to consider the evidence;
China accuses Australia of ‘spying’ after navy flare-up;
NSW premier, Chris Minns, says Sydney council book ban is “a joke”;
Australia promises not to stop Tuvalu pursuing ties with China;
Victoria police will apologise for its role in the Stolen Generations as part of reforms stemming from the state’s truth-telling inquiry; and
The shadow minister for education, Sarah Henderson, will seek to establish a Senate inquiry into antisemitism on university campuses after a series of roundtables with Jewish students and community members amid ongoing protests.
We will see you back here for more news tomorrow.
Updated
ADF chief says ‘helicopter was behaving in a correct and disciplined fashion’: Yellow Sea
GenAngus Campbell was caught by journalists on his way out of a defence conference in Canberra this afternoon, where he was again pressed about a military incident between Australia and China in the Yellow Sea.
The Australian government said China released flares in front of an Australian navy helicopter as HMAS Hobart participated in an operation to enforce United Nations sanctions against North Korea. China’s foreign ministry first accused an Australian navy helicopter of deliberately flying “within close range” of Chinese airspace, later accusing the helicopter of spying.
Campbell was asked whether the spying allegations were “preposterous” or not.
The helicopter was behaving in a correct and disciplined fashion and I don’t accept that the response was anything but unsafe and unprofessional.
Read more below:
Updated
Defence chief ‘not satisfied’ with ‘safety and professionalism’ after helicopter incident in Yellow Sea
Gen Angus Campbell also discussed the role of young people in addressing the military’s recruitment and retention issues - a factor threatening, among other things, to undermine the timeliness of key projects like Aukus.
Campbell discouraged attacks on the younger, more “consciously aware” generations after recently spending some time with new recruits.
It is easy and comfortable to criticise younger, newer generations, but that would be a mistake. They are far better educated. They are far more connected. They are far more socially, consciously aware and active and are far more engaged in the world than my generation and I ever were.
The defence force chief was in charge while former defence minister, now opposition leader, Peter Dutton declared a war on the military’s “woke agenda”.
On Thursday, Campbell said he had “great deal of confidence” the new young recruits would “realise an expression of our force and the power it can generate not yet ever seen”.
Campbell was also asked to respond to a recent incident between the Chinese and Australian defence forces in the Yellow Sea.
I encourage not only the Australian defence force, indeed, in that circumstance I require of the Australian defence force, but encourage actively all our military partners internationally throughout the world to conduct themselves in a professional and in a safe manner. And that’s what I expect. And that’s what I expect our people to give. And that’s the issue at play. And I think that, in the circumstances that occurred, we were not satisfied and very reasonably not satisfied with regard to both safety and professionalism.
Updated
‘Put down your pen’: ADF chief hits back at Aukus critics
Australia’s outgoing chief of defence force has urged Aukus critics to “put down your pen” and “get in the ring” describing the military’s involvement in the ambitious nuclear-powered submarine deal as a “great national endeavour and enterprise”.
In an address to the Air and Space Power Conference in Canberra on Thursday afternoon, the Australian defence force’s chief general Angus Campbell said Aukus would deliver “military and strategic capability” to the country’s military but also offer “extraordinary benefits across our entire economic environment”.
He continued:
For those who ran to their pen, and within days, declared defeat and ‘this cannot be done’, I would ask you to reflect on so many other occasions when Australians, cringing, have disappointed themselves - by declaring the Sydney Harbour Bridge’s two halves will fall into the ocean. The Sydney Opera House will never be the greatest opera house on the planet. The Snowy Mountains hydro scheme will fail somewhere in the mountains. The Collins class submarine? Worst submarine on the planet.
Campbell challenged detractors of the multibillion-dollar technology-sharing deal with the US and UK to drop the criticism and get on board.
If you are one of those writers, put down your pen for a moment. Knock on Admiral [Jonathan] Mead’s door and ask ‘do you have a job for me?’ Get in the ring. Give it a go because we are delivering nuclear-powered submarine capability to this nation, full stop. And it will be an extraordinary program and we will deliver because I don’t cringe when thinking about the defence of this nation. And I don’t think anybody else should either.
Campbell will retire from the top job on 10 July after six years and four days, making him one of Australia’s longest-serving CDFs.
Updated
Gas feud ignites as another Labor MP speaks out
Labor MP Josh Wilson has added his voice to concerns about the government’s gas strategy, saying the gas industry needs to step up and do more on decarbonisation.
Wilson’s contribution makes at least four Labor MPs who have voiced concern about the expansion of gas under the Future Gas Strategy outlined by resources minister Madeleine King, with a swelling backbench unrest over the changes.
Wilson, Member for Fremantle (which neighbours King’s seat of Brand in Western Australia), pressed the need for a rapid energy transition away from fossil fuels. He said:
Our government has acted decisively to boost renewables and set a firm path for serious emission reductions after a decade of dangerous Coalition neglect. For example – we’ve doubled the rate of approvals for energy projects, and provided over a billion dollars for homes and business to upgrade their energy efficiency.
Let me be crystal clear in saying that climate change action requires fossil fuels to depart the scene in the course of a sensible and vitally important global energy transition.
Gas will be part of that transition for a longer period than coal, but for no longer than necessary.
And we should reinforce the community expectation that the gas industry must take responsibility for decarbonisation in a way that has not been sufficiently evident to date.
Updated
Another Labor MP throws weight behind ‘low-carbon future’
Labor MP Sally Sitou is the latest government politician to weigh in on the gas changes, calling on the country to “move quickly towards a low-carbon future”.
Guardian Australia understands there is concern among some Labor MPs, particularly from inner-city electorates, about the announcement. Numerous MPs have raised concern with the tone of the announcement, which some claim has overshadowed Labor’s progress on renewables and fails to emphasise the government’s support for cleaner energy advances.
Some fear the spotlight on the gas expansion may undermine the “faith” progressive communities have in Labor’s climate change bonafides, particularly in the context of Greens challenges in some inner-city areas. Josh Burns and Jerome Laxale have already raised concerns publicly, and others are unhappy behind the scenes.
Sitou, the Member for Reid, said she cares “deeply about acting to address climate change”, praising the government’s clean energy record so far, but saying more needs to be done. She said:
We need to transition as quickly as possible off fossil fuels and on to renewable energy, and that is already underway as we work towards meeting our target of 82 percent of renewable energy by 2030.
We know we’ll still need gas to assist in the transition to renewables because it provides a reliable source of energy. But for the sake of generations to come, we must move quickly towards a low-carbon future.
Updated
Coalition pushing superannuation withdrawals for first home buyers
The Coalition has amped up its proposal to let Australians use superannuation to buy a home despite modelling showing the proposal could cost the government up to $2.5bn a year by the end of the decade.
First home buyers would be able to withdraw their entire super balance for a deposit under a proposal from a Coalition-dominated senate committee, with its interim report on Thursday also canvassing withdrawal caps of $100,000 or $150,000.
Home buyers could also put up their super as collateral for a home loan under another recommendation by the committee, risking the loss of their entire balance if they failed to repay the loan. The report said:
[Foreclosure] is a very rare occurrence in Australia … [and] the age pension also remains available as a retirement safety net in this eventuality.
Deloitte modelling released on Thursday showed uncapped super withdrawals for housing would drain balances and see more Australians rely on the aged pension, blowing a hole of $2.5bn a year in the budget by the end of the decade.
But the Coalition senators’ recommendations go further than the modelled scenario, not only letting buyers use super as collateral but also using their withdrawal plus proceeds to move to a new house.
Committee chair and opposition home ownership spokesperson Andrew Bragg ridiculed the modelling, telling ABC Radio National:
It sounds like modelling that’s been done by Dr. Evil proposing to blow up the world in Austin Powers … the key determinant of a successful retirement is your home ownership status, not your superannuation balance.”
The proposals go further than the Coalition’s 2022 policy of permitting withdrawals of up to $50,000 and are the clearest indication yet of the opposition’s housing policy direction, after Guardian Australia in March revealed the proposed expansion of super for housing.
Updated
NT could get AFL team in next decade: report
The Northern Territory government and the AFL have published a business case spelling out how the territory could gain its own team in the next decade.
The 211-page report released on Thursday by the AFL Team Northern Territory Taskforce also outlines an “aspiration for a future multi-purpose Darwin city stadium, where a Territory AFL team would be based”.
NT chief minister, Eva Lawler, said:
Territorians love their AFL and there’s no doubt that having a long-term plan to get a team in the AFL is the best way to ensure success.
This process and the strategic business case is about making sure the NT is ready to make a bid for an AFL licence when one becomes available.
Tasmania was granted the league’s 19th licence last year, and is set to enter the competition in 2028.
Updated
Staff member cut by student wielding knife at western Sydney school
A staff member at a school in western Sydney was allegedly cut by a student wielding a knife this afternoon.
Emergency services were called to a school on Maple Road, North St Marys at around 1.20pm today after reports a student had a knife.
Police said the staff member sustained a small laceration while trying to confiscate the knife, with paramedics treating them upon arrival.
The student was also taken to hospital for assessment, with police saying no student was injured during the incident.
Updated
Faruqi v Hanson: Greens senator applies for federal court case to be re-opened for more evidence
Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi has applied to have her federal court case against Pauline Hanson re-opened to hear additional evidence, less than a week after the court adjourned for the justice to consider the evidence.
Faruqi’s legal team filed for an interlocutory application to have the court re-open their case to offer additional evidence to Justice Angus Stewart.
While under oath, Hanson said she did not know Faruqi was a Muslim when she tweeted at the senator to “piss off back to Pakistan” in response to Faruqi’s criticism of colonisation on the day the queen died.
At the time Hanson made that statement, Faruqi’s counsel Saul Holt, accused the One Nation leader of “lying under oath”, which Hanson denied.
Faruqi’s legal team now want the court to hear additional evidence, including tweets where Faruqi references being a Muslim, allegedly including a direct reply to Hanson where she asks “I’m curious. @PaulineHansonOz am I a good Muslim or a bad one? #auspol?” and the transcript of a Sky News podcast, where Hanson was a guest and Faruqi’s religion was cited by another guest.
Hanson had previously said she did not have access to her X (formerly twitter) and only saw responses to her tweets when her staff would bring them to her attention.
The federal court heard four days of evidence from both Faruqi and Hanson’s legal team earlier this month, with Hanson arguing she made the comments as a honestly held opinion, but with no racist intent.
Faruqi’s team argued the Pakistani-born senator had been targeted because she was a ‘muslim migrant woman of colour’, using Hanson’s public statements on Islam, race and migrants from the late 1990s to last month as evidence of her intent.
A decision on the application is yet to be made.
Updated
And, over to Western Australia where unseasonably warm weather is about to come to an end, with severe thunderstorms forecast for the state’s south-west on Friday:
Severe Weather Update for south-west #WA, where severe #thunderstorms are forecast for Friday. Video current: Midday AWST 9 May 2024. Latest forecasts and warnings: https://t.co/4W35o8iFmh or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/kwyHRIMWOo
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) May 9, 2024
Updated
Confusion over whether Air Vanuatu has already entered administration
Back to reports of Air Vanuatu entering administration.
The Vanuatu government is considering placing Air Vanuatu, the national carrier of which it is the sole owner, into voluntary administration, as all of the carrier’s international flights are grounded amid reported financial difficulties.
A statement from Air Vanuatu released on Thursday afternoon said the government was “now considering” voluntary administration, an apparent contradiction to comments the chair of the airline’s board, Alain Lew, told the Vanuatu Daily Post that an administrator was appointment on Monday.
The international firm Ernst & Young has been appointed to assist the Vanuatu government in reviewing available options and put forward recommendations to the Vanuatu government, the airline said in a statement. But EY has not as yet been appointed administrator.
The airline said:
Ernst & Young representatives arrived in Port Vila today to begin an assessment of Air Vanuatu’s financials and are being assisted by the Vanuatu Government and the Air Vanuatu team.
Air Vanuatu, which runs crucial routes connecting Pacific locations with Australia, has confirmed all international flights from Thursday 9 May through Sunday 12 May inclusive are cancelled. All future flights after Sunday 12 May “are currently under review”.
In a statement, the Vanuatu Tourism Office said “we are conscious of the impact this situation has on travellers, ticket holders and the industry and on behalf of the Vanuatu tourism industry extend our apologies to anyone affected”.
Virgin Australia continues to fly to Vanuatu directly between Brisbane-Port Vila.
Updated
More developments from Penny Wong’s visit to Tuvalu
According to a statement released today during Penny Wong’s visit, Australia will only provide military assistance at Tuvalu’s request. Australia “does not have unqualified rights of access to Tuvalu’s territory or airspace, nor the right to establish military areas in Tuvalu”.
Australia has confirmed that it wants to gain “insight into Tuvalu’s defence and security related engagement with third parties” in the areas of defence, policing, border protection, cyber security and critical infrastructure. Infrastructure of interest includes ports, telecommunications and energy infrastructure.
But Australia says this will all be discussed directly with Tuvalu. The Australian government has promised that the effective Australian veto “will be implemented in the spirit of respect and amicable consultation” and Tuvalu “does not need permission from Australia before it starts to talk with other partners”.
The document signed by Wong says Tuvalu is free to pursue support from other countries for support with its economic and development interests, including education, health, waste, climate adaptation, gender, disability, trade or granting fishing licences.
Australia has pointed out that “if either party is concerned expectations are unreasonable, they can suspend obligations and even terminate the treaty by mutual agreement or unilaterally”.
‘Heartless, gutless cowards’: Faruqi slams Go8 penning letter to attorney general over pro-Palestine phrases
Greens deputy leader and spokesperson for education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has called vice-chancellors “heartless, gutless cowards” after the Group of Eight (Go8) penned a letter to the attorney general questioning whether the particular phrases “from the river to the sea” and “intifada” contravened federal law.
Speaking to a group of high school and university pro-Palestine protestors at the UTS on Thursday, Faruqi condemned the Go8 for questioning the use of the contested terms.
Shame on them ... from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.
In the letter, signed by vice-chancellor of the University of Sydney, Mark Scott, the VCs maintained they were “individually and collectively … committed to upholding the right to lawful expression of freedom of speech” but “it must be lawful expression of such views”. They stated:
Whilst our members are seeking appropriate legal advice, we write to seek the Australian government’s authoritative advice as to whether the particular phrases “from the river to the sea” and “intifada” contravene federal law. To date no Australian court or relevant authority has made a determination on these phrases that would allow a university to follow precedent in dealing with their use on campuses.
A University of Sydney spokesperson said that since “the protest encampment on our campus began, we have been focused on the safety and wellbeing of our community, ensuring our campus remains peaceful and our University activities can continue uninterrupted. We want to deescalate tensions rather than fuel them”.
They continued:
We recognise that peaceful protest is a legitimate expression of free speech and that political speech, even when confronting, is not necessarily a breach of our policies or codes of conduct – but we do not tolerate any form of racism, threats to safety, hate speech, intimidation, threatening speech, bullying or unlawful harassment on our campuses.
Updated
Many thanks for joining me on the blog. Daisy Dumas will be with you for the remainder of the day. Take care.
Australia promises not to stop Tuvalu pursuing ties with China
Australia has offered assurances to Tuvalu not to infringe on its sovereignty, saying Canberra would only veto the Pacific country’s security deals with other nations “in a narrow set of circumstances” and won’t stop it pursuing a diplomatic relationship with China.
The assurances are significant because the new government of Tuvalu had considered tearing up a landmark climate and security pact signed by Anthony Albanese at the Pacific Islands Forum late last year.
Under the agreement, the Albanese government is offering places for up to 280 citizens from the low-lying Pacific country to live, study and work in Australia each year (which will be decided by a ballot process), which it is calling “mobility with dignity”.
Australia has also offered a security guarantee to Tuvalu, promising to respond to requests to respond to military aggression, humanitarian disasters or pandemics.
Critics in Tuvalu had argued that the deal infringes the country’s sovereignty because Australia would also have the right to veto security-and defence-related agreements with other countries.
At present, Tuvalu maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, not China. However, China is known to be pursuing closer security, diplomatic and economic ties across the Pacific.
Today, for the first time, both governments released details about how the agreement will work. Australia has promised the deal won’t limit Tuvalu’s “liberty to enter into diplomatic relations with other states”.
Updated
Injured miner left in critical condition after mine collapse discharged from hospital
The 21-year-old miner who was left fighting for his life after a mine collapse in Victoria’s Goldfields two months ago has been released from hospital.
In March, one person died and 21-year-old Connor Smith was left in a critical condition following an underground rockfall. Thirty people were working about 3km from the entrance of the Ballarat gold mine at Mount Clear when the incident occurred.
As Benita Kolovos reported at the time, 28 miners made it to a “safety pod” inside the mine and were eventually brought to the surface uninjured, but two workers were pinned by fallen rocks about 500 metres underground.
The hospital has confirmed that Smith has now been discharged. A GoFundMe raised more than $40,000 for him and his family.
Updated
Second Labor MP voices concern over government's gas strategy
Another Labor MP, Jerome Laxale, is the latest in a growing backbench group to raise concern over the government’s plans to expand gas in Australia.
Shortly after Josh Burns said no more public money should go to gas (see previous post), Laxale – the member for Bennelong – raised similar points about needing to focus on renewables instead of fossil fuels and called for the government to finish the energy transition ASAP.
He said in a statement this afternoon:
I believe that we need to be moving away from fossil fuels, not championing them.
Thankfully, the reality on the ground is that’s what people are doing. Since 2022, there’s been a 25% increase in renewables, and that number is set to grow under our policies. Tomorrow, Australians will continue to electrify their homes and businesses, and support will remain for our plans to decarbonise our economy.
While we know that many in the community understand the role of gas in the transition away from fossil fuels, particularly after 10 years of climate neglect and denial by the Liberals, our government should continue to execute this transition as quickly as possible. This will remain my focus.
Updated
Sydney Uni NTEU branch votes in favour of institutional academic boycott of Israel
Sydney University’s branch of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has overwhelmingly voted in favour of an institutional academic boycott of Israel, becoming the first university in Australia to do so.
At a meeting today, 321 members voted in favour of the University of Sydney cutting ties with Israeli academic institutions and stopping all weapons-related research, equivalent to 93%, while 20 were against and five people abstained.
Sydney University’s branch president of the NTEU and historical supporter of Palestine, Nick Riemer, said it was the largest vote the union had in almost a year.
Riemer said the support for the motion was “so overwhelming that there weren’t even enough people against it to fill the speaking list”.
Our resolution is a clear signal to university management that union members do not support the university’s ties with the war industry or its connections with Israeli universities and their responsibility for Israel’s permanent war on Palestinians.
Protest held outside of Madeleine King’s electoral office in WA following release of gas strategy
The Conservation Council of Western Australia has criticised the government’s new gas strategy as “a wishlist for industry that locks in fossil fuel emissions for decades to come”.
The council’s president, Richard Yin, responded to the strategy after a protest outside resources minister Madeleine King’s WA electoral office, organised by the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and the Lock the Gate Alliance.
Yin argued the Labor government had “betrayed the Australian people by caving in to pressure from the gas industry” and said:
In WA, we know that the vast majority of gas produced here is exported offshore and does nothing to keep the lights on at home. If WA were its own country, it would be the third largest gas exporter in the world.
Projects like Woodside’s Burrup Hub and Chevron’s Gorgon project will emit billions of tonnes of carbon emissions every decade. We know from direct experience the cost of gas to our environment, our families and our future.
Yin argued that carbon capture is a “fanciful technology” that “cannot be relied on as part of any serious, responsible national strategy”.
The only thing it has successfully achieved is to extend the life of the fossil gas industry.
Here are some photos from the protest today:
Updated
Labor MP says ‘not a cent’ should go to new gas projects that don’t assist with transition to low-emissions
Labor MP Josh Burns says “not a cent of public money” should be spent on new gas projects that don’t assist with the transition to a low-emissions economy.
This comes as his own government has unveiled its future gas strategy, stating Australia will need new sources of gas to meet demand “to 2050 and beyond”.
In a statement posted to X, Burns said:
We need to continue to move towards low emission technology, not prolong fossil fuels.
In my opinion – not a cent of public money should be spent on new gas or resources projects that don’t help us transition to a low-emissions economy…
There’s so much more to do and Australia needs real, feasible policies to take climate action seriously.
Hydro, gas helping NSW make up for lower coal, gas and solar power
There’s understandably a lot of national interest in the federal government’s future gas strategy today. As noted in earlier posts, though, there was an interesting development in the electricity market yesterday with spot prices capped.
Paul McArdle, an energy analyst, has identified in more detail some of the factors that led to wholesale power prices spiking. (Once an accumulated price threshold was crossed, as it was yesterday evening, a price cap was imposed by Aemo for the first time since the winter 2022 energy crisis.)
According to Mcardle’s WattClarity site, wind energy has been subdued lately, with as much as 2,000 megawatts of capacity unavailable on Wednesday.
More on this NSW electricity market strain... @WattClarity has detailed how wind energy has lately been subdued...
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) May 9, 2024
(Via: https://t.co/C18MkD7ZiH ) pic.twitter.com/SLf8DOo76q
Gas-fired generators kicked in, much more than in recent weeks, to help fill the gap:
And gas generation has lately been much higher (pushing up prices for the whole market):
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) May 9, 2024
(Via @WattClarity ) pic.twitter.com/jQL4GujS48
Hydro power, mostly from Snowy Hydro, also ramped up (as did batteries, but they may have been depleted, McArdle says).
Hydro, meanwhile, has been busy too.
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) May 9, 2024
(Via @WattClarity ) pic.twitter.com/4YxTsT7vLQ
We’ve asked NSW’s energy minister, Penny Sharpe, for a comment.
What, if anything, does the power strain mean for the ongoing negotiations with Origin Energy over extending the life of the Eraring coal-fired power station?
Half of the 2,880MW plant has been offline these days with unplanned repairs. An Origin spokesperson says its team is working on returning one of the four plants back online today.
Eraring’s availability and reliability has generally been very good, particularly over the summer period when demand is high.
If the government does settle on extending half of Eraring beyond August 2025, let’s hope we get the units in the best nick, at least.
Updated
Endangered mouse returns after almost half a century
A breeding program has returned an endangered rodent to a botanic garden where it has not been sighted for 48 years, AAP reports.
A group of 28 pookila – a mouse native to south-east Australia – has been reintroduced at Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne as part of a breeding program by Melbourne Zoo and Moonlit Bay.
Pookila have been in decline since their discovery in 1970 and are considered extinct in seven of their 12 known locations. About 3,000 are believed to exist in the remaining five locations in eastern Victoria.
The breeding program matched pookila from different locations to ensure greater genetic diversity than those remaining in the wild. They have been housed in a small fenced-off area ahead of their release into the broader gardens in the next six to eight weeks.
Phoebe Burns, a native rodent biologist, said:
It’s so exciting to be at the point where we get to return the pookila to the Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne after nearly 50 years’ absence.
The soft-release process will allow [the] pookila to adjust to their new home, get used to the weather, dig burrows and experience Cranbourne Gardens while remaining safe and well-fed.
STOP EVERYTHING! It is our first precious Pookila for the survey season! This beautiful little lady has also had babies this year, which is wonderful news for this amazing but endangered species ❤️🐭@ZoosVictoria @DrPABurns #FightingExtinction #Pookila #conservation pic.twitter.com/Ksr2ACa6Cb
— Dr Marissa Parrott (@drmparrott) March 19, 2024
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The home affairs minister, Clare O’Neil, has welcomed scathing findings against her department over failures to crack down on dodgy migration agents allegedly involved in the exploitation of foreign workers.
The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) yesterday afternoon found home affairs had largely failed in its role as a watchdog of migration agents over the past decade, taking lengthy periods of time to deal with complaints and dismissing investigations before using its regulatory powers.
O’Neil noted the audit report looked at a period of time that has since been addressed by a reform package.
Following the release of the Nixon review in November last year, which found temporary migrant workers had suffered “grotesque abuses” due to a lack of government oversight, the Albanese government announced a doubling of staff, along with increasing sanctions and obligations.
O’Neil said the latest findings reiterated those found in the Nixon review, and pointed the blame at the previous Coalition government for the department’s shortcomings:
It endorses the findings of Christine Nixon, whose own review found that the immigration enforcement part of Home Affairs had been underfunded and suffered due to a long period without sufficient focus. This is another glimpse into the legacy of Peter Dutton - broken systems, open exploitation and abuse.
Read the original story below:
Air Vanuatu reportedly in administration
A raft of Air Vanuatu flights have been cancelled or changed after the airline that runs crucial routes connecting Pacific locations with Australia and the region reportedly entered administration.
Alain Lew, chairman of the Air Vanuatu board, told the Vanuatu Daily post that the board no longer exists following the appointment of an administrator on 6 May.
The same report cited an official from the nation’s prime minister’s office suggesting more information would be released once the reported administrators, Ernst & Young, arrive in Vanuatu.
The exact circumstances of the airline’s administration are unclear, and comment is being sought by the Guardian.
Australian airports are also unclear as to the status of Air Vanuatu’s operations. Brisbane airport has said it is awaiting an update from the airline, and has warned travellers via social media that the airline has cancelled its Brisbane flights for today and tomorrow and to not travel to the airport.
Meanwhile, one of its aircraft remains parked at Melbourne airport, with no immediate service scheduled.
The airline had been reported as facing serious financial situations in recent months, and news of it entering comes at a tumultuous time for the aviation industry in Australia and the pacific region, following budget carrier Bonza entering voluntary administration last week.
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Bonza’s planes fly off as customers, workers in lurch
Bonza’s fleet of planes has begun to be removed from Australia before the airline’s financial crisis is laid bare at a creditors’ meeting, AAP reports.
The embattled budget carrier, which was back in federal court this morning ahead of the first meeting tomorrow, appointed administrators after the lease agreement for its planes was terminated.
The first of those planes – a Boeing 737 Max 8 – flew out from Sunshine Coast airport shortly after 9am today destined for Honolulu. Without planes, Bonza has cancelled all flights until 15 May and will not compensate any customer left out of pocket.
Lawyers for administrators Hall Chadwick were in court finalising Friday’s meeting, where creditors – including about 58,000 customers left out of pocket – will be updated on the airline’s dire financial state.
Barrister James Hutton SC said administrators had received almost 9,000 emails from potential creditors and about 2,000 had provided proof of debts.
Many of the issues raised by Justice Elizabeth Cheeseman in an earlier court hearing had been sorted out by the administrators, including the ability for creditors to ask questions.
Friday’s meeting is set to take place via Zoom. More than 300 Bonza employees, who are also in line to become creditors, remain stood down. You can read more on this from Elias Visontay below:
Updated
Concerns for Great Barrier Reef amid government’s new gas strategy
The Australian Marine Conservation Society says the government’s new gas strategy “locks in climate change, fossil fuel dependence and more destructive offshore gas schemes” as the Great Barrier Reef faces its worst bleaching event.
In a statement, the society said the timing of the gas strategy being unveiled “could not be worse” amid the latest bleaching event and news the planet is headed for at least 2.5C of heating. AMCS’s oil and gas campaign manager, Louise Morris, said:
The ALP’s future gas strategy will bring more destructive offshore gas drilling and seismic blasting, which impacts the whole marine food chain, from the very foundation, killing zooplankton, through to forcing whales from their feeding and breeding grounds…
The future gas strategy will lock in more intense and more frequent marine heatwaves that are killing the giant kelp forests of the Great Southern Reef and bleaching and killing coral on the Great Barrier Reef.
The OECD’s International Energy Agency said in 2021 that we can have no new fossil fuel developments if we are to limit global warming to 1.5oC – a critical threshold for coral reefs. Not only is the Albanese government not doing enough to battle climate change, its future gas strategy will bring the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef.
The Greens’ spokesperson for healthy oceans, Peter Whish-Wilson, said the gas strategy “locks in a world of global boiling and the certain demise of the Reef as we have been so lucky to know it in our lifetime.”
Updated
Man charged with common assault during protest in Sydney’s CBD
A man has been charged following an alleged assault during a pro-Palestine protest in Sydney’s CBD at the weekend.
About 3pm on Sunday, police were alerted to an alleged assault on George Street.
Officers were told a 26-year-old woman participating in the protest was allegedly assaulted by a 45-year-old man. The man and woman are not known to each other.
Officers arrested the man who was taken to Surry Hills police station and charged with common assault.
He was granted conditional bail to appear before Downing Centre local court on 30 May.
Chris Minns says Sydney council book ban 'a joke'
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said the decision for a Sydney council to ban books on same-sex parenting is “a joke” and “the whole thing’s ridiculous”.
In a video posted to X, Minns stated “it’s a library – you can chose to read a book or not”.
It seems to me to be engineered by one of these councillors because there’s an election coming up. But what a joke. I mean, he should trust his own citizens enough to walk into a library and read whatever the hell they want.
You can read all the background on this below:
Cumberland councillors need to repeal their decision to ban same-sex parenting books now.
— Chris Minns (@ChrisMinnsMP) May 9, 2024
We should have faith in our community to choose what they read.
It’s clear the LGBTQ+ community is being used as a political football here - leaders in our community should know better. pic.twitter.com/BwMhh7BlpL
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Teal MP ‘dismayed’ by government’s new gas strategy
Independent MP Kylea Tink has joined her fellow teals in criticising the government’s new gas strategy.
In a statement, the member for North Sydney said it was “dismaying” to see the government unveil a gas-led transition plan. She said:
Continued and expanded fossil fuel use is out of step with global climate goals and risks hindering the transition to renewable energy. Locking in gas for decades and encouraging the use of CCS is not a pathway to a sustainable future.
This looks like ‘gas-fired recovery’ 2.0, reinforcing just how beholden to the gas industry our major political parties are.
One thing is clear. Opening up new fossil fuel projects will not help tackle climate change. We need to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels towards cheaper, cleaner renewable sources of energy. Not open up new gas fields.
Tink said the community is “demanding meaningful climate action” and when it comes to this strategy, she will “dig into the detail and come back with a balanced assessment” for constituents.
Updated
Federal parliament to hold condolence motions for victims of the Bondi Junction stabbing
Federal parliament will mark condolence motions for the Bondi Junction stabbing victims next week, ahead of the federal budget.
A draft program for the House of Representatives, published on the website of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, lists a condolence motion to be discussed on Tuesday.
It will mark the deaths of Yixuan Cheng, Pikria Darchia, Ashlee Good, Dawn Singleton, Faraz Tahir and Jade Young, the six people killed in the Westfield shopping centre attack.
The motion is listed for after 2pm on Tuesday, following the swearing-in of the newly-elected member for Cook, Simon Kennedy, who won a byelection for Scott Morrison’s former seat last month.
The daily question time will then follow, ahead of the budget speech at 7.30pm.
The draft legislative program shows the House will also debate bills related to illegal logging, the sports anti-siphoning scheme, vaping reforms, digital ID, superannuation concessions and the net zero economy authority next week.
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NSW announces $45.3m in funding to tackle regional health workforce shortages
The New South Wales government has announced $45.3m in funding for healthcare worker accomodation across the regions – one of the biggest barriers to attracting and retaining staff.
Healthcare worker accomodation will be rolled out across Broken Hill, Balranald, Cooma, Finley, Leeton, Narrandera and West Wyalong, according to a statement from NSW’s health minister, Ryan Park.
The accomodation will be provided “close to work” and help support healthcare workers looking to establish themselves in a new community, the statement said.
Park said:
We know recruitment is one of the biggest challenges facing our regional, rural and remote health services … Critical to achieving this has been bringing more health workers to our regions, and these units will support staff looking to establish themselves in a new community.
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Thinktank calls for lowering gas demand instead of increasing supply
More reactions are coming in regarding the Albanese government’s new future gas strategy, which has been condemned by environmental groups and independent MPs.
Josh Runciman, the Institute for Energy, Economics and Financial Analysis’ lead gas financial analyst, said:
Though the Future Gas Strategy calls for more gas supply to address ‘shortfalls’, IEEFA’s research finds that cost-effective measures to lower residential gas demand will eliminate the risk of annual and peak day shortfalls in the southern states while also lowering household energy bills. Australian households are locking in $1.2bn in unnecessary costs for each year that new gas appliances continue to be installed.
We do not believe that gas will support Australian industry. As we’ve seen in recent years, a number of major industrial gas users have closed facilities due to challenging gas market conditions despite a focus on new gas supply by Aemo. Lowering residential household gas demand will be more effective in ensuring adequate gas supply for industries that are not yet able to use alternatives to fossil gas.
Our research has found that further gas exploration and development is definitely not needed. Gas exploration expenditure has been falling for the past decade as gas companies pivot to renewable investments or return cash to shareholders. It is unlikely that expenditure will materially increase as anticipated by the future gas strategy.
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Police investigate assault on Coffs Harbour woman
New South Wales police are appealing for information after a woman was left unconscious after allegedly being assaulted in Coffs Harbour on the state’s mid north coast.
The 45-year-old walker was struck from behind on Coffs Creek walkway about 6am on Wednesday in what police describe as a “serious assault”.
She was found by two members of the public more than four hours later, at about 10.20am. The woman was treated by paramedics before being taken to hospital for further treatment.
Police are urging anyone who may have seen suspicious activity in the area between 5.30am and 10.30am to come forward.
The alleged attack comes a week after a surfer was allegedly fatally stabbed nearby, metres from Coffs Harbour’s Park Beach.
Police presence in the local area has been increased.
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Cashed-up WA to post another big budget surplus
Western Australia’s run of big budget surpluses is expected to continue, with the state government set to inject $500m into heavy industrial use to support critical minerals and green hydrogen production, AAP reports.
The treasurer, Rita Saffioti, will deliver her first budget today, with some analysts predicting the 2023/24 surplus will fall short of last year’s projected $3.7bn and drop below $3bn for 2024/25.
A new Strategic Industries Fund will pump $500m into common-user infrastructure, including roads, power, water and gas connections, the West Australian reported ahead of the budget.
Kwinana will receive a boost of $125m for new blocks in its industrial precinct and a further $40m will flow to Karratha in the state’s north-west, the Peel region, the Goldfields and the south-west for industrial development.
A further $36.4m is earmarked for new measures to cut through green tape and expedite approvals. The premier, Roger Cook, said the government was investing to deliver quality jobs in resources and energy. He told the West Australian:
Our economic strength and natural resources mean demand is running hot for land to set up major job-creating projects, in both our regions and Perth’s industrial heartland in Kwinana.
It will help to lock in WA’s strong economy for decades to come - a downpayment on our kids’ future.
The government has already announced billions of dollars in new spending, including cash to improve the health system and ease the housing shortage and cost of living stress.
Saffioti yesterday flagged more spending to help families, along with housing initiatives and investment in the health sector, but was giving little away.
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Unscheduled coal plant outages part of NSW’s power stains
So what’s triggered this rare price cap intervention in the wholesale power market? (See previous post)
Anyone living in eastern NSW would know the past week or so has been relatively cloudy and at times pretty calm. That’s been bad for renewable energy output.
Also not helping has been the unscheduled outages at three coal-fired power units. Two of them were at Origin Energy’s Eraring power plant, and the other at Vales Point. (Here’s yesterday’s generation, via the Victoria Energy Policy Centre.)
(Clarifying an earlier tweet.) Origin Energy says two of its four Eraring coal-fired units have been offline lately after unplanned outages. One should be back online later today and the other by the end of the weekend to make "routine repairs". pic.twitter.com/Y7XqPbeFAw
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) May 9, 2024
Origin’s spokesperson says “there were short-term unplanned outages for routine repairs” at Eraring. One of the two units should be back online later today and the other one by the end of the weekend.
And to fill the gap, gas-fired power stations have fired up, burning the expensive fossil fuel, the VEPC data shows:
One result is that expensive gas plants are firing up, setting up those higher wholesale power prices. (H/Ts to @dylanjmcconnell, @VEPC_VU and @WattClarity ) pic.twitter.com/gHB2TsvHBq
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) May 9, 2024
NSW’s power strains come as the state government is negotiating to keep at least half of Eraring operating beyond its August 2025 scheduled closure. It’s the biggest coal-fired power station in Australia at 2880 megawatts (when they are all running).
And the federal government is busy today touting the need for more gasfields to support demand and support the grid.
Quite topical, in other words, before we get into the wisdom of burning more fossil fuels when global heating is hardly slowing down.
Market regulator imposes price cap on NSW spot power prices
The Australian Energy Market Operator has had to intervene to cap wholesale power prices in New South Wales after a combination of outages at coal-fired power plants and relatively low wind and solar output.
A so-called administered price period was declared yesterday evening, soon after prices crossed an accumulation threshold (of $1.49m, for what it’s worth).
Spiking wholesale power prices in NSW looking more common these days.
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) May 9, 2024
(This from yesterday evening, via @reddolphinsys ) pic.twitter.com/lC0I3IZtVK
Prices will be capped in the state at $600 megawatt-hour for the next few days at least, with AEMO saying:
Despite these high wholesale electricity prices, at present there is sufficient electricity to meet demand in NSW and throughout the national electricity market.
We’ll look a bit more in the next post at what’s caused the power problems but it’s fair to say such elevated prices don’t make it easier to bring down electricity prices. (About a third of retail power bills come from generation costs.)
Updated
NSW not currently on track to meet emissions reduction targets
New South Wales is not on track to meet climate change targets, according to the government’s own environmental database.
The projections on the net zero emissions dashboard show that NSW is tracking towards a 44% reduction in greenhouse emissions by 2030 instead of 50%, and 65% by 2035 instead of 70%.
Environmental advocates held a press conference with independent Wagga Wagga MP, Joe McGirr, and Legalise Cannabis MP Jeremy Buckingham at NSW parliament earlier today, where they called on the government to stop funding the expansion of coal and gas projects.
The updated projections come as the government is expected to announce it will subsidise Origin Energy to keep the state’s largest coal fired power plant at Eraring open for up to four more years.
Speaking at this morning’s press conference, the Climate Energy Finance director and analyst, Tim Buckley, said the Eraring subsidy would cost the taxpayer $150m a year. He said:
We are putting band aids on end of life coal assets instead of investing in the solutions to permanent low cost zero emission solutions that Australia and NSW desperately needs to see approved.
This is a race to the top and yet the NSW government in 2024 is now going in the wrong direction.
We call on them to reallocate planning resources to approving the projects we critically need to solve the climate crisis.
The government had previously said it expected to meet its targets, which it enshrined in law last year.
Prime minister says gas and its ‘firming capacity’ are part of helping with pathway to net zero
Anthony Albanese is now defending to the government’s new future gas plan, which has been condemned by environmental groups and independents.
The prime minister said his government is committed to a net zero future and “gas power generation is something that firms renewables.”
So when you look at manufacturing, for example, just to give one example – what Rio Tinto are doing there with its processes associated with aluminium. They’ve just signed the biggest deal for renewables that has ever been signed anywhere in Australia, but what they regard as necessary is firming capacity to be provided by gas. We support net zero, and gas and its firming capacity as a part of assisting with that pathway to net zero.
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‘You can’t drive on a media release but you can drive on a road that’s properly funded’: PM
Anthony Albanese is asked why the government doesn’t put the $3.5bn committed to the North East Link into the airport to get it finally finished. He replies:
Well this project is here, it’s real, and it’s now. We want to support this project. Victoria was being shortchanged on this project. We’ve pitched in.
Albanese says he’s not concerned about the already $10bn blowout on the project:
Well, infrastructure is costing more. It’s costing more – and that is right around the nation. And one of the problems that occurred that [infrastructure minister] Catherine King inherited was a pipeline of projects that had unfunded or underfunded … contributions.
Earlier this week I was in Rockhampton – it wasn’t just Victoria in this case that was penalised – they had a ring road where the planning was done when I was the infrastructure minister and was funded, then nothing had happened because it wasn’t funded anywhere near what the costs were.
So there’s a range of reasons for that. The supply chain issues that came arising out of the long tail of Covid has had a major impact, for example. It’s hit all forms of construction and infrastructure whether they be public or private ... What we’ve done is ensure that you can’t drive on a media release. What you can do is drive on a road that’s properly funded. We believe this $5bn is an appropriate contribution by the commonwealth to what is a vital nation-building project.
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Anthony Albanese says he can’t further intervene in the stoush between the Victorian state government and Melbourne airport’s operators, which has caused a long-awaited rail line to be delayed four years.
He said:
We don’t control Melbourne airport. It is commonwealth land, which is leased. That privatisation decision was made some time ago.
You can read all the background on this issue below:
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Albanese stands by comments in relation to Yellow Sea incident
On the incident in Yellow Sea, the prime minister says he stands by what the government has said in recent days.
Anthony Albanese told reporters:
The Australian Defence Force personnel were engaged in international waters, in international skies and engaged in international work consistent with the United Nations sanctions being imposed on North Korea.
It was legitimate, peaceful activity, which should be respected … I’m proud of the role that Australian Defence Force personnel play in upholding international law and international sanctions and the appropriate processes as determined by the United Nations.
This action by China was unprofessional and unacceptable. We’ve made that very, very clear.
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Circling back to the prime minister’s press conference in Melbourne
Anthony Albanese says the government’s position on the ground invasion of Rafah has been clearly communicated over the last 24 hours. Speaking to the media in Melbourne, he said:
I’ll say this about the Middle East position, which is that the government’s position has been very clear and over the last 24 hours [what] we have done again is to communicate to Israel our opposition for a ground invasion of Rafah.
Albanese said the government is concerned about the civilian population, who were “told to move from the northern part of Gaza [to the] south”.
You then have a very crowded population and [it] is not clear where they are supposed to go, given the destruction that’s occurred to housing in other parts of Gaza.
So we are very concerned about that. My government’s position is very clear. And it’s been a long standing position of the Australian government to support a two-state solution, the right of Israel to exist within secure borders. The right of Israelis to go about their lives in safety and security with prosperity, but also the fundamental right of Palestinians to have safety, security and prosperity as well.
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Greens calls on government to ‘cease military trade with Israel’
The Greens’ leader, Adam Bandt, has called on the Albanese government to cease military trade with Israel.
This comes as the US president, Joe Biden, announced his administration would stop supplying bombs and artillery shells to Israel if its military pushes ahead with an offensive on Rafah. You can read all the details on this below:
Writing on X, Bandt said:
The US are the largest funders of the Israeli military. Yet in the wake of a Rafah assault, even President Biden has announced a pause on weapons shipments to Israel’s govt.
There is no excuse for Labor. They must cease military trade with Israel. No atrocities in our name.
Guardian Australia’s Daniel Hurst has investigated claims about Australian defence exports to Israel, and you can watch his video below for more on this:
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Infrastructure minister ‘amazed’ at ‘how little funding’ previous government invested in North East Link
The federal infrastructure minister, Catherine King, says she’s was surprised at how little the previous Coalition government had put into the project:
When we came to office we had inherited a pipeline where frankly for Victoria, I was amazed at how little the commonwealth was putting in to some of these big building projects that this state is so renowned for [that] we’re seeing that across Melbourne.
Anthony Albanese goes further:
The fact that Victoria was getting $1.75bn for this project – I [ask] you to compare that with what occurred where there were Coalition state governments.
Updated
Albanese says North East Link will boost productivity in Melbourne
Anthony Albanese has begun addressing the media regarding the funding for Victoria’s North East Link in next week’s budget.
He told reporters:
This will have 12,000 jobs being created while construction is going ahead. It will save commuters half an hour. It will take some 15,000 trucks off local roads, meaning better safety for everyone involved.
This will make an enormous difference to productivity in this great city of Melbourne and the great state of Victoria and it symbolises the fact that the commonwealth is once again partnering with Victoria in infrastructure, in job creation and building the economy here.
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Prime minister announces $3.25bn for Victoria’s North East Link in budget
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is in Melbourne announcing a $3.25bn from next week’s budget will go to developing the state’s North East Link.
The boost from the commonwealth will bring its total contribution to the project, which will connect the M80 Ring Road at Greensborough with the Eastern Freeway at Bulleen, to $5bn.
It will be welcome news for the state government, which late last year announced the project had blown out by more than $10bn from its original cost.
Albanese and the premier, Jacinta Allan, are touring the site and will address media shortly.
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Doctors call for greater support to increase after-hour GP consultations
Australia’s peak body for doctors has called for greater support to increase the number of after hour GP consults.
The Australian Medical Association says current arrangements discourage GPs from offering in-clinic services after 6pm on weeknights and on weekends. Patients who fall sick after hours are forced to consider other avenues, including hospital emergency departments, the peak body said in a submission to the department of health and aged care.
39% of all presentations to the emergency department occurred between 6pm to 7.59am, according to a 2022 report from the Australian College for Emergency Medicine.
The AMA has estimated the cost of greater incentives for GPs to stay open for extended hours would total $339.7m over the next three years.
AMA’s president, Prof Steve Robson, said:
There is a golden opportunity to further address some of Australia’s cost of living pressures by improving access to general practice after hours and making after hours GP appointments much more affordable.
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China accuses Australia of ‘spying’ after navy flare-up
China has accused Australia of spying, claiming this was what led to an incident where flares were dropped in front of a Navy helicopter, forcing it to take evasive action, AAP reports.
The federal government has said the action of the Chinese J-10 jet, which launched the flares directly ahead of the Seahawk helicopter, was unprofessional and unsafe.
But China’s ministry of national defence spokesperson, Snr Col Zhang Xiaogang, said HMAS Hobart sent the helicopter up three times to conduct “close-in reconnaissance and disturb the normal training activities of the Chinese side”.
China responded with a “vocal warning” before taking “legitimate, reasonable, professional, and safe operations to expel it”, he added, while making a statement late on Tuesday Beijing time.
We urge the Australian side to truly respect China’s sovereignty and security concerns, cease spreading false narratives, strictly constrain the operations of its naval and air forces, stop all dangerous provocations and avoid undermining the overall relationship between the two countries and the two militaries.
Jennifer Parker, an Australian naval expert, disputed the claim, saying defence was unlikely to send a helicopter to monitor drills when satellite-based capabilities would be more effective. She told the ABC:
It would be highly unlikely for an Australian ship helicopter to provoke China like this during a naval exercise for limited to no benefits.
Anthony Albanese has not directly responded to the spying claims, but has said there was “no question” that defence was operating in international waters and airspace.
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Peak body for gas industry welcomes government strategy
The peak body representing the gas industry has welcomed the Albanese government’s new future gas strategy.
It says the strategy will provide “clear direction on national energy policy that supports the central role of gas in the economy and Australia’s energy transformation” – including progressing new supply projects.
Australian Energy Producers’ chief executive, Samantha McCulloch, said:
The strategy needs to be backed by clear, tangible actions that urgently unlock new gas supply to address looming shortfalls and provide an unequivocal signal to the market that Australia is committed to ensuring sustainable gas supply to the Australian economy and the region …
The success of the strategy will be determined by whether it delivers meaningful policy reforms that address the barriers to new gas supply and investment, and that recognise the central role of gas in the energy transformation.
Graham Readfearn wrote this great analysis piece on the role of gas-fired power in Australia late last year:
Updated
Bank customers fall behind on loan and credit card repayments
Consumers are increasingly falling behind on personal loan, credit card and home loan repayments, according to a Commonwealth Bank trading update, as elevated borrowing rates and high living costs push more households into debt.
The stress is most evident in personal loans, with 90-plus day arrears spiking well above CBA’s historical averages over the past 12 months.
CBA’s chief executive, Matt Comyn, said:
We recognise that all households are feeling the impact of higher inflation and higher rates, however immigration is providing a structural tailwind for the economy.
He said the “fundamentals of the Australian economy remain sound” due in part to low unemployment levels.
Many households have been insulated from the impact of the Reserve Bank’s rapid-fire interest rate hikes, and rocketing living costs, by large cash buffers saved up early in the pandemic.
Those buffers have kept arrears in check, but they are fast eroding in the absence of interest rate relief.
CBA reported a cash profit of $2.4bn for the quarter, down 5% from last year’s strong result.
The value of home loans in arrears by more than 90 days increased from 0.44% to 0.61% over the past year, which is still slightly below CBA’s historical average. Credit card arrears jumped from 0.51% to 0.68%.
Arrears for personal loans, which are sometimes taken out to consolidate debt or pay for renovations or holidays, lifted from 1.09% to 1.34%, well above the historical average of 1.25%.
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Shadow minister seeks to establish Senate inquiry into antisemitism on uni campuses
The shadow minister for education, Sarah Henderson, will seek to establish a Senate inquiry into antisemitism on university campuses following a series of roundtables with Jewish students and community members.
It is time for prime minister Anthony Albanese to show leadership and for his education minister to step up ... Allowing the establishment of encampments opens the floodgates to round-the-clock occupation by extremist protestors, including those who have no connection with a university.
A motion to establish the inquiry, which would be chaired by Liberal senator Matt O’Sullivan, will be lodged in the Senate next week.
The Zionist Federation of Australia called on the federal government to support the inquiry. Its president, Jeremy Leibler, said the situation on campuses was “untenable”.
A joint statement by 10 Australian university encampments, published today, said the protest encampments were peaceful and established to stand with the people of Gaza.
Our opposition to the state of Israel and to Zionism as an ideology is not antisemitism. Many of the student leaders of our protests are Jewish, and we see ourselves as standing on the shoulders of a long line of Jewish pro-Palestine and anti-war activists.
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Environmental groups lash government’s gas strategy as ‘kick in the guts’
Environmental groups have also spoken out against the government’s new gas strategy – which argues Australia needs new sources of fossil fuels to meet demand “to 2050 and beyond”.
The Australian Conservation Foundation said the strategy is a “blueprint for climate disaster and should be abandoned”. Its national climate program manager, Gavan McFadzean, said it “beggars belief” the government would release this plan amid grave warnings from climate scientists about global heating.
The Albanese government’s future gas strategy resembles the Morrison government’s ‘gas-fired recovery’ and reads as if it was written by gas giants Woodside and Santos. This strategy is a kick in the guts to the millions of Australians who voted in the Albanese government in May 2022, believing it signalled a new dawn for climate action.
McFadzean also argued the strategy is “incompatible” with the government’s Future Made in Australia vision – to help regions that have traditionally relied on fossil fuel production to transition to clean energy.
Climate action group 350 Australia says “more gas means more pollution, and that means worse fires and floods”. CEO Lucy Manne said:
This is an absolute betrayal of communities who are feeling the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events now.
Meanwhile Greenpeace has labelled the strategy as a “betrayal of Australian and Pacific communities”. Its CEO, David Ritter, said Labor won the federal election on a promise of delivering on climate action, and today’s announcement is a “betrayal of that commitment” and “a step closer to a more unsafe future for us all”.
This is no better than a smoker saying they are giving up, but in reality just swapping one brand of cigarettes for another…
The light on the hill cannot be powered by gas. [Resources minister Madeleine] King is wrong on the science, doing wrong to the people of Australia, and is undermining the Labor government’s standing, at home and abroad.
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Greens say government has ‘utterly caved to fossil fuel lobby’ with new gas strategy
The Greens environment spokesperson, Sarah Hanson-Young, says the government’s new gas strategy shows they have “utterly caved in to the fossil fuel lobby”. In a statement this morning, the senator argued Labor has thrown “any climate credibility out the window” and said:
On the same day the world’s scientists are sounding the alarm that we’re heading off a climate cliff, Labor has slammed it’s foot on the gas, in a naked attempt to pander to big gas …
Only days ago Labor dumped their promise to fix our environment laws to protect wildlife and nature. Today they’ve utterly caved in to the fossil fuel lobby. Labor simply can’t be trusted on climate and the environment.
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Minister defends Australia’s ability to meet climate targets amid new gas strategy
The assistant defence minister, Matt Thistlethwaite, defended Australia’s ability to meet its climate change targets while on ABC News Breakfast earlier. He was asked about the government’s new gas strategy, and responded by saying “gas-fired power is cleaner than coal-fired power”.
So gas will be a very important transition fuel as Australia makes that orderly and steady transition to net zero by 2050 and 43% renewables by 2030.
I’m in the Northern Territory. I announced a couple of days ago at Robertson barracks in Darwin a new solar farm that will power about 1,800 homes in the local community here and power about 40% of that basis needs and reduce their energy costs by about half a million dollars a year.
We’re making those investments in renewables, but what’s important is we have a steady transition and gas will be part of that transition.
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Victoria police to apologise for Stolen Generations role
Victoria police will apologise for its role in the Stolen Generations as part of reforms stemming from the state’s truth-telling inquiry, AAP reports.
The chief commissioner, Shane Patton, has confirmed the force’s commitments will include improved processes for Aboriginal people dealing with police. This will involve expanded cultural awareness training across the organisation and upgraded reporting of police statistics about Aboriginal people.
In total, Victoria police will carry out 79 reforms by the end of 2025 as part of the its response to the Yoorrook justice commission.
Patton’s announcement came on the first anniversary of his apology in front of the inquiry for the mistreatment of First Nations people by police.
A Victoria police spokesman said Patton’s Stolen Generations apology will take place on 24 May in front of survivors and relatives of those impacted. Yoorrook’s final report is expected to be handed down in 2025.
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Teal MPs criticise government’s new gas strategy: ‘We should be angry’
A number of teal independents have spoken out against the government’s new gas strategy.
The independent MP for Mackellar, Sophie Scamps, pointed to a Guardian report from overnight showing the planet is headed for at least 2.5C of heating with disastrous results for humanity. You can read the full report below:
Writing on X, Scamps said:
As one top climate scientist said - ‘the world’s response to date is reprehensible - we live in a world of fools’. 80% of IPCC scientists believe we’ll see 2.5C of warming over next 5 yrs. In the meantime Aust[ralia] is massively expanding gas [extraction] for export… Madness.
Independent MP for Wentworth Allegra Spender also pointed to the Guardian’s report, and wrote:
On the same day world leading climate scientists say global heating is blasting past 1.5 degrees, Labor has announced a “future gas strategy” to accelerate major new fossil fuel projects. We shouldn’t be despairing. We should be angry.
Independent MP for Kooyong Monique Ryan also responded to the new strategy:
Australia is blessed with abundant renewables. We need to develop our solar and wind energy and expand storage and transmission capacity - not do deals with the multinationals for more gas exports.
Updated
Man arrested following alleged stabbing outside gym
A man has been arrested after allegedly stabbing a woman outside a Sydney gym yesterday.
At midday yesterday, emergency services were called to Alexandria following reports of the alleged stabbing.
On arrival, police were told a man believed to be in his 40s had allegedly stabbed a 39-year-old woman. Police believe they are known to each other.
The woman was treated by paramedics and taken to hospital in a stable condition. A crime scene was established and an investigation commenced.
About 7.50am today, a 45-year-old man presented to Dee Why police station where he was subsequently arrested and taken to Manly police station.
Police say inquiries are continuing.
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David Pocock calls new gas strategy ‘morally bankrupt’
The independent senator David Pocock has lashed the government’s new future gas strategy as “morally bankrupt, negligent and just plain stupid”.
Pocock said the strategy ignores advice from climate scientists, writing on X:
Climate scientists and global energy experts tell us opening new gas projects is disastrous for our climate, our children and future generations…
Backing the expansion of the fossil fuel industry in 2024 is morally bankrupt, negligent and just plain stupid given we export 75% of our gas. We could legislate a domestic reservation policy and have enough gas for our transition, rather than locking in emissions for decades.
This shows a tragic lack of imagination and ambition – speeding up electrification of households and businesses should be the response to warnings of potential shortfalls. Electrification could save the average [Australian] household $2-5k per year, every year.
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Native title holders reject government’s imminent ‘future gas strategy’
Native title holders from the Beetaloo Basin region have responded to the government’s new gas strategy, stating “the answer is not gas but solar” while questioning how potential fracking will impact future generations.
Our climate and environment editor Adam Morton had all the details on this earlier in the blog, here and here, in case you’re just joining us. Essentially, a “future gas strategy” is set to be released by the Albanese government and will argue Australia needs new sources of fossil fuels to meet demand “to 2050 and beyond”.
Chair of the Nurrdalinji Aboriginal Corporation, Djingili Elder Samuel Sandy, said the answer is “not gas but solar” and said in a statement:
We don’t need new gas which involves drilling into our land in the Northern Territory and damaging our country, culture and water.
We want new, renewable energy. The answer is not gas but solar, which can power our communities from the sun. This is where we want governments to concentrate. That way, we can have a better future together.
Sandy also questioned the long-term impact of fracking for future generations:
This new method of mining, fracking, is very highly dangerous. If gas mining poisons water we will all suffer. Water is life, and it’s so significant—to land, culture, songlines and our grandchildren.
If our country is fracked, where are we going to take our grandchildren out on country to teach them, the way my grandfather taught me? How will they be taught the songlines, our way of life?
It’s already getting hotter here, making it harder to live on country. Already our people can’t keep their homes cool. Digging and burning more gas will make this worse.
Updated
Melbourne households paying the most for transport costs, data shows
AAP has more details on the latest transport affordability data (see previous post):
The research from the Australian Automobile Association found families in capital cities paid an average of $487 a week for transport between January and March, up $18 from the December quarter.
But households in Melbourne paid significantly more at $563 per week, while Brisbane families paid $555 per week, and those in Sydney paid $521.
Households in Hobart ($428), Darwin ($447), and Adelaide ($447) scraped in under the weekly average.
Transport costs also impacted households in regional areas, with the report finding the average outlay had risen by $20 to $416 a week.
Households in Geelong in Victoria ($443), Alice Springs in the Northern Territory ($442), and Western Australia’s Bunbury ($438) paid the highest weekly transport costs.
Car payments made up the biggest share of transport costs at 46%, followed by fuel bills (22%), and insurance (9.3%).
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Key event
Transport costs on the rise for Australian households, growing 10% in a year
A new report shows that transport costs for the typical Australian household grew by 4.5% in the March quarter – 3.9% for capital cities and 5.3% for regional areas.
This was almost four times the quarter’s consumer price index rise of 1%, the Australian Automobile Association noted when releasing the report.
The report also shows that in the 12 months to 31 March, typical Australian household transport costs rose by 10% – 2.8 times higher than the same period’s CPI increase of 3.6%.
In the March 2023 quarter the typical capital city household spent 16.4% of its income on transport, but in the March 2024 quarter this had risen to 17.3%. Over the same period, the typical regional household’s transport costs rose from 15.1% of its income to 16.3%.
The overall rise in transport costs was largely being driven by higher up-front costs for purchasing new vehicles, the AAA said. The association’s managing director, Michael Bradley, said:
The continuing decline of transport affordability is a heavy burden at a time when Australians are feeling cost-of-living pressures across the board.
Transport is a significant and unavoidable expense for households, and is also one of the key drivers of general inflation. Governments at all levels must consider these cost pressures when formulating policy.
The findings come as the federal government prepares to introduce new fuel efficiency standards, which you can read the details on below:
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Man charged with domestic violence offences after allegedly tracking vehicle of a woman
A man has been charged with domestic violence offences, with police alleging he installed tracking devices in the vehicle of a woman he knew.
On Tuesday night, strike force detectives executed a search warrant at a home in Riverview, in Sydney’s north shore, amid an investigation into the alleged importation and distribution of prohibited drugs in the state.
During the search police located and seized $230,000, as well as two listening and GPS surveillance devices. Detectives arrested a 36-year-old man at the scene.
He was taken to Manly police station and charged with contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (domestic), stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm, and possess surveillance devices intend unlawful use.
Detectives will allege in court the man had installed the tracking devices in the vehicle of a woman who was known to him.
The 36-year-old was refused bail to appear before Manly local court yesterday. Investigations are continuing.
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Greens willing to ‘negotiate in good faith’ around federal Help to Buy scheme
Max Chandler-Mather said the Greens were willing to “negotiate in good faith” around Labor’s Help to Buy housing scheme.
As our reporter Sarah Basford Canales explains, the proposal is known as a shared equity scheme and aims to help eligible applicants get into the housing market by loaning them 30% (for an existing build) or 40% (new build) of the purchase price.
That reduces the bank loan to 60% or 70%, so those eligible will require smaller deposits and loans. You can read her full explainer on the scheme below:
Speaking to ABC RN just before, Chandler-Mather argued a similar scheme in NSW was “woefully broken” with 3,000 places offered but only 100-200 taking it up:
Now the government has said in response to questions on notice that the cost of this scheme will be over $5bn over the next … four or five years. $5bn for a scheme that in NSW maybe helped one or 200 people buy a home is frankly ridiculous. And if they have $5bn to spare, why not [invest] in public housing?
On the question of negative gearing and capital gains tax, Chandler-Mather argued “we heard this rhetoric from the government on the stage-three tax cuts and then they relented and shifted it somewhat inadequately.” He argued the capital gains tax discount was “more unequal than the stage-three tax cuts”.
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Chandler-Mather hits back at comments from RBA governor that migration is putting pressure on housing market
Speaking to ABC RN, Max Chandler-Mather is asked about comments from the RBA governor Michele Bullock that migration is putting pressure on the housing market.
He responded he does not believe migration is the primary cause, but it is tax handouts, a lack of rent control or regulation, and “a chronic underinvestment” in public housing.
We know there’s a large amount of vacant homes across Australia because our housing market encourages people to treat it as a lucrative financial asset. I suppose I get frustrated with this because to be perfectly frank, even if Australia’s migration was brought down to net zero as it was during Covid, that did not solve the housing crisis – house prices and rents are going up…
Not only do I think we should value a multicultural society, and I think it would be unfortunate if our purported solution to the housing crisis was to go down a route that frankly, I think often – I’m not suggesting you are PK or necessarily Bullock – but a lot of certainly people like that will end up using it as a way to … demonise migrants and blame them for a crisis they frankly have nothing to do with.
Let’s put it this way – right now as mortgages rates go up the big banks are recording some of the biggest profits ever… off a turbocharged housing crisis. Now I would argue that they are far bigger culprits in encouraging and pushing for and lobbying for a housing system that allows them to make lots of money, they’re far bigger culprits than any migrants coming to this country.
Greens continue call for freeze or cap on rent increases
The Green’s housing spokesperson, Max Chandler-Mather, says the party will continue calling for a freeze or cap on rent increases, despite it being shot down by federal and state governments last year.
He is currently speaking to ABC RN and says:
What we know now, thanks to the RBA, is that over the next year, the rent increases will be even bigger. It’s a red tsunami coming for renters, [a] 10% increase which amounts to … [an] over $5bn collective rent increase for renters. Now, if the government in this budget fronted up money to help coordinate a national freeze and cap on rent increases, we could save renters, on average, about $2,500 a year.
Now that might not be much for someone who’s on the wealthier end of the spectrum, but for a lot of people that’s food on the table, that’s paying some electricity bills, that’s paying for some costs that they’ve been putting off.
Host Patricia Karvelas pushes that the federal government doesn’t have the power to introduce a freeze, and this lies with the states. Chandler-Mather responded:
The point is the federal government, the way it gets things done in this country often is offering the state’s money in exchange for action across the country, coordinated through national cabinet. It is, I would say, particularly bad faith for the government to pretend like they don’t do this all the time and other areas because they are a priority. Now if it were a priority, helping renters and not treating them like second class citizens, then the government could do this on rent as well.
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Bill to ban manufacture, sale and advertising of vapes should pass, Senate committee says
A bill to ban the manufacture, sale, and advertising of vapes in Australia should be passed, a Senate committee has recommended, following evidence from public hearings and almost 300 submissions.
If passed by the Senate, the legislation will mean the only way vapes can legally be obtained is through a prescription from a GP or nurse practitioner which is presented to a community pharmacy. A vote is expected in June.
The committee published its report yesterday afternoon after hearing from representatives from the health, education, pharmaceutical, vaping, medical and retail sectors across two days earlier in May.
The legislation will also see a new framework for the regulation of vapes introduced so state and territory officials can undertake enforcement action. It includes new offences and civil penalties related to the importation, domestic manufacture, supply, commercial possession and advertisement of vaping goods, and enhances federal enforcement powers.
However, individuals with personal supply will not be targeted, Butler has previously said.
The legislation was introduced in addition to reforms which began in January that banned the importation of disposable vapes from overseas. Additional comments from the Greens and Coalition, and a dissenting report from the Nationals, were published by the committee alongside its report. Read more:
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NSW minister says local councils shouldn’t get to choose what other people can and cannot read
NSW arts minister John Graham was also asked about comments from Labor councillor Mohamad Hussein, who voted in favour of the motion.
Hussein has doubled down on the ban and cited his religious beliefs as reasoning. Responding to this, Graham stated there is a “real right here, and that’s the right to choose”.
I’ve had total respect for people’s religious views, their strongly held moral views, and they should exercise those as they choose what to read, or as they choose to give their children guidance about what to read. Those are really important freedoms, but they shouldn’t be exercised by local councillors for other people.
Graham said that people rely on libraries for “unbiased information” and he argued this is really important amid the growth of social media:
…where the clutter of clashing views makes it very hard to sift through [and] have an unbiased source of information, have access to information that hasn’t been filtered, is even more important than ever. And that’s the role of public library plays.
John Graham on future funding for Cumberland city council libraries, amid book ban
Speaking to ABC RN, the NSW arts minister, John Graham, said advice was being sought as to whether Cumberland city council was contravening any anti-discrimination laws.
He has also written to the council personally, stating it is in breach of library guidelines and to “really ascertain the facts and ask them what they are intending to do”:
Each of those councils signs off when they apply for funding to say that they are in compliance with the guidelines, and I’m not clear how they’re intending to sign that off and apply for funding next time …
They’ve got the opportunity to [reconsider] next week. I hope they will. That’d certainly be a better result for their citizens.
Host Patricia Karvelas asked if the state government would really take funding from local libraries. Graham said council would not be eligible to apply in the first place if they did not meet the guidelines, and said:
If this is the path that councillors go down, they simply won’t be able to apply.
Those guidelines have been in place for a long time [and] are very important. They protect in exactly this situation. This is one instance. Imagine if we let this culture war imported from the US roll on, the number of books that people would want to argue about being taken off our shelves.
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NSW arts minister says Sydney council is ‘importing US culture war’ with book ban
NSW’s arts minister, John Graham, says a Sydney council has sent a “terrible message” by voting to ban same-sex parenting books, importing a “US culture war into our country”.
In case you missed it: Cumberland city council voted to place a blanket ban on same-sex parenting books from local libraries. Labor councillor Mohamad Hussein voted in favour of the motion, which passed six to five.
Speaking to ABC RN earlier this morning, Graham said he had not spoken to the councillors directly but understood there would likely be another vote next Wednesday.
That’s a good thing. I think it’s a chance for the council to reconsider.
He said the council’s decision to ban same-sex parenting books is in breach of guidelines that apply to public libraries across NSW, stating they should be “an unbiased source of information and ideas”. Abiding by this is a condition for funding, Graham said.
The minister said he has read the book which sparked the ban – which is a “simple story [showing] that families come in all shapes and sizes”.
It’s a terrible message to send, to have this councillor importing this US culture war into our country and playing it out on the shelves of the local library. I think the community expectations are clear – the local councillors should be coming around to pick up their bin, not telling them what to read.
Updated
Allowing super withdrawals to pay for first home would blow multibillion-dollar hole in budget, modelling finds
Letting Australians access superannuation to buy their first home would blow a hole of up to $2.5bn a year in the budget by the end of the decade, according to Deloitte modelling.
The predictions made on behalf of the Super Members Council, which were released today, shows a mounting annual and cumulative cost to the budget primarily from more people relying on the aged pension due to lower super balances at retirement.
Deloitte found a couple comprised of two 30-year-olds who withdrew $35,000 each from their super could retire with about $195,000 less in today’s dollars.
Such a couple could be expected to receive $3,270 more a year from the aged pension, costing $88,400 to the budget over their lifetime.
Read more:
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Budget to earmark $110m for Tuvalu
The federal budget next week will earmark $110m in funding for the low-lying Pacific country of Tuvalu, as the Australian government makes renewed efforts to lock in closer security ties.
The funding includes $50m to help Tuvalu secure its first undersea telecommunications cable, $19m to extend a coastal climate adaption project and $15m for a new national security coordination centre.
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, announced the funding during a bipartisan visit to Tuvalu alongside her opposition counterpart, Simon Birmingham.
Addressing a state dinner in the capital Funafuti last night, Wong said the two countries were “counting on each other to ensure our region remains safe and secure” and acknowledged “the greatest threat to this is climate change”.
Wong said years of political disagreement had delayed climate action in Australia, but she argued the economic transition was “now on the right path and picking up speed”.
Later today, Australia and Tuvalu are expected to release a joint statement confirming that their climate and security treaty – signed last year – would “not limit Tuvalu’s liberty to enter into diplomatic relations with other states”, but only required consent for security-related deals. Tuvalu currently maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan rather than with China.
Tuvalu is extremely vulnerable to rising sea levels. It is on the front line of the climate crisis.
— Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) May 8, 2024
I visited the Tuvalu Coastal Adaptation Project to see the great progress made in reclaiming land on Funafuti.
Australia is investing $38 million into this important project. pic.twitter.com/E2dtRfLhTr
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Good morning
Hello and happy Thursday! I’m Emily Wind, and I’ll be with you on the live blog today – many thanks to Martin for kicking things off.
You can get in touch with me via X, @emilywindwrites, or send me an email, emily.wind@theguardian.com.au, for any thoughts, questions or tips.
Let’s get started.
Joint letter from 58 groups urges politicians to protect kids from vaping
Leading groups of doctors, dentists, nurses, pharmacists, public health experts, teachers, and parents have signed a letter urging all federal politicians to protect children’s health from vaping.
The joint letter with 58 signatories, published today by the Australian Council on Smoking and Health (Acosh), comes as the bill to ban the manufacture, sale, and advertising of vapes in Australia is currently before parliament.
A Senate committee yesterday recommended the bill be passed following evidence from public hearings and almost 300 submissions, alongside a dissenting report from the Nationals.
Acosh’s co-chief executive, Laura Hunter, said parliamentarians needed to listen to the community as the tobacco and vape industries and their allies attempt to “sabotage the sound policy”:
Let’s be clear here, what’s really at stake is the health and wellbeing of our children.
In addition to trying to addict new generations of young Australians to vapes, the tobacco and vape industries and their allies are running relentless campaigns to sabotage the sound policy that is in front of our parliament.
This bill will get vapes out of convenience stores, delis, and petrol stations and into pharmacies under the control of the prescription model. At the same time, it will ensure they are only available to adults who want to quit smoking.
Updated
Labor councillors lodge motion against library book ban
After a councillor in western Sydney doubled down on Cumberland council’s blanket ban on same-sex parenting books from local libraries, another councillor has spoken out against the move and said he and three other representatives have lodged a rescission motion against the idea.
Labor councillor Kun Huang said on Facebook last night that he and fellow Labor councillor Sabrin Farooqui, Glenn Elmore and Diane Colman were opposed to the ban passed last week in a motion pushed through by former mayor and current councillor Steve Christou.
Huang said:
I’ve always supported diversity, and it is my strongest belief that diversity is our greatest strength.
No one should be discriminated against based on their race, religion, or sexual orientation. No family should be discriminated against based on their family composition. No child should be made to feel they do not belong.
And no elected representative should have the power to ban books at your local library on a whim. This kind of censorship by politicians should have no place in Australia.
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Wong warns Israel over Rafah attack
The Australian government says it has told Israel that an expanded military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah would have “devastating” impacts on Palestinian civilians.
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, said in a statement last night that Australia had “been clear about our objections to a major Israeli ground offensive into Rafah”. She said Australia had “reiterated this to Israel again” yesterday. Expressing hopes for a ceasefire deal, Wong said:
More than half of Gaza’s 2.3 million population are sheltering in Rafah, from the fighting elsewhere.
The impacts on Palestinian civilians from an expanded military operation would be devastating.
That’s why our call remains for a humanitarian ceasefire to enable hostages to be released and unimpeded aid to flow.
We support the continued work of Qatar, the US and Egypt to broker a deal.
Some notes on gas
The statement from Madeleine King also said gas supplied 27% of Australia’s energy needs and was responsible for 14% of Australia’s export income.
It did not say that gas is also responsible for 21% of Australia’s climate pollution, as according to the draft future gas strategy released last year. That footprint is much higher again if the emissions released when Australia’s exported gas is burned overseas are included.
Fossil gas is often said to have about half the emissions of coal when burned, but has been found to have a greater climate impact once methane leaks during production were factored in. Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas, with warming power far greater than carbon dioxide.
The consultants Climate Analytics found fossil gas was the greatest source of global emissions growth last decade.
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New fossil fuel sources will be needed for decades, says government gas plan
A promised “future gas strategy” to be released by the Albanese government will argue the fossil fuel is an important part of the transition to net zero emissions and that Australia will need new sources of it to meet demand “to 2050 and beyond”.
The support for opening new gas fields is likely to spark controversy and be criticised by climate scientists and campaigners, among others. An International Energy Agency outlook last year found global investment in oil and gas would need to be cut roughly in half by 2030 to put the world on track to reach net zero emissions by mid-century.
The resources minister, Madeleine King, released a statement about the strategy, but not the full policy, to Guardian Australia late on Wednesday. The statement did not say how much more gas the government believed Australia would need to meet demand in the decades ahead.
It listed principles underpinning the government’s policy, including a commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, gas remaining affordable for Australians throughout the transition to net zero, and Australia remaining “a reliable trading partner for energy, including LNG [liquefied natural gas] and low emission gases”.
It said new sources of gas supply would be needed to meet demand during the transition and that reliable gas supply would “gradually and inevitably” shift towards supporting areas where that were of higher value or where there was not a substitute for gas.
Households would “continue to have a choice over how their energy needs are met”, suggesting they would not be forced to stop using gas.
King said:
The strategy makes it clear that gas will remain an important source of energy through to 2050 and beyond, and its uses will change as we improve industrial energy efficiency, firm renewables, and reduce emissions.
But it is clear we will need continued exploration, investment and development in the sector to support the path to net zero for Australia and for our export partners, and to avoid a shortfall in gas supplies.
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our rolling news coverage. I’m Martin Farrer, bringing you the best of the overnight stories before my colleague Emily Wind steps up.
As doctors and medical officials in the Gaza city of Rafah say hospitals risk being overwhelmed if the fighting there intensifies, Penny Wong last night warned Israel against any full-scale attack. She said in a statement that it would have “devastating” consequences for the civilian population trapped in the enclave. More coming up.
One of our top stories this morning is an exclusive survey of hundreds of leading climate scientists warning that they expect global temperatures to rise to at least 2.5C above preindustrial levels this century – way above internationally agreed targets and causing catastrophic consequences for humanity and the planet. It comes as the resources minister, Madeleine King, released a statement last night about the government’s promised “future gas strategy”. It argues that the fossil fuel is an important part of the transition to net zero emissions and that Australia will need new sources of it to meet demand “to 2050 and beyond”. More coming up.
Australians are forecast to have more disposable income next year, according to budget predictions, with higher wages, tax cuts and lowering inflation. But people on jobseeker won’t be getting any more. And letting Australians access superannuation to buy their first home would blow a hole of up to $2.5bn a year in the budget by the end of the decade, according to Deloitte modelling for the super industry.
