What we learned today, Monday 13 April
We will wrap up the live blog here for the evening. This is what made the news:
One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce said there has to be a chance at “redemption” for those convicted of crimes, shortly after party leader, Pauline Hanson, said she fired a convicted rapist who worked as One Nation’s campaign manager.
The defence industry minister, Pat Conroy, said the government is not considering joining the upcoming US blockade of the strait of Hormuz.
The federal government announced a raft of new appointments in defence, including Susan Coyle to be chief of army – the first time a woman has held the position.
The energy minister, Chris Bowen, says 57 ships carrying various types of fuel – crude oil, jet fuel, diesel and petrol – are on their way to Australia, “about standard” for this time of year.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, will visit Brunei and Malaysia this week as the government seeks to shore up Australia’s supply of diesel, fertiliser and other critical goods in the wake of shortages caused by the US-Israel war on Iran.
Petrol prices are below 220 cents a litre in most cities and diesel prices are easing as a rapid wholesale price spike unwinds.
Uber will add a fuel surcharge to its non-EV fares for almost two months starting from Wednesday in response to petrol price rises.
The Victorian health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, finance minister, Danny Pearson, and minister for skills, Tafe and water, Gayle Tierney, all announced they would not contest the November state election.
The Australian share market dropped sharply this morning after US-Iran peace talks broke down and Donald Trump said the navy would blockade the strait of Hormuz.
Until next time, thanks for following along.
Updated
Queensland premier hints at bail law crackdown
Queensland premier, David Crisafulli, has hinted his government will implement new bail laws, “the toughest we’ve ever seen”, on Karl Stefanovic’s podcast.
The LNP won last year’s Hinchinbrook byelection on a platform of “breach of bail go to jail”, but the party has yet to adopt the policy. In Queensland, breach of bail is already an offence for children, after Labor passed its own 2023 crackdown, overriding the state Human Rights Act.
Crisafulli appeared in an episode of Stefanovic’s four-month old podcast on the weekend.
The premier agreed with Stefanovic’s suggestion that the courts “need to catch up” with the state government’s flagship adult crime legislation and that there was a need for tougher bail legislation.
Crisafulli said the government was considering “really tough bail laws, like the toughest we’ve ever seen” at the behest of regional MPs.
And I’ve told them to go and mount a case for it and do the work, draft the legislation, and we’ll consider it, and we’ll consider it quickly.
Updated
