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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Jordyn Beazley and Amy Remeikis (earlier)

Dutton claims PM ‘misrepresented’ earlier comments about Rudd’s performance as US ambassador – as it happened

Penny Wong Yang Hengjun China Australia Canberra Wang Yi Labor Wang Wang Immigration NZYQ
Peter Dutton during question time at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday.
Peter Dutton during question time at Parliament House in Canberra on Wednesday. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

NSW to hold inquiry into rural and regional community safety after spate of crime

The NSW government has agreed to hold a parliamentary inquiry into “safety in rural and regional communities” after saying it would not hold a regional crime inquiry.

The premier, Chris Minns, told the Guardian in December that he was reluctant to meet the demands of the Country Mayors Association, police union and some National party MPs to hold an inquiry into regional crime.

The police minister, Yasmin Catley, this evening announced Labor’s inquiry, which she said would be different.

Catley said:

We’ve said all along we would not support the National party’s politicised inquiry that sought to blame police for deeply entrenched social problems that lead to crime in regional communities.

This inquiry will help get to the bottom of these complex problems and seek solutions that the government can implement to tackle the root causes and drivers of this offending.

Labor MP Edmond Atalla will chair the inquiry.

He said:

As well as looking at the root causes of youth crime, the inquiry will also examine the wraparound and diversionary services available for youth and families in the regions and rural areas.

We will consider how the NSW government can better match services to individuals and how these services can be measured, improved and coordinated to divert youth from crime.

The announcement of the inquiry comes after NSW parliament passed the Minns government’s controversial laws to make it harder for teen offenders to get bail.

The government last week announced a $26.2 million package to tackle youth crime in the bush, with a focus on the town of Moree.

Updated

What we learned: Wednesday 20 March

  • Penny Wong and Anthony Albanese have supported Kevin Rudd’s position as Australia’s ambassador to the US after Donald Trump said Rudd was “not the brightest bulb” and “won’t be there long” should Trump win the 2024 presidential race.

  • Wong and Albanese also met with China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, discussing concerns about the death sentence of Dr Yang Hengjun, removing trade impediments, and a desire for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

  • Victoria has become the latest state – along with NSW and Queensland – to change youth justice laws following political pressure, announcing a trial of electronic monitoring of children on bail.

  • A Victorian parliamentary inquiry will be held into the government’s plan to demolish and redevelop the state’s 44 high-rise public housing towers.

  • Queensland will establish the first of two fixed pill-testing clinics in Brisbane this year, the first Australian state to back the harm reduction strategy on an ongoing basis.

  • Question time in New South Wales parliament was interrupted this morning when a group of people staged a protest in support of Palestine.

  • The Victorian government’s scrapping of the 2026 Commonwealth Games cost taxpayers more than $589m, with the state’s auditor general finding it had “no discernible benefit”.

  • All remaining Godfreys Group stores will be closed after administrators failed to find a buyer for the vacuum cleaner retailer.

  • Justice Michael Lee will deliver his judgment in the federal court in Sydney at 10.15am on Thursday 4 April in the defamation case Bruce Lehrmann brought against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.

Updated

Push to rethink youth crime as ‘jailing is failing’

Indigenous leaders, judicial figures and community experts have urged a rethink of the justice system as the NSW government pushes tougher youth crime laws through parliament, AAP reports.

The Justice Reform Initiative, which includes experts, ex-politicians and top legal minds, released a report on Wednesday that pressed the need for evidence-based alternatives to locking up young people to address rising crime.

“Jailing is failing,” executive director Mindy Soriti said, adding:

It is not working to address the social driver of incarceration and it is not working to keep the community safe.

The group’s push comes just over a week after the premier, Chris Minns, announced a hardening of youth bail laws for two crimes, including a temporary, extra test when older children were re-arrested while before the courts on similar charges.

While youth crime has been trending down for the past 15 years, recent violent break-ins in regional areas have ignited community demands for action.

The group’s report highlights the need for community-based programs that work to intervene and prevent people from turning to crime and ending up tangled in the justice system.

It pointed to research showing early intervention programs could reduce offending among at-risk populations by 50%.

Updated

If you’re just catching up on today’s news, Mike Hohnen has our top stories for today here in our afternoon update:

Crackdown on gambling, money laundering as laws pass

New laws focusing on gambling harm minimisation and cracking down on criminal behaviour in casinos have been passed in Queensland, AAP reports.

The casino control bill implements the remaining recommendations from a landmark review of operations at The Star Entertainment Group that was handed down two years ago.

Mandatory carded play in casinos, cash restrictions, compulsory break limits and enforceable compliance with safer gambling codes of conduct are among the features of the legislation.

State attorney general, Yvette D’Ath, said the legislation was a significant step:

It is no exaggeration to say that the reforms presented in this bill are among the most significant steps taken to reduce gambling harm in any jurisdiction in this country in the history of gambling regulation.

Updated

Victorian Greens’ motion for inquiry into public housing redevelopment passes parliament

A Victorian parliamentary inquiry will be held into the government’s plan to demolish and redevelop the state’s 44 high-rise public housing towers.

The Greens moved a motion in the upper house on Wednesday to launch the inquiry and it passed with the support of the opposition and the more progressive members of the cross-bench.

The state’s Greens leader, Samantha Ratnam, said the inquiry will investigate the rationale and cost-modelling for the decision, whether alternatives were considered, as well as the plan’s impact on current public housing residents.

She said she was hopeful it would lead to answers for the 10,000 public housing residents affected. Ratnam said:

For six months Labor has tried its best to hide any details about this plan. They’ve failed to consult, refused to answer questions, and left communities in the dark, hoping that 10,000 residents will quietly leave their longtime homes so the government can knock them down. But the Greens won’t let that happen. This inquiry will force Labor to come clean on this project that could end public housing in Victoria.

Updated

Bruce Lehrmann defamation trial: verdict to be handed down on 4 April

Justice Michael Lee will deliver his judgment in the federal court in Sydney at 10.15am on Thursday 4 April in the defamation case Bruce Lehrmann brought against Network Ten and Lisa Wilkinson.

The federal court announced the date for the decision on Wednesday, three months after the five-week trial ended on 22 December.

In a live oral summary, Lee will rule whether the former Liberal staffer was defamed by Wilkinson and Ten when The Project broadcast an interview with Brittany Higgins in 2021 in which she alleged she was raped in Parliament House. The full judgment will be published shortly afterwards.

More on this story here:

And also a rundown on how the defamation case unfolded here:

Updated

Coalition leaders ‘committed to dialogue’ with China after meeting foreign minister

Shadow minister for foreign affairs, Simon Birmingham, was speaking on ABC Afternoon Briefing a moment ago, where he was asked about his and Peter Dutton’s meeting with China’s foreign minister Wang Yi.

Birmingham did not give much insight into what was discussed, but pointed out the meeting “is a demonstration that, just as in the past, Coalition governments have established a comprehensive strategic partnership between our nations”.

He added:

We are committed to dialogue and we welcome the fact that China has made decisions to resume dialogue with Australia which has been important.

Asked whether the meeting involved revisiting any of the Morrison government’s tensions with Wang Yi, Birmingham said:

I won’t go into the detail of the conversation, but I can say that it was a meeting where the comments and discussions focused on the here and now, and the future, rather than looking backwards.

He then added a “broad range of issues” were discussed and the Coalition “made known concerns in a number of areas”. He added the importance of people to people links, regional security, and trade disputes was also discussed.

Updated

Kooyong MP calls for Hecs reform

Independent MP, Monique Ryan, says she has handed education minister Jason Clare a petition signed by more than 100,000 people calling for a commitment to reform Hecs indexation.

This indexation, which increases Hecs interest according to inflation, saw HECS debts rise by 7.1% last July. As Ryan pointed out a little earlier on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, this meant a graduate with an average Hecs debt of $60,000 a year was saddled with a $1,700 increase.

Asked whether Ryan felt she was “pushing against an open door”, given Clare is considering a proposed massive overhaul of the tertiary education system, she said:

He has not indicated or given us any cause for strong feelings that he’s going to make changes to Hecs indexation, so I think it’s important, and that’s why I’ve been saying to people sign this petition, tell him how much we need this changed. The treasurer is indicating there’s a lot of pressure on the budget, this is something that has to be in there.

Here’s some more information on the reforms being considered by Clare:

Updated

Anthony Albanese posted to X a short snippet of his and foreign minister Penny Wong’s meeting with China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi.

Albanese wrote:

My government is committed to a constructive and stable relationship with China.

Remaining Godfreys stores to close

All remaining Godfreys Group stores will be closed after administrators failed to find a buyer for the vacuum cleaner retailer.

Administrator PwC said today it had no other option but to start a wind-down of all Godfreys operations in Australia and New Zealand. Franchised stores can trade until the end of March to sell existing stock.

PwC partner Craig Crosbie said:

This is not the outcome Godfreys had hoped for following a rigorous process to find a purchaser for the business that could keep the store network trading.

In the absence of any further bidders coming forward as intermittent trading continues, the process of closing all remaining stores will progress over the next eight weeks.

The well known vacuum cleaner retailer collapsed at the end of January, leaving administrators in search of a buyer to keep the 93-year-old brand alive. Dozens of stores were closed shortly after, and almost 200 jobs lost.

A further 25 office staff were made redundant today.

Crosbie said that while 55 expressions of interest and six indicative offers were received during the sale process, none progressed.

Established in 1931, Godfreys grew into one of the world’s biggest specialist vacuum retailers, but has struggled in an increasingly competitive market that includes competitors The Good Guys, Harvey Norman and numerous online outfits.

Updated

Good afternoon, everyone. I’ll now be with you until this evening.

I’ll hand the blog over to Jordyn Beazley, who will take you through some more of the day’s events. We will be back tomorrow morning with the last sitting day of this week – but don’t worry, we have three more days next week before the autumn break keeps us apart until May.

Until tomorrow morning – take care of you Ax

Updated

We reported a little earlier about Juice Media being told to take down their satirical video on Tasmania’s coming election.

Tory Shepherd has spoken to the honest government ad creators about their … well, I’ll let you read the description.

Updated

The flags are getting a workout today.

Anthony Albanese and Wang Yi held a pic fac (a photo call) ahead of their meeting (which was behind closed doors).

Updated

Here is how Mike Bowers saw question time today:

Still working on that smile:

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton during question time in the house of representatives chamber of Parliament House
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton during question time in the house of representatives chamber of Parliament House in Canberra this afternoon. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

We now all know what Jim Chalmers looks like singing in the shower. (He’s a 90s hip hop fan, but not sure that Biggie ever threw this move)

Updated

The video team have been very busy today – here is Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton duelling at the end of question time over Kevin Rudd

Anthony Albanese is now holding his own meeting with China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi.

We’ll have the photos from that very soon.

We reported on this earlier today, but in case you missed it, the video team have clipped it up for you –Labor MP Graham Perrett made a late night speech on Tuesday on what is happening in Gaza.

David Shoebridge hails pro-Palestinian protestors with ‘more conviction and principle’ than in the parliament

Over in the Senate, Greens senator David Shoebridge has paid tribute to the anti-genocide protesters who disrupted the house question time on Monday and criticised prime minister Anthony Albanese for not meeting with them outside his electorate office.

Shoebridge:

In parliament question time on Monday this week, we saw protesters disrupting parliamentary procedure, because they were calling for a ceasefire, and they were calling for an end to the genocide in Gaza.

And many of the protesters that were in the gallery during the House of Reps question time, have come from groups like Families for Palestine, that have been picketing outside the prime minister’s electorate office in the heart of Sydney now for six weeks.

Picketing in circumstances where there were mums, largely mums and supporters of those mums from within the prime minister’s own electorate, and he has directed his office to lock the door to them.

To not answer their calls, to not let them in, to not speak to them. And for six weeks, they have been camped outside seeking a response so they finally came here and they came to parliament and in the gallery.

And in case you couldn’t hear their call on the video feed, this is what they said and I quote, ‘Albanese your hands are red, 15,000 children dead’.

That was their call. That’s what they said. And I can tell you this. It’s not the first time that there’s been more conviction and principle in the galleries of this place than there is on the floor of parliament.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen clearer, morally unambiguous statements coming from the community and holding this place to account.

And the response, the smirking response from members of the government and the opposition to these families, many of them who have loved ones in Gaza. The smirking responses – they were removed from the parliament because they dared to bring politics and truth to the parliament – was hard to watch.

Updated

Question time ends – with more sparring over Trump and Rudd

Anthony Albanese asks to add to an answer though – the Paul Fletcher question on Kevin Rudd and Donald Trump.

Albanese wants to add this comment:

I wish to add this comment with regard to the position of Kevin Rudd as the ambassador of Australia to the United States: On 11 February, just a month ago, Peter Dutton, the leader of the opposition, was asked by Andrew Clennell on Sky News the following: ‘Could you work with Kevin Rudd as ambassador, or would you seek to replace him if elected?’ The leader of the opposition responded as follows: ‘I mean, what grounds would there be to replace him? I would work very closely with him. I know him, Kevin - I caught up with him when he was in Australia, and he gave us an update as to what he was seeing in Washington. He represented his country well, and we are a few steps down the road. But I think for most Australians, they get it - the importance of the relationship with America is at its height, more so than any period since the second world war.

That’s a fairly significant statement, but that’s exactly as the prime minister puts it as well.’ It is indeed, Mr Speaker, the way that this prime minister puts it, because the relationship with the United States is very important. It should be beyond the sort of cheap politics that we saw earlier today.

Peter Dutton now wants to make a comment, saying he has been misrepresented by the prime minister “just then”:

I did have complimentary things to say about Mr Rudd, and it is in our national interest to make sure that the ambassador to the United States – our most important strategic alliance partner – is successful, and we will do everything we can to support him. The point I make is that the president of the United States – past president Trump ...

President Trump, who likely will be the nominee for the Republican party at the next election in November, has now made very serious comments in relation to Australia’s ambassador. They need to be answered, and Mr Rudd needs to repair the relationship. That’s the point we were making. And we won’t be hectored to or intimidated by these bully boys over here.

Updated

PM questioned on migration and housing

I was just thinking Michael Sukkar had been quiet today – turns out he had a late question, so couldn’t risk being thrown out.

Sukkar:

My question is to the prime minister: Permanent long-term overseas arrivals are outpacing the construction of new homes at a rate of almost 4 to 1, with 900,000 net overseas arrivals but only 265,000 building completions since Labor came to government. When will the prime minister admit Labor’s housing crisis is out of control and Labor’s fake promise to build 1.2 million homes is yet another broken promise? Why is the prime minister taking this country in the wrong direction?

Albanese takes this question on a journey as well:

I thank him for the tag line, and I respond to him by saying Australia is indeed heading in the right direction.

It was heading in the wrong direction, Mr Speaker. But it’s now setting in a direction which sees inflation going down. I think that’s a good thing. It’s heading in the direction where real wages are going up. I think that’s a good thing. Productivity is increasing. I think that’s a good thing. Now, instead of deficits under them, we’ve got surpluses. I think that’s a good thing. And we’ve seen more jobs created under this government than in any new government in Australian political history.

I think that’s a good thing as well. The other thing that is a good thing is that every Australian’s going to get a tax cut. Not just some – not just politicians – every Australian. Every worker. Including those who are building and working on Australia’s programs such as the social housing accelerator, which is seeing new public housing built.

Etc, etc, etc.

Albanese then gets to the population numbers. He reads from a piece of paper with lots of yellow highlighter (well done to the staffer who very quickly grabbed that and found the right paragraphs):

Of course, when it comes to the population of Australia, as the population statement said last December, for 2030-31 the expected population is 600,000 below what was projected prior to the onset of the pandemic in 2019-20. And we, of course, note the comments of the leader of the opposition, who said, ‘We do - in September 2022 - ‘We do need an increase in the migration numbers. It’s clear the numbers needs to be higher.’ That’s what he had to say.

There is a bit more but we have heard it and occasionally you have to choose self care.

Updated

PM questioned about tax treatment of discretionary trusts

Angus Taylor is back! Two days in a row. How lucky are we.

Taylor asks:

Prime minister, hundreds of thousands of Australian small businesses operate within family trusts. Can the prime minister guarantee that he will not impose a 30% minimum tax rate on discretionary trusts?

Anthony Albanese goes on a bit of a journey:

The shadow treasurer continues to sit there and dream up what can I ask about what the Labor government isn’t doing today? What can I just make up? What can I just make up and then say to today?

So the leader of the opposition can jump in and say, ‘Why won’t you rule it out?’ Well, the sun will come up tomorrow. The sun will go down ...

We have such an absurd position put forward … here we go.

The here we go is in reference to Peter Dutton standing up on a point of order which is not a point of order. Albanese continues:

He’s very angry, Mr Speaker. He’s very angry. Always. We saw it yesterday in the chamber and then we saw it in the press conference afterwards, where he stood up and he said, oh, well, you know, ‘we’ll forget the fact that Michaelia Cash, my attorney general, did a Sky News interview and blew things up on the Sunday … we’ll forget that Michaelia Cash wrote in an oped in the West Australian ….

(There are so many interjections Albanese is cut off)

He continues:

I’m asked about tax and ruling things out. Here’s some things for you. So could tweaks for negative gearing perhaps help younger generations? The member for Menzies. ‘I’m not going to do the rule-in-rule-out of particular policies here. I think the problem with rule-in-rule-out when there is Question Time or here in the media is I think we get focused in the 24-hour news cycle and not the problems that people sent us here to solve.’ That’s what they continue to say. When we talk about tax changes, I’m interested in their view of negative gearing because the member for Canning had something to say as well. He said if the problem includes negative gearing, then we should make changes. The new Senator Kovocic – probably not backed by the leader, given his track record on preselections – [says] we should not be afraid to consider tax changes.

The answer continues but it is more of the same …

Updated

The protest out the front of the parliament during China’s foreign minister’s meeting with Penny Wong continued to the front of the Chinese embassy

Greens ‘ready to work with government’

On Albanese’s answer there, the Greens say they have not been approached by the government to work on any of the legislation he was talking about, but they are willing to work with the government on the issue:

Updated

Albanese on religious discrimination bill: ‘there needs to be bipartisan support’

Anthony Albanese:

What I have said from the very beginning, including at that roundtable, was that there needed to be bipartisan support for this position, because, as Senator Birmingham said this morning, I think it is a reasonable ambition to want to seek bipartisanship. If it is going to be passed through the Senate, given the nature, it needs the support not just of the government, but it needs the support of either the Coalition or the Greens political party.

That’s just the numerical facts of what is there. We will work with everyone, including the crossbenchers, on these issues. I have said, though, that we wouldn’t go through a parliamentary committee process.

Since 2016, there have been at least 10 inquiries. There’s been over 260 hearings and consultations. There have been over 70,000 submissions to committees.

It is now time to determine whether we’ll progress forward or not. I’m up for progressing forward on the basis of a bipartisan position and I hope that that can be achieved. If not, then that will be, of course, a decision for this parliament as well.

I know that for so many Australians, the issues of discrimination are very central to them and I thank the member for Wentworth for the way in which she has taken up these issues in such a considered way.

Updated

Independent MP Allegra Spender asks Anthony Albanese about religious discrimination

Spender:

A young trans person came to me heartbroken at the exclusion question faced at school. They asked me to stand up for the LGBTQI community. Every time we don’t take action on exclusion law is when someone could face exclusion because of who they are.

How can parliament work together to strengthen protections for the LGBTQIA community as well as for people of faith?

Albanese says:

I thank the member for Wentworth for her question. And for her commitment, which I share, that no Australians should be discriminated against on the basis of their gender, their sexuality or their faith. This is something that has been discussed in this chamber prior to the member for Wentworth’s arrival for some period of time.

And I support religious liberty and I think it would be an important step forward if this parliament were to pass legislation … to have the adoption of a religious discrimination bill.

The government has prepared two pieces of legislation - a religious discrimination bill and a Sex Discrimination Act amendment bill to achieve the objectives of ensuring that people of faith can practise their faith free of discrimination, that religious-based schools can operate on the basis of their faith, including on employment issues.

We have consulted widely, and I thank the attorney general for the consultation that’s occurred with faith-based organisations. I have met with many religious leaders, including a roundtable in the middle of last year with a group of religious leaders.

Updated

Anthony Albanese’s answer on that:

Unlike the previous government, this government is getting on with delivery. We believe in industry policy. We believe in a future made in Australia.

We support manufacturing, which is why 100,000 increased jobs is the figure, when it comes to manufacturing jobs. Now, we passed this Act, that was opposed by those opposite, opposed by those opposite, and held up for a while by some on the crossbench as well, but eventually we got it passed through both chambers and it is up and running. We passed the Act.

We confirmed an investment mandate to help guide how the NRF Corporation should support Australian industry. The NRF board has been appointed.

The NRF CEO is already hard at work. The NRF Corporation is already working to secure a manufacturing future for this country. Unlike those opposite, who told the car industry to leave the country, with the consequences that were there, and as a result of losing not just those jobs but the multiplier that that had an impact on in places like Geelong and in places like Adelaide and places like Elizabeth and all the car components...

We believe in a future made in Australia. We believe that we should be manufacturing solar panels here. We believe we should be manufacturing batteries here. We believe that a future made in Australia is linked directly to our national security, so we’re not vulnerable to what happens overseas. That is what we’re about. Those opposite continue to just get in the way, oppose all of these initiatives and then say they haven’t happened soon enough.

Updated

Coalition questions PM on national reconstruction fund

Oh goodie. It’s time for Sussan Ley.

On 7 December in the house last year, the prime minister said the National Reconstruction Fund was up and running. On 15 January, the prime minister said the NRF had been open for business from November and money was available now. But secret government documents reported in the Australian today reveal the funding application process for the NRL was only created after the prime minister made these claims. Where did the prime minister deliberately mislead this parliament?

Tony Burke is immediately on his feet:

Mr Speaker, the deputy leader knows full well that there are some statements that can only be made by direct resolution. Well, I would put that question should be out of order completely. That was eyes-wide-open breach of the standing orders.

Ley is told to withdraw the last part of the question and rephrase it. So she Leys it:

Why did the prime minister deliberately not tell the truth to the parliament?

Milton Dick doesn’t even need Burke for that one. So he tells her to try it one more time.

I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Can the prime minister please explain the inconsistency between the two statements he made?

Updated

Dixer on income support increase

Right on schedule Amanda Rishworth takes a dixer on the indexation increase to people on income support.

The March increase has nothing to do with the government (beyond the government allowing the by-rote indexation correction to go through). It is part of a regular adjustment of income support linked to CPI. So it is not a “boost” as it is acknowledging the cost of living has increased.

(And a reminder the jobseeker rate remains below the Henderson poverty line)

Also right on schedule, Rishworth adds up the other indexation increases, along with the $20 a week increase the government did pass as part of the last budget, to say “In fact, the combined result of the $40 increase and the regular indexation since the Albanese government took office, means the base rate of jobseeker has increased by $120 a fortnight”.

(We predicted that statement at 9.01am this morning. Glad we are not losing our touch)

Updated

Chalmers says providing more for early childhood education depends on ‘finding room’ in the budget

Jim Chalmers says:

We also know, coming to the specifics of the member for Goldstein’s question, we also know that there is more work to do in this area.

We don’t pretend that the important investments we made in the first budget, or indeed the work that we have been doing for much of this term in office, we don’t pretend that the job is done. We are enthusiastic supporters of the early childhood sector and so we are examining other ways that we can strengthen the system.

Whether it is the two measures that you mentioned there, whether it’s this budget or the next budget, there is a willingness from the government to explore those issues that you talked about. We do want to boost pay for early childhood educators.

They’re doing such an important job. Many of us know from our own experience with the wonderful early childhood educators of this country how important they are. And we want to see them paid more. We want to see them paid fairly and we do acknowledge the arguments around the activity test as well.

It’s just a [matter] of finding room in a budget with all of our fiscal constraints. But there is a level of interest. We do not lightly dismiss the suggestions you mention and all the consultation that we do with the sector and with others to see if we can do better. At the end of the day, Mr Speaker, and the member for Goldstein, we want to see a sector which is well paid.

We want to see a sector which recognises the important role that this plays in education and not just care. Education and care. Not just education or care.

And we see the care economy more broadly as an absolutely central part of our efforts to strengthen the economy into the future.

Updated

Question to the treasurer on early childhood education

Goldstein independent MP Zoe Daniel asks Jim Chalmers:

There are two positive economic steps that the government can take right now – abolish the activity test, which limits subsidised early childhood education and care; and a wage increase for all early childhood educators. These measures would enable more children to access care, address the shortage of workers in the sector, enable more women to work and boost productivity and the overall economy. When, when, when, when will the government take these wins for women in the budget?

Daniel was there as part of Thrive by Five’s latest push to have childcare become a national agenda item:

Updated

Another question on electricity prices

Nationals MP Anne Webster asks the PM:

The prime minister is taking this country in the wrong direction. Families and small businesses in my electorate are facing a 20% rise in electricity prices, along with higher gas prices, as a result of this government’s policies. Is the prime minister aware that farmers, food manufacturers and transport companies are facing the same price hikes and have no choice but to pass it on to consumers? Which is why Australians are paying more at the checkout.

So because the question had a preamble, Anthony Albanese can take the question where he likes. And he does.

I’m asked to compare, really, whether the government is taking Australia in the right direction. And I’m happy to do so, Mr Speaker, happy to do so, because since we came to office, we have created more jobs, including in regional Australia, than any new government in Australian history ….

The answer goes on, but I don’t think you need me to rehash what the government sees as its achievements.

Updated

Chris Bowen asked about Labor’s vehicle efficiency standards

The Nationals’ David Gillespie:

The Isuzu D-Max is one of the bestselling vehicles but Labor’s new taxes will increase prices by up to $13,800 on every car. Isuzu Ute Australia says the policy is excessive and many brands may be forced to increase vehicle prices to cover the penalties incurred. Why is Labor increasing family car prices in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis?

A reminder that one of the reasons the D-Max was one of the bestselling cars was because of the exceptionally generous instant asset write-off policy the Morrison government put in place, which allowed for things like giant utes to be written off for tax purposes.

Bowen:

I thank the honourable member for his question and presumably he’s raised it with the member for Bradfield, who pointed out when he was trying to introduce fuel efficiency standards that no model, the price of no model would go up, as it hadn’t in Australia or any other country in the world, and the impact on purchasing wouldn’t change. Perhaps he was raising the same point when the former member for Kooyong said just weeks before the last election on Insiders, and I quote, “The Liberal party has always been committed to fuel efficiency standards.” Always been committed.

As the minister for transport just shared with the house, apparently the leader of the opposition is still committed. Funny way of showing it, but still committed.

Commitment means delivery. What we are doing, as the minister for transport just said, is consulting on a preferred model with a wide range of stakeholders across industry groups and consumers groups to ensure we get [it] right. That’s what we’re doing because that’s what good governments do and then we will introduce the legislation.

We will be voting for cost-of-living relief which reduces the amount of petrol used by motorists, whether they choose a more efficient petrol vehicle, a more efficient diesel vehicle or an EV. We want more choices available to the Australian people, not fewer choices. We want Australia to catch up with every other major economy in the world, except for Russia.

The leader of the opposition is happy to stay in the group of two, G2, Australia and Russia, when it comes to vehicle efficiency standards and we are not.

Updated

Catherine King takes a dixer on fuel efficiency standards, mostly so she can say:

Now the Coalition, frankly, are all talk and no delivery. They are too scared of their own shadow to actually deliver on their own policies. When anything gets a little bit too hard, they crawl up into a ball. They are the scared, weird little guys of Australian politics.

Updated

Albanese continues on Coalition’s ‘cheap-shot question’:

This is what the leader of the opposition said on the appointment of Mr Kevin Rudd, a former Australian prime minister, as ambassador to the United States, he said this – ‘we welcome the appointment of Kevin Rudd to the United States’.

When Joe Hockey, the predecessor [successor was appointed] he said this – ‘I’m sure the Americans will give him a warm welcome’. Those opposite know that whether it is Kevin Rudd in the United States or Stephen Smith, who is currently here as a result of the Aukmin meetings as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, who I hosted last evening and I’ll host the Aukmin delegates, both the defence and foreign ministers, including former prime minister David Cameron, at the Lodge tomorrow, and be very proud to do so, is that when we engage, particularly with our Aukus allies - the idea that we have a cheap-shot question like that diminishes the opposition and says everything about why this bloke is not fit to be the prime minister of Australia.

Updated

Anthony Albanese says Coalition ‘politicising’ Australia’s ambassador to US

Albanese seems properly furious while answering this question:

I’m somewhat surprised to get that question from the manager of opposition business, that says everything about the character of this current opposition.

At a time when Australians are worried about the cost of living and a range of issues that affect their daily lives, they decide to politicise Australia’s representative in Washington DC.

Something that was never done by this side of the chamber when Arthur Sinodinos occupied that position, when Joe Hockey occupied that position, and when other representatives, including Alexander Downer, George Brandis and others as High Commissioner of the United Kingdom.

Because one of the things that I have never seen happen before in 28 years in this chamber is an attempt to politicise Australia’s representative overseas in an important nation such as that. I’ve never seen it before. I’ve never seen it before.

Updated

Paul Fletcher is asking the next question (about Kevin Rudd):

Considering our ambassador to the United States Kevin Rudd’s descriptions of Donald Trump as a “destructive president” and ‘a traitor to the west’ and given his response that Mr Rudd is ‘not the brightest bulb’, ‘nasty’ and ‘won’t be there long’, will the prime minister reassess his position as our ambassador to our most important or, as Mr Farrell suggests, our second most important strategic ally?

Might be worth reminding people that Josh Frydenberg called Donald Trump a “drop kick” on national television, Christopher Pyne said a Trump presidency would be “terrifying” and Malcolm Turnbull mimicked Trump in front of the press gallery.

(editor’s note: Wouldn’t the usual reaction to a presidential candidate trying to dictate who Australia could have as its ambassador be to back in Australia’s sovereignty rather than turning blame back on the person representing Australia?)

Updated

Zali Steggall asks Jim Chalmers:

Last budget the government promised to support small businesses save on energy bills with an instant asset write-off. You promised to help households save on energy costs with a household upgrade fund. Neither of these policies have yet delivered a single dollar to a single household or small business. With the next budget now coming, what will you do to make sure incentives flow to households and small businesses, to help them electrify and save on energy costs.

Chalmers:

This is a key concern that the government shares. Part of the legislation you refer to is before the Senate at the moment. And we want to see the Senate pass it because we want to back in small businesses and households when it comes to electrifying and getting their power bills down where they can. We have shown a willingness. I pay tribute to the Minister for Housing, the Minister for Energy and others, Senator McAllister in the other place, for putting together what we think is a good combination of policy initiatives to help people do just that. We want to give people the choice to electrify if they can. We want to make it more affordable. That’s the motivation behind the legislation in the Senate. And we want to continue to work with the member for Warringah and others who want to see small businesses and families pay less on their power bills.

Updated

Coalition attacks Labor on electricity prices

LNP MP Angie Bell gets the next question – the Liberals have nine women (or a VW Caravelle of women) to choose from to ask questions and after Alex Antic knocked off senior Liberal senator Anne Ruston for the top SA Senate position the party is now trying to prove a point)

My question is to the minister for climate change and energy. In the last two years, electricity bills in south-east Queensland have increased by up to $622. The minister repeatedly promised to cut prices by $275 a year, yet in south-east Queensland, Labor has fallen short of its election commitment by up to $897. If the minister can’t guarantee this reduction, will he admit that was wrong? And apologise to struggling Australian families?

There is the usual back and forth on this, with Bowen opening with:

I appreciate the question from the honourable member and she asks about promises on electricity prices. She asked about promises politicians make on electricity prices.

… It’s not unusual for promises to be made about electricity prices. For example, the member for Hume in the 2019 election promised a price... A wholesale price of $70 a megawatt hour, Mr Speaker. And he says, oh, look, it’s below it. Well, it is now! It is now, Mr Speaker! That is true. But on the day of the 2022 election, Mr Speaker, it was $286 a megawatt hour, Mr Speaker.

There are more interruptions but Bowen gets to finish:

As of as of today, it is $64 a megawatt hour, Mr Speaker. And that is less than $286. It’s less than $70 and it’s as a result of several things, including coal and gas caps that were put in place by this government, this prime minister, opposed by that leader of the opposition, who opposes absolutely everything he ever sees. It’s a result of international pressures changing. It’s the result of more renewables in the system. Trigger warning - I mentioned renewables. I know it sends those off opposite, Mr Speaker, but it’s a trigger warning. I’m always here to help and will continue to do what it takes to put downward pressure on energy prices.

Updated

Question time begins

It is once again straight into the questions and Liberal Melissa McIntosh gets the first question:

Western Sydney food charity Mama Lana’s may close down due to energy bills increasing by $900, according to media reports. The founder said the government needs to do more. It’s disgusting that they’re being slapped with higher costs after being promised cuts. When will the minister admit that the Albanese government’s disastrous renewables-only energy policy is leading Australia in the wrong direction?

(editor note: at the heart of the “nuclear” debate is this – the attempt to turn public sentiment against renewables. This is the latest attempt to shape renewables)

Chris Bowen:

I thank the honourable member for her question. And she asked about the government doing more. Perhaps the honourable member might have voted for bill relief, Mr Speaker. Might have been a good start.

Perhaps the honourable member might have voted for coal and gas caps, which were one of the factors in yesterday’s announcement of reducing energy prices including western Sydney.

As I said yesterday, I would have thought any honourable member would welcome the announcement yesterday of reductions in energy prices. A lot more to do.

No one should be complacent. No one should suggest there aren’t pressures in the system. But honourable members can suggest that they could do more when they had an opportunity, including the member for Lindsay, who voted against bill relief for her constituents and voted against coal and gas caps which helped her constituents. So, Mr Speaker, in relation to Endeavour Energy, as I said yesterday - yesterday a 1.9% reduction ...

… And as we do more, I doubt we’ll get support from the member for Lindsay or her colleagues.

Updated

‘A momentous day’: GPs peak body on Queenland’s introduction of fixed pill testing clinics

We reported yesterday the royal Australian College of GPs was urging Victoria to pick up coroner recommendations and introduce a pill testing trial. The Queensland trial has been deemed successful enough to be made permanent.

Updated

Question time will be held in just under 20 minutes.

Grab what you need.

Updated

Nationals’ Bridget McKenzie: Rudd’s ‘trash-talking’ of Trump shows PM's lack of judgment

Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie has also weighed in on the Rudd’s-future-as-ambassador-if-Donald-Trump-wins-the-November-election issue, telling Ten Network:

The whole point of an ambassador is to be a bridge between the two governments, between the government of Australia and in this case the government and the president, the US administration in the White House.

Now, if Ambassador Rudd has been so reckless as to trash-talk a former president of the United States, who’s made it clear that he was going to run again, then I think that shows a lack of judgement on the ambassador’s part.

I think it will put the prime minister in a very, very difficult position because, you know, Rudd was his personal captain’s pick for that role, and even knowing that he’d trash-talked Trump on the way through.

I think it shows a lack of judgement from the PM in appointing him to that role. He could have put him in as ambassador to another country where he hadn’t denigrated a political figure.

I think it’s going to be very interesting come post-November, because we need to have a person in that role when we’re going through Aukus, our most trusted ally is the USA, and we need to have someone that they respect and value in the role of ambassador.

Updated

Report on Victoria’s scrapping of 2026 Commonwealth Games confirms ‘gross exaggeration’ of cost blowouts, CGA head says

The head of Commonwealth Games Australia says a scathing report into Victoria’s cancellation of the 2026 event confirms the “gross exaggeration” of the cost blowouts the state government used to justify dumping the event.

Victoria’s auditor general has delivered a scathing assessment of the decision by the state government to cancel the major sporting event last July. It says the $6.9bn figure the government cited last August after withdrawing from the games was overstated and not transparent.

In a statement Craig Phillips, the chief executive of CGA, says the report confirms the “gross exaggeration of costs” detailed by then premier, Daniel Andrews, when the government announced it would scrap the event last July:

We have consistently indicated our awareness of potential cost overruns because of government decision making, but our regularly provided advice to make changes to the event delivery model was ignored.

A Games that celebrated regional Victoria, First Nations Australians and a green and gold team competing on home soil was not out of reach had there been greater collaboration to identify cost mitigation strategies.

Updated

Robbie Katter picks up the cause of cash

Bob Katter’s son, Robbie Katter, who is a member of the Queensland parliament, appears to have accepted his destiny as a future stunt king.

Katter the senior has been running a campaign federally to keep cash as king – looks like Katter the junior has picked up the cause.

Katter Jnr has been expected to become the next KAP candidate for Kennedy when Katter Snr (who chalks up 50 years in parliamentary careers this year) decides to retire.

He is obviously in training.

Updated

Wong: Kevin Rudd will continue as US ambassador

For those interested, here was Penny Wong speaking on Kevin Rudd as ambassador to the United States, given Donald Trump’s comments in an interview that if Rudd was “hostile” he “won’t be there long” if Trump was to become president again.

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How do press conferences work after bilateral meetings?

There have been a few questions about how press conferences work after bilateral meetings.

I preface this by saying I am not a foreign affairs corro and I have never been on one of the international trips a lot of these meetings involve.

But I have attended some of these pressers in Australia in the past and the way they are organised doesn’t seem to change that much.

There are a few things that go along with reporting on these meetings, particularly if you are travelling media. Sometimes just one reporter is allowed in from each side’s media pack to report on elements of the meeting (the greeting, the first handshake, the opening remarks). A pool reporter is chosen then, who writes a report given to the other members of the media who can use the information – you’ll often see that attributed to the ‘pool reporter’. That person’s job is to tell everyone else what was said, what it looked like, anything of interest that happened in the room and what the vibe was like. They are not supposed to hold anything back for their own reporting and to be honest, they rarely do (because they do have to continue on the trip with the rest of the media pack and not only would that be very uncomfortable, it also has the danger of payback).

When it comes to the press conference after one of these meetings, it is rarely an all in. Journalists are chosen ahead of the press conference to ask questions. This is usually decided among the journalist pool, or if there are too many, a ballot is held. Usually it is at least one broadcast/TV and two print (funny how those ballots work out that way) journalists.

Those journalists can ask whatever they want, but usually other reporters put forward things they would like to know as well and the chosen reporters take that into account.

The travelling media gets the same number of questions as the domestic media. It’s all broadcast, everyone gets the same thing and then you see the different angles written up on the same information.

Updated

NSW question time interrupted by pro-Palestine protest

Question time in New South Wales parliament was interrupted this morning when a group of people staged a protest in support of Palestine.

About 15 people stood up in the public gallery – one unfurling a banner that said “End the occupation, Free Palestine” – and shouted across the chamber.

The slogans included “Gaza, don’t look away, Blood on your hands, Shame, Children are dying, and Chris Minns has blood on his hands.”

Question time was stopped for several minutes as ushers shepherded the protesters out of the chamber.

Gaza’s health ministry says more than 30,000 Palestinians have been killed since the Israeli military began air and artillery strikes in response to the Hamas attack in October, which killed an estimated 1,200 people.

Updated

Greens leader Adam Bandt has weighed in on Donald Trump’s comments about Kevin Rudd

Bridget Archer and David Pocock have been officially awarded their McKinnon prizes for political leadership:

Updated

‘The answer to the question is no!’: Queensland minister denies report about Brisbane Olympics

Back to Queensland, and while premier Steven Miles wouldn’t deny a media report the cabinet considered cancelling the Olympics, the infrastructure minister has:

Grace Grace flatly denied that the government received any advice of any type as to whether they could cancel the Olympics, “formal” or “non-formal”, in response to a question by LNP MP Andrew Powell.

The veteran cabinet minister nearly shouted her answer.

The answer to the question is no!

Updated

The press conference ends.

You’ll hear from our foreign affairs correspondent Daniel Hurst and political editor Karen Middleton on that meeting very soon.

Updated

Wong wraps up press conference: ‘It is important to have that ballast and stability in the relationship.’

And then we are on to the third (and I believe last) question from the travelling media pack:

My first question is what other major concessions that Australia and China reached today after them meeting with Wang Yi and what other specific measures to both sides agree to, in the stress between the relationship between Australia and China. When you were at AFI summit last week, you mentioned the word stabilisation. Besides this keyword, I’m wondering if you have any other keywords in mind after the meeting today?

Penny Wong:

I have gone through some of the points that were discussed in the meeting and I would make the point that we were pleased that we are on track for a premier visit and one of the important things that we did agree was to ensure that both sides work together to prepare for a visit, which the prime minister is looking very much forward to welcoming the premier here.

Those high-level visits and engagements are very important part the relationship. The face-to-face discussion is not just having a discussion, it is understanding where both sides are coming from. It is important to have that ballast and stability in the relationship.

As I said, we obviously want a productive relationship with China and a mature relationship with China and I think that is shared.

I am very pleased that the foreign minister made time to come to Australia. I know he has a punishing schedule and I look forward to the next foreign and strategic dialogue in China.

I did express to him that this time we might not try in the middle of the [winter] because it was quite chilly, and I’m sure some of the travelling media will be happy with that.

Updated

‘Mr Rudd is a very effective ambassador’: Wong asked about Trump comments

Back to the Australian media questions (I believe this is the third and last)

Q: Minister Wong, Donald Trump this morning was asked about past criticisms that Kevin Rudd, Australia’s ambassador to Washington, had made of him. And Trump replied, “I heard he was a little bit nasty. I hear he’s not the brightest bulb. If he’s at all hostile, he won’t be there long.” Does it show it was a mistake or very risky for the government to appoint Kevin Rudd as ambassador, given his comments were well known and Donald Trump had already declared his candidacy at the time, and secondly, will the government keep Kevin Rudd as ambassador if Donald Trump returns to the White House?

Penny Wong:

The answer is yes. In relation to the former, what I would say is this, even Mr Dutton has expressed confidence in Mr Rudd. Mr Rudd is a very effective ambassador. He’s recognised as doing across this parliament, as doing an excellent job in advancing Australia’s interests in the United States. I point you in particular to the phenomenal amount of work being done on Aukus in the period that he been ambassador. He has been active in engaging with members of Congress on both sides of politics and he is a former prime minister, former foreign minister, is experience and skills mean he will be able to work closely with whoever is elected by the American people as the United States President.

Updated

Lobster, wine and beef on the press conference menu

The second journalist from China asks their question:

Q: This morning foreign minister Wang Yi mentioned China will announce a decision on the Australia wine tariff in May. So may I ask, how impactful do you expect it to be? On the wine industry as well as the economy of Australia? Other concern will be lifting the trade restriction on lobsters. Was the progress about it so far?

Penny Wong:

Well, we think it’s very, we’re very proud of our wine and our lobster and our beef. We think Chinese consumers would benefit from those, all those products having access to the Chinese market without any impediments. That’s been the position we’ve put for some time. As I said to your colleague earlier, on wine, we welcome the interim decision. We look forward to a final decision. As a South Australian, I’m particularly interested in ensuring that we get access for our fantastic Australian wine. And also lobster, which I know is something that is enjoyed by all. We’ll continue to advocate for all impediments to be removed. We think it’s in both countries’ interests. Did I miss any part of your question?

[Lobsters]

Wong:

I think that’s a question to the Chinese authorities. We have continued to press for all impediments, including in relation to lobster, to be removed. We look forward to that occurring.

Updated

‘My children would be very pleased’: pandas to stay in Adelaide

The second Australian journalist asks a question:

Q: What are you advocating for, for Yang Hengjun? Is it for the death sentence to be lifted or him to return home? I have to ask, as a South Australian, will Adelaide zoo continue to have pandas for years to come?

Penny Wong:

Firstly in relation to Dr Yang, I, we’ll continue to advocate on his behalf. And I reiterated that Australians found the sentence imposed shocking. I don’t propose to outline every aspect of what we put on Dr Yang’s behalf in the media.

But I would say to you, I did want - as I told the media I would, when the sentence was handed down, we’ll not walk away from our advocacy for Dr Yang Hengjun.

On the pandas, there’s obviously further arrangements to be finalised. But I think, I think the – the news of the likely continuation of panda presence in Adelaide zoo has been reported. And I did say to the foreign minister my children would be very pleased.

Q: So done deal on pandas?

Wong:

There’s further arrangements to be put in place. I think we’re on a good path there to continued panda presence.

Updated

‘Australia will continue to be Australia, China will continue to be China’

Next question goes to a member of the travelling media from China:

Many Chinese people believe the bottleneck in Australia-China relations lies in Australia’s lack of trust in China. What kind of threat do you think China will pose to Australia? And Australia and China have large trade relations but there’s many restrictions on science, technology, and education. I would like to ask in such an atmosphere, do Australia-China relations only seek uncertainty rather than development? Thank you.

Penny Wong:

Well, the first point I would make is I think stability is a good thing. We seek a stable and productive and mature relationship with China. This is, you know, consistent with what we have said, the prime minister Albanese and premier Li have reiterated the importance of a stable and constructive bilateral relationship.

Nothing is important for us to recognise how much progress we have made in a short period of time. We have resumed the foreign and strategic dialogue and the annual leaders’ meeting. This is really important. As I said, Australia will continue to be Australia, China will continue to be China. We are bound by geography, by history, by our peoples, by our trade.

We know there are differences that arise out of who we are. We want to manage them wisely. We have resumed trade talks and economic talks.

We have consultations on consular issues, defence and climate. We have commenced technical cooperation on climate-related matters and our police work together to counter narcotics trafficking and transnational crime. We welcome the education minister here to Canberra and now the foreign minister. There’s been a lot of progress in the relationship in a short space of time and that’s a good thing. And we’ll continue to engage.

We think it’s in our national interest to engage, just as there will be issues where we cooperate and issues where we can disagree.

Updated

Wong: ‘It’s in the interests of both nations for all trade impediments to be removed’

First question is an Australian journalist:

Q: We learned today that the government is now dropped its anti-dumping action against Chinese wind turbines. The Global Times says this shows Australia’s distancing itself from the anti-China position of the US. Is thinks a quid pro quo, and - could you update us on the latest on wine, beef and lobster and will the government adopt a softer position on China’s bid to enter the CPTPP?

Penny Wong:

There’s been no change to the position I have outlined previously. The relation to the assertion - the earlier point you made, there’s no relationship between the wine dispute and the steel disputes. Obviously the wine issue has been dealt with through the WTO processes and associated negotiations. Minister Husic has made an evidence - has made a decision based on the apolitical and evidence-based recommendation from the anti-dumping commissioner. And Australia has made clear the independence of that commission and our trade remedy system.

And on wine?

There’s an interim decision on wine. We look forward to the timetable that has been outlined … by the Chinese side for the final decision on wine. And we continue to express our view as I have since I became foreign minister that we believe it’s in the interests of both nations for all trade impediments to be removed.

Updated

Wong tells China’s foreign minister of ‘shock’ over Yang Hengjun sentence

What are those issues?

Penny Wong:

We discussed the sentencing of Dr Yang Hengjun. I told the foreign minister Australians were shocked at the sentence imposed and I made clear to him the Australian government will continue to advocate on Dr Yang’s behalf.

I also raised our concerns about other Australian death penalty cases, as you know, Australia opposes the death penalty in all circumstances for all peoples.

I welcome the progress towards removing trade impediments and reiterated our desire for the beef and lobster. We discussed repeat volatility on nickel markets and I made the point that predictability in business and trade is in all our economic interests.

I raised Australia’s concerns about human rights, including in Xinjiang, Tibet, and Hong Kong. I expressed our concern, our serious concern about unsafe conduct at sea, our desire for peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and in our region. I reflected the review of our region as outlined again and underscored again at the recent Asean summit about the importance of the South China Sea being governed by international law, particular UNCLOS.

We do have important differences. Dialogue enables us to manage our differences. It doesn’t eliminate them, but this government in the interests of Australia, will always seek to manage those differences wisely.

Updated

Wong holds press conference after meeting with China’s foreign minister

The meeting between Penny Wong and Wang Yi has concluded.

Wong is holding a press conference without Yi. Despite many requests from the media, Wang did not agree to a press conference.

A ballot decided which journalists would be able to ask questions (which is standard for these bilateral meeting press conferences – travelling media also get some questions and usually go through the same process).

Wong opens with:

A stable relationship between Australia and China doesn’t just happen. It needs ongoing work. And this was the latest meeting in that process.

As minister Wang reflected in that meeting, it’s in both our interests we have a mature and productive relationship. We discussed a range of shared interests in the progress we have made our outcomes agreed at the sixth foreign and strategic dialogue, including the re-commencement of the bilateral annual leaders’ meeting.

The prime minister looks forward to welcoming Premier Li to Australia. I’m pleased this is on track and we agreed on work to prepare for that meeting. We agreed to continue bilateral meetings on consular issues, defence and trade, and expand our dialogue on key areas of importance, such as the Pacific, climate and energy cooperation, and enhance understanding and transparency.

The meeting was an opportunity for both the minister and I to exchange frank views on issues that matter to us.

Updated

Queensland government denies it considered cancelling Olympic Games

In the Queensland parliament, the LNP MP Tim Mander used question time to ask the Queensland government to confirm media reports that they had considered cancelling the 2032 Olympic Games.

Premier Steven Miles flatly denied a report from Channel Nine that said the government had considered but rejected the idea at Monday’s cabinet meeting, but he didn’t quite repeat it in parliament today. Miles said:

It is a key tenet of functioning government that those discussions are confidential and so I won’t be confirming or denying any particular discussion.

What I can tell you very very clearly is that the Queensland Government resolved at our meeting Monday to put on the best Olympic and Paralympic Games ever, but to do it without building the new $3.4bn stadium.

It’s an interesting position for the government to take, given that they’re planning to make cabinet documents public within a month.

Updated

RBA review creating legislative headaches

The RBA review legislation continues to create headaches for treasurer Jim Chalmers.

Chalmers ordered a review into the RBA and how it operates. The three-person review panel handed that review to Chalmers who accepted all its recommendations. Some have already been adopted by the RBA – that’s why you see press conferences after board meetings now. Some require legislative change, and those are the ones causing a bit of drama.

One of those issues is the recommendation to remove the section 11 powers that allow the treasurer of the day to intervene with the RBA. It is a break-in-case-of-emergency type power which is there in case the RBA, which ultimately works for the Australian people, starts working against the welfare of the Australian people.

(For those who missed the previous explainers on this, the power dates back to an issue during the Great Depression when the central bank at the time, then the Commonwealth Bank, refused to release funds for a nation building infrastructure program. The nation was plunged into recession that took 10 years to recover from and unemployment hit 32%. So when it came to setting up the RBA in the 1950s, the Menzies government accepted recommendations to create some sort of emergency power. It has never been used, and comes with all sorts of safeguards – the treasurer has to explain themselves publicly for using it for example, and most people involved in RBA land, including former treasurers and governors, think it needs to stay as a safeguard.)

Another of those issues is the creation of a second board. The recommendation is to split the RBA board into two boards – one that deals with monetary policy (interest rates) and the other that deals with governance (economics academics getting their time in the sun). The RBA governor would sit on both. The review panel said current board members should be given a choice on which board they sit on.

Not everyone thinks that is a good idea either (because what is the point) but Angus Taylor has written to Chalmers saying he wants to see all current board members moved across to the new monetary policy board.

It’s all a bit inside baseball (or inside RBA) but it goes to some of the issues behind this legislation – the government can’t pass it without the Greens or the Coalition and the Greens aren’t a fan of the removal of section 11 or the two boards, and if the Coalition won’t come to the party then Chalmers has to deal with the Greens. And he has said he doesn’t particularly want to do that, on this piece of legislation.

So now it is back and forth with Taylor. A spokesperson for Chalmers said:

The Government has been clear it wants to see continuity on the new RBA boards – that means continuity on both the monetary policy board and the governance board.

Angus Taylor’s position puts him at odds with the comments this week by the RBA Governor and the recommendations of the independent RBA Review.

We will continue consulting with the Opposition and are committed to working in a bipartisan way to pass this bill because the future of Australia’s central bank should be above politics.

Updated

Rules on MPs’ ad spending relaxed to lessen public servants’ workload

For those wondering how transparency is going under this government, Josh Butler has looked at some of the reporting around MPs printing budgets:

The finance department admits there is now less transparency around what federal MPs spend on junk mail and online advertising as a result of a push to reduce admin scutwork for public servants.

The change to expense reporting means voters will now have no insight into what federal MPs buy with their printing and communications budget, including self-promotional pamphlets and online advertising.

Newly released expense reports show some politicians are spending over $100,000 on printing and communications per quarter.

The quarterly expense reports were previously presented with itemised spending on newspaper subscriptions, books and printing. They are now generalised to only give a dollar figure, under the broad category “Publications – Printed and electronic” and “Printing and Communications”.

Updated

Over in the house, debate has resumed on the government’s changes to the administrative appeals tribunal (AAT), which will become (once passed) the administrative review tribunal.

Independent MPs have some concerns over the appointment process for the new body, but the government does not share them, so their amendments will not get through the house.

Updated

‘No evidence’ ankle bracelets reduce offending, advocates warn after Victoria youth justice backflip

Advocates for children have also responded to Victoria’s backflip on youth bail laws.

Victoria has become the latest state – along with NSW and Queensland – to change youth justice laws following political pressure.

Gai Campbell, the Victorian state director of 54 reasons, which delivers Save the Children services in Australia, said there was “no evidence” ankle bracelets and electric monitoring reduces offending among children.

A recent review of Queensland’s electronic monitoring trial finding no evidence it reduced recidivism either. In fact, it may have the opposite effect.

It’s a stigmatising and nothing more than a band-aid, when evidence shows that governments should be spending their time on and investing in measures to address underlying causes instead.

Early intervention, rights-based bail support programs, and diversionary programs aimed at reconnecting young people with education, employment and community are the way to go.

The Victorian Government has previously said it intends to enact reforms that support child rights and keep the community safe, so we encourage them to steer away from gimmicks that do not work, and stay the course.

Updated

Jobseeker ‘not even close to the poverty line’, Janet Rice says

The Greens senator Janet Rice has repeated her call for the government to raise income support to at least $88 a day to bring it above the Henderson poverty line.

Rice says the indexation increase announced today that will raise jobseeker payments by 96 cents a day is not cost of living relief and should not be described as such:

After Labor has just pushed through a $4,500 a year tax cut for billionaires and politicians, giving themselves a pat on the back for “supporting Australians doing it tough” is a slap in the face to people on income support.

Governments on both sides routinely increase JobSeeker by CPI - there’s nothing new here. Taking credit for an automatic, already-legislated indexation increase and claiming it will provide cost-of-living relief is a joke.

Today’s indexation is a measly 96 cent a day increase for someone on JobSeeker. This doesn’t even get payments close to the poverty line, let alone make them enough to live on.

Poverty is a political choice, and this government is doubling down on their choice to leave people without heating or food or medicines as they struggle to pay the rent.

Updated

Greens senator calls for Tibet to be at ‘top of the agenda’ China’s foreign minister visits

The Greens senator Janet Rice has been down to the protest out the front of Parliament House, coinciding with the visit by China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi.

Rice said:

My message to both Penny Wong and Simon Birmingham* is to put the issue of human rights in China and in Tibet absolutely top of the agenda. We cannot have normal relationships with China while the people of Tibet are being oppressed, persecuted, do not have religious freedom, are being taken off their lands, while kids are being sent off to Chinese-run boarding schools.

Australia has to speak out and say this is not good enough.

Rice also mentioned the Uyghurs, the increasing silencing of dissent in Hong Kong, and the plight of human rights campaigners in China. She said China “needs to be taken to task”. Australia can have a relationship with China but human rights should be at the centre of it, Rice said.

* Both the Australian minister for foreign affairs and the Coalition shadow minister will be meeting with Wang today

Updated

Organ donation report recommendations tabled in Victorian parliament

A Victorian parliamentary inquiry has urged the state government to consider reintroducing the option to register for organ and tissue donation when applying for or renewing a driver’s licence to help increase donation rates.

The Legislative Assembly legal and social issues committee’s report into organ donation, tabled in parliament on Wednesday, makes 74 findings and 41 recommendations to encourage more registrations on the Australian Organ Donor Register and better promotion of family discussion about donation.

It found that while most Victorians support donation, only 23% are registered to be donors, which is much lower than the national average of 36%. The rate of registration for young people is particularly low, with just 10% of people aged 16 to 25 having registered a donation decision.

In South Australia 70% of people are registered to be donors. The committee suggests SA has the highest organ donation rate in the nation because it is the only state where it is still possible to record a donation decision on a driver’s licence. The scheme was phased out in Victoria in the early 2000s.

The inquiry recommended the government reintroduce the scheme with a yes registration option only.

Committee chair Labor MP Ella George said it was also important for people to have a conversation with their family about their donation wishes:

We know that will significantly increase the likelihood that a family will consent to a donation going ahead ...

It can be incredibly confronting to be asked to consent to a loved one becoming a donor. But we learned that many families find the strength at a time of intense sadness to recognise that they can help others.

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Funding for bone marrow donor registry

More Australians’ lives could be saved with more than $4m to increase the number and diversity of bone marrow donors.

Bone marrow donations provide the stem cells that are required for stem cell transplants, which are life-saving treatments for people with leukaemia and a range of other blood cancers.

But Australia’s pool of donors through the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry is shrinking.

The registry has $13m it has accumulated from exporting Australian umbilical cord blood overseas over 20 years, to fund a campaign to expand the registry in Australia – but it needs commonwealth and state government approval to spend the money.

Federal and state and territory health ministers have this morning announced they will be releasing up to $4.2m from this fund, in additional to the $1m from the fund they released in February last year.

The health minister, Mark Butler, said:

In the past, Australia has not moved fast enough to enable more effective matching of bone marrow donors with patients who need them.

Today’s announcement delivers on the commitment made by the Albanese Government and all states and territories to strengthen our blood donor registry for the benefit of the many Australians who need a transplant each year.

Read more here:

Updated

The Greens are introducing their bills which would give the ACCC divestiture powers to break up the supermarket duopoly.

The government has not shown any indications it will support it, so the bill is unlikely to go far. But it mirrors a similar call from independents Bob Katter and Andrew Gee who have been hearing from producers and other farmers about the impact of the supermarkets on their lives and businesses, so there is support in the parliament for it – just not from the major parties.

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Wong pushes for trade ‘predictability’

Penny Wong’s opening comments to Wang Yi at their meeting were made publicly – the rest of the meeting is for behind closed doors.

The public remarks are a whoosh whoosh of the issues we know the meeting will cover:

At our last foreign and strategic dialogue, we agreed to start or resume dialogue in a wide range of areas, and I’m pleased that since then, we have held our annual leaders’ meeting, trade and economic talks, our 1.5 track high-level dialogue and consultations on defence, consular issues, and climate.

We also welcome progress on trade between our countries, including on wine exports, and look forward to the resolution of outstanding issues.

Predictability in business and in trade is in all our interests.

You and I also agreed on the importance of dialogue between our two countries, not just to take forward our shared interests, but also to exchange views on the issues that matter to us and to navigate wisely, any differences we have.

With that in mind, I look forward to speaking frankly with about Australians detained in China, human rights, maritime security and safety, and regional and international issues such as the Pacific, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in the Middle East.

Updated

Victoria’s shadow attorney general Michael O’Brien says he doesn’t think the government proposed trial of ankle monitors for children on bail will work. He says:

I don’t think that somebody who is going to break into your house at night with a machete is going to be worried about one of Jacinta Allan’s ankle bracelets. I think they’ll be wearing them as a badge of honour. They’re more likely to be swapping them like Taylor Swift friendship bracelets.

Updated

‘Shackling children? That is not humane’

Still in Victoria, the reaction to the government’s backflip on youth bail laws continues.

Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam is also very unhappy. She tells reporters:

Look, it’s very troubling to hear these accounts this morning. We are yet to be briefed on the detail from the government. But we have been pushing for more humane justice policy for decades now. And the Greens won’t give up on pushing for more humane justice policy.

It’s really concerning to hear about this news that ankle bracelets for children and there are two things that come to mind when I heard that this morning. One – are we now letting the police write our justice policy in this state? And two – I thought about that mural in Preston that some of you might know, that depicts First Nations people being shackled, to remind us of our colonial past and how we should never go back there.

Is this government now asking us to consider those images once again in 2024? Shackling children? That is not humane … and the Greens will fight it.

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Scrapping of 2026 Commonwealth Games had ‘no discernible benefit’, report finds

The Victorian government’s scrapping of the 2026 Commonwealth Games cost taxpayers more than $589m, with the state’s auditor general finding it had “no discernible benefit”.

An auditor general report, tabled in state parliament on Wednesday, described the cost as significant given the Victoria’s rising debt:

This waste of taxpayer money on an event that will not happen is significant.

Previously the government revealed it agreed to pay Commonwealth Games bodies $380m in compensation, with former premier Daniel Andrews describing it as the “best outcome” the state could get.

Updated

‘I’m not contemplating that we won’t reach that destination’

That exchange ended with the question of what happens if the government doesn’t get bipartisan support:

Mark Dreyfus:

We’re aiming to reach a bipartisan outcome.

Q: What happens if you don’t?

Dreyfus:

That’s what constructive work is, when you are aiming to reach a bipartisan outcome and I’m not contemplating that we won’t reach that destination. That’s something that we’ve been talking about for a very long time.

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Dreyfus stresses desire for bipartisanship on religious discrimination law

Attorney general Mark Dreyfus was asked this morning about the government’s plans to shelve the religious discrimination legislation if it doesn’t get bipartisan support.

We’ve made it really clear that, as far as we are concerned, no Australian should be discriminated against because of who they are. All Australians should be able to live free from discrimination. This is something we’ve been working on for a long time, we’ve been consulting about for a long time. And we’re very keen, as the prime minister said yesterday, to work with the opposition for a bipartisan outcome on this. We’re going to work constructively with the opposition towards a bipartisan outcome.

That led to this exchange:

Q: But are we jumping the gun on demanding bipartisanship on religious discrimination from the opposition when it hasn’t presented legislation, or released the ALRC report?

Dreyfus:

We think that this is a topic on which we should be working constructively. That’s why we’ve commenced discussions with the Opposition and why we’re looking to achieve a bipartisan outcome.

Q: Will you make sure that there’s a committee inquiry? Why haven’t you let them see the bill? And will you create an inquiry so the bipartisanship can commence?

Dreyfus:

We’ve commenced discussions with the opposition, and we are looking forward to working constructively with the opposition on this piece of legislation.

Q: So, if you don’t get bipartisan support will you shelve this bill?

Dreyfus:

This is something that Australians have been talking about for a very long time. There have been some 10 inquiries since 2016. It’s something that we’ve been consulting with the community about, with faith leaders about, for a very long time. And we are looking forward to working constructively with the opposition. We are aiming to reach a bipartisan outcome.

Updated

Victoria’s decision to introduce electronic monitoring for children under fire

The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service has lashed the state government over its backflip on bail and the decision to introduce electronic monitoring for children.

Chief executive Nerita Waight has released a statement saying Vals has been engaging with the government in good faith for five years on bail and youth justice law changes and now feels betrayed. She says “at no time did the government let us know that they were considering implementing these Big Brother tactics”.

Waight’s statement goes on:

Jacinta Allan is developing a terrible track record as Premier already when it comes to law reform. At every turn, she has picked the meanest and most punitive policy – whether its punitive parole laws or electronic monitoring, the Premier seems intent on making Victoria a penal colony once again.

We are devastated that we trusted the Allan Government, and they have completely betrayed abused and traumatised children in the hope it will win them votes at the next election. I wonder if it’s worth it in the end?

Electronic monitoring has been tried a million times. It does not work. It is a failed idea that only the most desperate politicians cling to when they are too scared to make the right decision. This government has even tried electronic monitoring for children in the past and ditched the idea pretty quickly after getting a few media headlines.

Updated

Juice Media falls foul of Tasmania’s Electoral Act

Juice Media, who you may recognise from the “honest government” advertisement satirical videos, has reportedly fallen foul of the Tasmanian Electoral Act with its latest content.

The issue? The content included a still of Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff. Which, under section 196 of the act, is not allowed without written consent once the writ for an election has been issued. You can’t even use a candidate’s name.

We have gone to the Tasmanian electoral commission for comment but here is the law:

Candidate names not to be used without authority

(1) A person must not between the issue of the writ for an election and the close of poll at that election print, publish or distribute any advertisement, “how to vote” card, handbill, pamphlet, poster or notice which contains the name, photograph or a likeness of a candidate or intending candidate at that election without the written consent of the candidate.

Penalty: Fine not exceeding 300 penalty units or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months, or both.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to any matter printed, published or distributed by the Commission or the Commissioner in the course of promoting public awareness of elections and parliamentary matters.

Updated

While the Wang Yi meeting with Penny Wong is under way in Parliament House, there is a large protest outside, made up of Falun Gong supporters and those advocating for Tibet.

Updated

Victoria to trial electronic monitoring of children

Victoria’s attorney general, Jaclyn Symes, has confirmed she has scrapped plans to introduce a presumption of bail for children.

Last year Symes put the changes on hold saying she didn’t want to create a debate “about a youth crime crisis that doesn’t exist”. She said the measure would be introduced as part of a future youth justice bill in 2024.

But on Wednesday she confirmed to reporters she wasn’t going ahead with the plans. Instead Symes announced a trial of electronic monitoring of children on bail:

Today I’m saying we’re not proceeding with youth bail changes. The system is already applying the unacceptable risk tests because kids are passing the higher threshold tests quite easily, because young people can demonstrate that it is an extreme measure to be remanded.

They’re already passing those tests. That is what I’m hearing is happening in practice. Therefore, if that’s what’s happening in practice, changing it and creating concern that we are weakening bail, when it’s not necessarily the case is not something that we need to do.

I haven’t been convinced that the case has been mounted to make a change that will have any significant impact.

Updated

Foreign ministers meet – in pictures

The meeting between Penny Wong and her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi is under way.

Updated

(Continued from previous post)

Bridget Archer said she was grateful not to have the “nasty, divisive focus on these issues that we saw before”.

It’s a sad state of affairs if the government says we’re not going to bring on such legislation because we don’t think the other side will agree ...

That’s the point of the parliament. Bring forward the legislation, put it out for consultation, allow constituents and alternative parties and others to have a look at it and work their way through it. I just think it’s nonsense to say, “Oh, we’re not going to propose anything because we don’t think we’re going to get agreement.”. That’s the point of the place. Just get in and get it done.

Independent ACT senator David Pocock, who has been awarded this year’s McKinnon prize for emerging leadership, also said the government should bring forward its proposal.

Archer said her views on these issues “remain unchanged” since the last time they were debated, when the Coalition proposed legislation just before the last federal election.

In early 2022 Archer was one of five Liberals who crossed the floor to vote with the then Labor opposition and amend the Morrison government’s proposed religious discrimination bill to strip back exemptions for religious schools and boost protections for gay and transgender students.

This morning she did not rule out supporting Labor legislative proposals again:

We come here to make decisions in the best interests of our community and in the best interests of Australia and I’m going to work with anybody who is prepared to do that in good faith.

Updated

Archer speaks out on religious discrimination bill

Karen Middleton reports that Liberal backbencher Bridget Archer has joined the public debate on whether to delay, or not, new legislation on religious discrimination. She is firmly in the “not” camp.

The recipient of this year’s McKinnon prize for federal political leadership who has built a reputation as an independent thinker within the Coalition who is willing to vote against her own party on some issues, Archer told ABC Radio National Breakfast this morning that the government should just bring it on:

It’s disappointing in my view that the government is appearing to walk away from dealing with any of these issues which they took to the last election. They committed to addressing these issues. I’m not sure really why that is. And you know I think just kicking the can down the road is not helpful to people who want some certainty around these issues.

She said it was important to have protections from discrimination for people of faith and for some of the most vulnerable people in the community.

I would urge the government to renew their focus on this issue as well.

(continued in next post)

Updated

Hume lashes Labor for ‘mistake’ in respecting high court decision

Over in breakfast TV land, Liberal senator Jane Hume has repeated the mistruth that the government made “a mistake” in releasing more than just the stateless NZYQ who brought the high court case against indefinite detention and releasing 149 people in the same cohort.

Hume knows this is incorrect. When the high court makes a decision it sets a new precedent, which means that people who are in similar positions are covered by that precedent. If governments do not follow the high court’s ruling, they leave themselves open to litigation – and successful litigation at that – because the impact of the ruling is pretty clear.

So if the high court rules that it is unconstitutional for a particular political live blogger to be denied a little treat here and there, then all political bloggers who meet the criteria would be covered by the decision.

The government didn’t just decide to stop indefinite detention and release people. It was following a high court edict that overturned the case law governments had been relying on to lock people up in indefinite detention and the result would have been the same no matter who was in government.

Hume knows this. But she, like most in the Coalition, are counting on the public not knowing this. And breakfast television “debates” are not exactly the forum for nuance, so Hume is free to run off the Coalition’s talking points here:

Let’s take a big step back and identify the first failure, which was the fact that minister Giles gave the wrong advice to the high court on the original detainee. He said that he couldn’t be resettled anywhere, and there was advice that the high court based its decision on*. So that was the first mistake.

The second mistake was minister Giles not turning up to briefings from his own department because he was out there campaigning on the voice.**

The third mistake was releasing 149 detainees rather than just the one that the high court was making its decision upon, and not waiting until the high court’s decision was made***.

Then the request was that we make preventative detention orders available. Now the Coalition came to the party on that. Now we find out that those preventative detention orders can’t be made because they’re too complicated. We are standing by ready to help****.

Now we find out also that there were visas issued that were issued incorrectly. Last week, Clare, you said that those visas were from the Abbott era. Well, they weren’t. We found out only a couple of hours later that they were from the Gillard era.

This seems to be blaming anybody else other than yourself for these problems. Quite frankly, minister Giles needs to resign, and Anthony Albanese needs to stop running a protection racket for this incompetent Minister and rather focus on protecting the Australian people.

*the person had been in indefinite detention while the Coalition were in government and there had been no attempts to resettle them.

**I think we know ministers can do a few things at once.

***See above.

****Preventative detention orders that the court won’t immediately overturn are complicated, but that doesn’t mean that work isn’t being done on them. It just takes time.

Updated

Lowitja O’Donoghue Foundation funding boost

The government has announced $3.5m in funding for the Lowitja O’Donoghue Foundation “to create pathways for First Nations people to carry forward Dr O’Donoghue’s vision for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians”.

The funding includes:

  • $645,000 over the next three years to support 10 scholarships a year for First Nations people interested in study, internship and a career in the nursing sector.

  • $2m will be provided as a contribution to a scholarship fund that the foundation will establish to support public-sector scholarships into the future.

  • $892,000 over three years for employment, resource development and operational costs.

Updated

Indexation change lifts jobseeker

A change in indexation means jobseeker payments will increase by 96 cents a day. This is not because of anything the government has done – it’s a by rote correction for inflation.

Governments like to put out press releases saying how people on welfare will be receiving a “boost” in their payments and you usually see the indexation increases added up at some point to say how much the rate has increased while XX has been in government. But it’s indexed to CPI, which means it is indexed to the inflation rate. So people are receiving a moderate increase to try to match the increase in the cost of living – which they have already been experiencing.

And jobseeker is still below the Henderson poverty line.

Just something to keep in mind.

You can read about the March indexation rates here.

Updated

Victoria to overhaul VCE exams

The Victorian government is set to overhaul maths and chemistry VCE exams after an independent inquiry into errors in last year’s exams.

Education minister Ben Carroll says he will accept all six recommendations of the inquiry, which handed down its report overnight.

Speaking outside parliament, Carroll says:

The most profound and the No 1 recommendation is to bring in mathematics academics from university sector into the writing of the mathematics exam. He’s also recommended that we simplify the process. At the moment, mathematics exams are five multiple choice that is an outlier compared to other multiple choice questions. We are reducing it to four, for simplification in line with other subjects.

Carroll says other recommendations include updating training and guidance for the exam editors and desktop publishers, updating guidance for staff at examination centres and publishing examination reports in a shorter timeframe.

He says all students who sat the exams that contained errors in 2023 were awarded a correct score for the questions to ensure that no student was disadvantaged.

Updated

Rudd could be forced out by White House, international law expert says

If a Donald Trump presidency did come to fruition, the most likely outcome is Kevin Rudd would be replaced as ambassador by Australia (which most likely would have occurred even without these comments, as Rudd’s comments on Trump were well known (made before he was US ambassador, but still. Awkward.)

Professor of international law at ANU Donald Rothwell tells us there is a way though that Rudd could be forcibly removed as ambassador by the White House (although agrees the most likely outcome would be Australia replacing Rudd by default):

A Trump White House could only effectively dismiss Rudd as Australian Ambassador by declaring him persona non grata under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The result is that he would lose his diplomatic accreditation in Washington and effectively be forced out of the post and have to return to Australia.

This is an exceptional step and would be unprecedented for an Australian Ambassador in Washington and create an inevitable rupture in the bilateral relationship.

Updated

Birmingham says Labor will have to work for bipartisanship on religious discrimination bill

Liberal senator Simon Birmingham did a bit of a dance on the question of a religious discrimination bill. Anthony Albanese told caucus (in pointed remarks meant to be reported) that if there was not bipartisanship for religious discrimination, the government would not move ahead with it.

That sent Peter Dutton into conniptions, with the opposition leader holding a press conference straight after question time (the caucus reports landed just before QT, so it didn’t leave him with a lot of time to immediately respond) to slam the government for backing away from its election promise and blaming the opposition for it.

Dutton said the opposition had not seen the bill (because there isn’t one) and therefore can’t offer bipartisanship to something that doesn’t exist. Which is a fair point. But it is also clear from discussions and comments to date that there are some pretty big differences about what the legislation should look like (and whether religious schools should be able to discriminate against LGBTIQ students is one of them)

Birmingham stuck to the Liberal party line but didn’t have the same energy behind it:

Bipartisanship is a worthy aspiration but you have to work for it. And the opposition hasn’t seen the legislation yet. Coalition members haven’t had the chance to consider the detail of it or the implications of it. And nor has there been a transparent process for stakeholders to comment or engage in it. And so I welcome the aspiration for bipartisanship. But the government has to put in the hard yards to achieve it.

Updated

Former Labor senator Doug Cameron is one of the leading critics of the Aukus deal. He points to one of the issues Aukus critics within Labor have with the deal – what does Aukus look like with Donald Trump at the helm?

Updated

The interview continued:

Q: Can, or should [Kevin Rudd] stay in that role if the president has threatened him?

Sussan Ley:

Well, that’s a matter for the government. I’m not going to give advice to them on this. It’s a matter for them.

Q:

All right, some work needed, some Joe Hockey-style golf, perhaps?

Ley:

Joe Hockey was a good man, and he is a good man.

Updated

Ley backs Rudd as Australia’s envoy

Sussan Ley was asked on Sky News about Donald Trump’s comments on Kevin Rudd and mostly decided to stay out of it. Well, stay out of the international space, but she did manage to turn it into an attack domestic political attack on Clare O’Neil:

I’m going to follow my usual practice, which is not to comment on US domestic politics. But I do want to say this, Kevin Rudd is our ambassador, so we want him to do well because he represents Australia’s national interest in the US.

I think members of the Albanese government might reflect, however, that commenting on another country’s domestic political situation is not a good idea. Clare O’Neil, the home affairs minister, also made commentary about the US and certain personnel and it’s just not very smart. So I think they would be reflecting on that today.

Q: This is an attack on our ambassador though, this goes a bit beyond the US domestic politics, wouldn’t you have thought?

Ley:

Well, let’s see what happens in November, let’s see about the next steps in the US and I’m not going to make commentary on what might transpire, Pete, except to say that I think people in this government would now be wondering why they made the comments they did at the time. But Kevin Rudd is our ambassador, we do want him to succeed because he represents our national interest. It’s a very close relationship as evidenced by so many agreements.

Updated

‘Subtle’ RBA shift ‘good’, ACTU secretary says

On the slight shift of language Michele Bullock used yesterday when describing the RBA board’s thinking – they are not ruling future rate rises in or out, but they are adopting a more “neutral” policy stance.

That’s a small shift but still a shift. And Bullock wouldn’t have said it without it meaning something (you don’t have Sally Cray on staff advising on communications and say something without meaning).

Sally McManus picked up on it too and said the “subtle change” was “good”.

But she also warned against future rate rises:

We think that last interest rate rise that they made at the end of last year wasn’t necessary, in our view, and that we are just cautioning that any move that’s going to put unemployment up further is also going to hurt people and that we believe that the RBA should be looking to cut rates now as we can see out inflation, inflation continuing to go down and that this is because of the enormous pressure and pain that households the real economy of a country which is households, their consumption has been cut right back and that they can overdo it and cause problems with unemployment.

Updated

‘We need to be very careful’ about slowing the economy, McManus says

Back to domestic affairs and ACTU secretary Sally McManus has spoken to ABC radio RN Breakfast about Michele Bullock’s comments on the economy.

(Peter Hannam has you covered here if you missed it.)

Bullock said the RBA expects unemployment to “tick up” (along with underemployment) and the economy to slow to bring inflation under control.

McManus warned against that way of thinking (which is old school economic thought – to cut inflation, unemployment needs to rise. Which may work when it comes to demand-side inflation (albeit still a brutal lever with real-world consequences) but doesn’t do a lot when it comes to supply-side issues – which is largely what we are experiencing now).

McManus said:

So remember, say in 2019 or 2017. Unemployment was over 5%. We had around a million people who didn’t have enough hours. So they are underemployed. That was a big problem. And the reason why unemployment was captured that part there is they thought any lower and the wages would go up. Now, just a year ago, we had unemployment down to 3.5%. And it didn’t push wages up.

So that should cause a raise thinking about how low can we have unemployment and not cause wages pressures.

So all we’re saying is that we need to be very careful about this idea that we need to be slowing the economy further and putting unemployment up.

And the RBA should be driving we believe, for a much lower unemployment rate actually than we’ve got at the moment.

Updated

Donald Trump on Kevin Rudd: ‘I heard he’s not the brightest bulb’

The Republican candidate for the US presidency, former president Donald Trump, has had a few things to say about former Australian prime minister and current US ambassador Kevin Rudd.

Trump spoke to UK conservative Nigel Farage on GB News, saying if Rudd is hostile “he will not be there long”:

Farage asked a question “on behalf of our friends at Sky News Australia”:

The Aukus deal that is in place, America, you know, the UK, Australia, very, very important deal, it is there to try and combat that huge growth in China. But now of course things have changed in Australia, we have a Labor government in Australia. The previous ambassador, Joe Hockey, I think was quite a good friend of yours, you got on pretty well with him. Now they have appointed Kevin Rudd. Former Labor MP, an he has said the most horrible things, you were a destructive president, a traitor to the west, and he is now Australia’s ambassador in Washington. Would you [take a phone call from him?]”

Trump interrupts before he finishes to say:

Yeah, well don’t know. He won’t there be long if that is the case. I don’t know much about him. I heard he was a little nasty. I heard he’s not the brightest bulb. I don’t know much about him, but he won’t be there long if he is at all hostile.

Ambassadors are chosen by the governments of the nations they are representing, not the governments of the country they land in. That is not to say that the government of the country they head to doesn’t play any role – ambassadors are usually chosen for how they will work within the country – there is no point having an ambassador who can’t get meetings, or be able to push the diplomatic interests of their nation.

Updated

‘The world is watching this horrific conflict’

Reading through the hansard from last night and the Labor member for Moreton, Graham Perrett made one of the strongest speeches we have seen so far on the situation in Gaza.

Perrett took the opportunity during the adjournment debate (the session just before parliament adjourns for the day, where MPs can discuss issue of their choosing) to speak on war crimes:

The term “war crime” is one we hear often, but I want to explain what it actually means. This is important in light of the escalation of civilian deaths in Gaza, despite efforts to negotiate a peace by Australia and other countries with much more influence.

Australia and many other countries have called for Israel to abide by the international court of justice ruling that it must take measures to prevent genocide in Gaza.

It is tragic that, nearly six months on, the situation continues to be devastating, with little progress made towards a ceasefire. Meanwhile, the people of Gaza are suffering on a scale that is unimaginable.

They are living with daily bombings, deaths and starvation, mainly because of Israel’s refusal to let enough food into Gaza. Blocking that is both official and achieved via systemic go-slows and citizen action that is unlawful. How could anyone perpetrate such an act of barbarism on children?

He said he had been to Israel as part of a parliamentary delegation “something not funded by lobbyists” and “witnessed the way Palestinians were treated”:

Their daily lives are ruled by checkpoints. I saw different roads for different races, and I know that there are two systems of justice for children based on race. Societies that have a two-tier system are never harmonious places.

Today there are many in my community who feel helpless and angry and who are struggling to comprehend the enormity of the devastation and death.

This conflict is extremely divisive. Everyone has an opinion, a story and a conspiracy theory, and some are devoted to lying about the facts. But the one thing we can all agree on is that the atrocities committed against civilians, regardless of who has committed them and why, deserve redress via international humanitarian law as enforced by the international criminal court in The Hague.

Perrett finished with:

I’m not here to list the war crimes committed since 7 October last year, but I want to call out the atrocities with the intention that the world holds all perpetrators to account.

I am talking about the deliberate targeting of civilians – especially women and children – indiscriminate rocket attacks and the taking of civilians as hostages.

I’m also talking about Israel’s deliberate obstruction of basic services –water, fuel and aid to Gaza. These are the acts that Human Rights Watch have described as collective punishment that amount to war crimes and include the use of starvation of civilians as a weapon of war.

The UN high commissioner has grave concerns about Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack.

The world is watching this horrific conflict.

Updated

Kooyong independent MP Dr Monique Ryan will today deliver the petition she started, calling on the government to change the way people back their Hecs debt. Some 17,000 people signed the petition in six days. Goldstein independent Zoe Daniel will join Ryan in presenting the petition.

Updated

Good morning

Welcome back to parliament for another sitting day we like to call “how is it only Wednesday?”.

Thank you to Martin for starting us off – as he laid out, it’s all about Wang Yi’s visit today. But there is also some more fallout from what looks like the Albanese government decision to shelve the religious discrimination legislation for an indefinite time. There is no bipartisan support for key elements and, after the voice referendum, it doesn’t seem the government isn’t willing to go down another drag ’em out fight that will harm communities.

This is all a hangover from 2016 when the Liberal’s right flank, then led by Cory Bernardi, demanded changes to 18C and 18D of the Racial Discrimination Act. To get the marriage plebiscite over the line in the party room, and again appease the right flank of his party Malcolm Turnbull later agreed to a religious discrimination act. Scott Morrison turned that into “religious freedoms” and even had a bill, but he pulled it from the senate after five Liberals crossed the floor to support an amendment which would prevent religious schools from discriminating against children of different sexualities as well as trans kids.

Each time the debate has been held, it has caused some harm.

We’ll follow the results of the latest foray into this space as the day unfolds. You have Amy Remeikis for most of the day, with Paul Karp, Josh Butler, Karen Middleton, Daniel Hurst and Sarah Basford Canales bringing you the news. Mike Bowers is already out and about.

It’s a four-coffee morning. Ready? Let’s get into it

Updated

FoI system ‘dysfunctional and broken’

The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner appeared at an additional Senate estimates hearing last night where it discussed the state of the freedom of information system – described as “dysfunctional and broken” in a Senate inquiry report last December.

Its boss, Angelene Falk, said in her opening statement the OAIC had 2,213 review applications on hand. That’s an increase of last year’s figure of 2,008 matters under review.

When someone is not satisfied with the outcome of an FoI, or if there are significant delays to an FoI request, they can go to the OAIC to have it reviewed.

The agency has been plagued by staffing and funding restrictions for years and has struggled to deal with the growing backlog. Falk said about 60% of the applications were more than 12 months old. She added there had been an increase in the number of information commissioner decisions over the last financial year.

The Greens senator David Shoebridge took issue with the way Falk was describing the statistics, suggesting the backlog would never get resolved at this rate:

It’s going to take you 15 years or more to deal with the backlog. That’s not a strategy to deal with the backlog, that’s a strategy of managed decline.

The new FoI commissioner, Elizabeth Tydd, said there had been a steady increase in the number of review requests being made. The OAIC said it was looking at improving how agencies dealt with FoIs to lower the number of reviews required.

Healthcare change will help rural communities

Australians will more easily receive care from nurse practitioners and midwives under reforms the government says will particularly help rural and remote communities.

Nurse practitioners are experienced registered nurses who have completed a master’s degree. They and endorsed midwives are now prevented from autonomously providing Medicare services and prescribing Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme medicines without the supervision of a doctor.

An independent review found this legislated requirement created several barriers to accessible, high-quality care for patients, particularly in rural and remote communities where it can be harder to see a doctor.

The government will introduce the health legislation amendment (removal of requirement for a collaborative arrangement) bill which will remove those barriers and, subject to its passage through parliament, the change will come into effect from November.

The assistant minister for health and aged care, Ged Kearney, said:

This change is long overdue and one that just makes sense.

As a former nurse, I understand just how underutilised nurse practitioners and midwives are in our health system. Labor’s legislation is about getting the best out of the existing health workforce and attracting more people to the professions.

Annie Butler, the federal secretary of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation, said:

Removing these unnecessary restrictions, which are completely out of step with international best practice, will allow highly trained NPs and endorsed midwives to utilise their full-set of skills and experience. With increased demands for healthcare and with chronic workforce shortages across the country, the ANMF and our members believe this is a common-sense solution.

AFP pressed on satisfaction survey

Continuing with the AFP appearance at Senate estimates last night: the acting top cop was asked why questions had been removed from an internal survey the agency rated poorly on in prior years.

Each year the AFP holds an internal census allowing its staff to respond on how they’re feeling and areas for improvement.

The Greens senator David Shoebridge asked why questions about senior leadership in the AFP and HR processes had been stripped from the latest census.

In the 2022 survey about a third of the more than 5,000 respondents gave positive answers when asked whether senior management communication was effective, while 31% answered positively when asked whether recruitment and promotion decisions were fair and based on merit.

Shoebridge asked the acting AFP commissioner, Ian McCartney, whether he agreed it was an embarrassing result:

It’s not embarrassing. It’s information we asked for and we received and it’s information we build upon to improve the organisation.

The Greens senator then asked why those questions didn’t appear in the latest survey. The acting chief operating officer, Katherine van Gurp, rejected the suggestion the questions had been “stripped” out, saying the survey instead focused on determining the “psychosocial hazards in the workplace”:

I’ll also note that the staff survey in and of itself is ... there to actually support the workforce and help us understand factors impacting our workforce, to make improvements. It’s not used as a performance management tool for our senior leaders.

Updated

Press China to release Yang Hengjun, rights group say

Human rights groups have urged the Australian government to demand the immediate release of Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun and press other human rights issues strongly during meetings with China’s top diplomat today.

The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, will hold talks with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Canberra today, with trade, regional security and human rights among the topics expected to be raised.

Amnesty International has written to Wong saying it “joins Uyghur, Tibetan, Hong Konger and Chinese human rights communities in urging you to address the Chinese government’s human rights violations and secure tangible improvements”.

Sam Klintworth, the national director of Amnesty International Australia, wrote that Wong should “call on the Chinese leadership to release Dr Yang immediately and unconditionally on humanitarian grounds and ensure that he receives urgent and appropriate medical care”.

Tibetan community associations urged the government not to “repeat past mistakes of sacrificing human rights at the altar of trade”. Zoe Bedford, from the Australia Tibet Council, said:

Normalising trade deals with China at this time is an unacceptable act while China violates the human rights of so many.

Human Rights Watch said the Australian government “should move beyond statements of concern and make clear their intention to seek accountability for China’s ongoing human rights violations”.

Six former detainees accused of breaching visas have had charges dropped, AFP says

Six of the 10 former indefinite immigration detainees charged with breaching visas that were later found to be invalid have had their charges dropped so far, Australian federal police have revealed.

In a late-night Senate estimates hearingAFP assistant commissioner Kirsty Schofield said the figure included the three who had been remanded in custody for more serious breaches of conditions attached to the now-invalid visas.

Last Tuesday it was reported the visas given to the NZYQ cohort after their release from indefinite immigration detention had been issued incorrectly. It meant the charges against 10 of the cohort for conditions, such as breaching curfew, were likely to be dropped.

Schofield said the commonwealth director of public prosecutions was working through withdrawing charges for the remaining four.

She also said there were now 152 in the NZYQ cohort, up from 149 previously.

Earlier in the hearing the Liberal senator James Paterson asked whether the AFP was preparing to monitor additional former detainees in response to further high court rulings.

Acting commissioner Ian McCartney said there were “ongoing discussions” and the AFP was ready to “pivot” if further detainees were released. But he also said it was not the police force’s role to monitor any of them.

The AFP’s role is not to monitor, it’s to enforce breaches.

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of the political day in Canberra. I’m Martin Farrer and these are the top overnight lines to digest before Amy Remeikis cranks up for another day.

The Albanese government is heading for a roadblock in its attempts to ride out the politically damaging fallout from the immigration detention imbroglio. Our exclusive story shows many more people could be released than previously thought if the government loses the latest legal challenge to the scheme. A leaked internal estimate obtained by Guardian Australia shows more than 170 people in immigration detention could be released if a court decides the scheme is illegal – many more than the 40 reported so far.

Last night at Senate estimates Australian federal police revealed that six former immigration detainees charged with breaching visas that were later found to be invalid have had their charges dropped so far – more on this soon.

The visit by China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, will begin in Canberra today with human rights activists calling on Penny Wong to demand the release of the Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun, who has been jailed in China on espionage charges since 2019. Wang’s arrival in Australia has already caused political and diplomatic waves, with former Labor prime minister Paul Keating riding at the crest. But if the visit is the hard end of Australia’s relations with China, then Adelaide zoo’s two pandas are the softer, more cuddly end, and we’re looking today at how Wang Wang and Fu Ni tell the story of the relationship’s ups and downs.

Tasmania’s Liberal and Labor leaders will go head-to-head in their final election campaign debate this afternoon as they count down to Saturday’s vote. Liberal premier Jeremy Rockliff will butt heads with Labor leader Rebecca White, who is having a third crack at leading the state, at a peoples’ forum in Hobart. Opinion polls point to the Liberals getting the most seats but not enough for majority government. Our reporter has been to the island state and finds that the campaign has been dominated by one issue: the failing health system.

Updated

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