What we learned today, Wednesday 26 November
With that, we will wrap the blog for the evening. Thanks for reading. Krishani Dhanji will be back first thing tomorrow to keep you company.
Here’s what made news:
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has held talks with the Greens leader, Larissa Waters, in an escalation of efforts to land a deal to pass the government’s signature environmental protection laws.
Inflation has climbed to 3.8% in the year to October, from 3.6% the month before, as the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, flagged he could announce further energy bill subsidies for households in the upcoming midyear budget.
The independent MP Andrew Wilkie has moved a motion in the House on gambling advertising, calling on the prime minister to respond to the Murphy gambling review and bring on a free vote on the issue.
Labor could cut some public service budgets by as much as 5% as it looks for major savings in next year’s federal budget. But Jim Chalmers denied it would mean “big jobs cuts” for the sector.
Victoria’s premier, Jacinta Allan, has defended police plans to expand search powers in Melbourne’s CBD for six months.
See you tomorrow morning.
Updated
Victorian government sets date for formal apology to First Nations people
The Victorian government will make a formal apology in parliament to First Nations people for the harm inflicted upon them by the state and colonisers.
The premier, Jacinta Allan, released a statement on Wednesday confirming the apology will take place in parliament on Tuesday 9 December.
The apology is a key recommendation of Victoria’s nation-leading Yoorrook Justice Commission and was agreed to in the first statewide treaty, recently signed into law.
She said the government had worked with the First Peoples’ Assembly to deliver the apology through the first statewide treaty process:
We are addressing the systemic injustices of the past to build a better future for all Victorians, grounded in mutual respect and understanding.
Updated
