What we learned today, Monday 17 August
That’s a wrap on our live coverage for today!
Before we go, let’s take a look at the day’s top headlines:
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Dozens of non-profit groups, multicultural advocacy organisations and social service agencies have urged the federal government not to proceed with changes to limit work rights for temporary migrants.
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The Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie says the first and only deal so far negotiated between the commonwealth and NSW to buy back guns in the wake of the Bondi terror attack might not work with the constitution.
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The NSW government has committed to assessing new datacentre proposals within 75 days if they meet “world-class” energy, water and environmental standards, under a framework announced today.
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Gordon de Brouwer has been appointed chancellor of Australian National University, to replace Julie Bishop after months of turbulence.
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The deputy Liberal leader, Jane Hume, has responded to Jim Chalmers’ claim that the Coalition would end the super guarantee, accusing him of making stuff up.
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National Australia Bank has recorded an increase in the number of struggling customers amid relentless pressure on Australian households.
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North Sydney Olympic pool has reopened following a temporary closure just one week after its five-year restoration.
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Victorian public school teachers accepted the state government’s latest pay offer, calling off a statewide strike planned for this week and ending the year-long negotiations.
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The Nationals leader, Matt Canavan, has welcomed the introduction of a controversial anti-abortion bill – described by experts as unnecessary, hurtful and misleading – to federal parliament.
Thanks for sticking around, see you tomorrow morning!
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Working holiday visa cuts still ‘need to be considered’ as opposition prepares migration policy
The shadow home affairs minister, Jonno Duniam, says working holiday visas need to be considered as part of the opposition’s policy to cap net overseas migration levels to “well below 200,000”.
Speaking on News24 earlier this afternoon, the Tasmanian senator, who is expected to announce the immigration policy before he retires in a few months, said the public would “know a number” and how the Coalition arrived at the number once it was finalised.
Duniam’s upper house colleague, Andrew Bragg, caused some consternation within the party last week when he said the net overseas migration (Nom) target should be set at 180,000 a year to prevent a housing shortfall in the coming years. Bragg said it could be achieved through “modest reductions” in visas for international students, working holidaymakers, and some unskilled workers.
The Nationals leader, Matt Canavan, quickly ruled out the junior Coalition partner’s support for working holiday visas and Bragg was counselled by the opposition leader, Angus Taylor, for going off script on a policy area he’s not leading.
But Duniam’s comments today suggest the opposition cannot pre-emptively rule out visa categories before the main work is done.
They only account for I think it’s something like 18,000 of the overall Nom. So to that extent, yes, [working holidaymakers] need to be considered. We need to be more targeted and work more closely with industry … I think the point I’m making here is that working holidaymakers, the surge in seasonal workforce we have – for both ag, horticulture, and hospitality – is necessary. And if we attack one section of or any visa subclass, then of course we’re going to have weighted outcomes there that are going to cause more issues than we already have.
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Gina Rinehart owns A$1.5bn of SpaceX shares, company reveals
Gina Rinehart’s company has revealed it holds 8m shares in Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting first announced its stake after the company listed on share markets back in June but declined to confirm how much it had bought.
US share market filings have now confirmed the company had 8m shares as of 30 June. At the time, those were worth US$1.37bn (A$1.93bn). Today, those would be worth US$1.12bn (A$1.57bn).
Hancock has previously responded to questions on whether it has sold or held onto its SpaceX shares with a statement describing Musk, the founder, as “an exceptional and brilliant person” with a “proven ability to use science for the betterment of mankind”.
Hancock’s American holdings rose from US$3.3bn in March to US$5.7bn, the filings show. SpaceX is its single largest holding.
It held or increased its position in all of its investments over the period. The company bought more shares in defence companies Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and L3 Harris, software company CrowdStrike, media giant Fox Corp and Trump Media, the owner of the US president’s Truth Social platform.
Hancock also took on new investments, buying US$260m worth of S&P 500-linked exchange traded funds and taking stakes in a US rare earths developer and two gas producers.
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Complainant C’s cross-examination begins in Alan Jones trial
Back in the Alan Jones trial, his defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC has begun cross-examining complainant C, a young man who worked for the broadcaster as a driver.
Bashir’s questions centred on C’s relationship with 2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley.
C accepted that Hadley helped him get a job at 2GB when he was 18 and paid his salary for three months – before he was employed to work for Jones as a driver.
Bashir asked C about his “Donkey” nickname with Jones.
Bashir asked in court: “It was you who first suggested the name Donkey?”
C replied: “Yes.”
Bashir asked: “You understood Donkey was a way to describe a man with a large penis?”
“Yes,” complainant C replied.
Bashir asked: “And that name and discussion of donkey became banter?
It was locker room chat?”
C said in court: “Yes.”
The trial before judge Glenn Walsh continues. Jones has pleaded not guilty to 22 charges of indecent assault and sexual touching.
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Canavan and Joyce attend anti-abortion rally and back controversial bill
The Nationals leader, Matt Canavan, has welcomed the introduction of a controversial anti-abortion bill – described by experts as unnecessary, hurtful and misleading – to federal parliament.
It’s the third time the “born alive” legislation has been introduced, despite its premise being debunked.
The issue of abortion has a history of causing ructions within the Coalition, and likely lost them seats at the 2024 Queensland state election.
The former opposition leader Peter Dutton then tried to quash it as an issue before the 2025 election.
The “born alive” bill was originally introduced by then LNP MP George Christensen in 2021, and reintroduced by Canavan and the Liberal senator Alex Antic in 2022.
The LNP MP Llew O’Brien brought it back in this morning. Debate was adjourned.
Canavan joined O’Brien, Antic and One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce and Malcolm Roberts at an anti-abortion rally outside Parliament House. He told Guardian Australia that some people think “it’s OK that babies can be born alive” after an abortion.
Canavan said:
I welcome debate on this because it is a matter of life and death. I am proudly pro-life.
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Thank you for following along on the blog with me today!
I’ll leave you with the brilliant Achol Arok for the rest of the day’s news and see you here bright and early tomorrow.
Tl;dr here’s what happened in question time
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Dan Tehan was booted from QT after telling Chris Bowen to “cut the crap” and reveal how much taxpayer money has been spent on the capacity investment scheme. Milton Dick said Tehan had disrespected him and the House.
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The Coalition mainly focused on housing – on how many first home buyers were now in negative equity, and calling for transparency around the capacity investment scheme.
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Dick early on in the piece had to cut off the housing minister, Clare O’Neil, after she ignored his warning to answer the question put to her by the opposition and kept attacking the Coalition.
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The veterans’ affairs minister, Matt Keogh, was asked to explain why he refused to meet with veterans who had travelled to parliament house with concerns about access to allied health services, while some of those veterans watched on.
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And the independent MP Sophie Scamps asked Mark Butler how the government would ensure individuals being taken off the NDIS would still be supported.
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Question time ends
After a final dixer to the prime minister, Anthony Albanese calls time on QT.
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Steggall asks for modelling on cuts to skilled migration
Independent MP Zali Steggall asks the treasurer what modelling his department has done on potential damage from cuts to skilled migration and holiday workers, and “which sectors or essential services would need to be scaled back due to worker shortages?”
Jim Chalmers starts by talking about the “essential contribution” migrants in Australia have made.
On the question of modelling, he says Treasury, the Productivity Commission, the OECD, Reserve Bank and others have done work on the issue and found “over time that migrants are more likely than not to make a big contribution to our economy – often they provide a big part of the dynamism and the innovation in our economy.”
He then goes into a full-scale attack on the opposition:
We have unfortunately heard, in recent times in particular, that there are some in our community, and especially in our politics sitting over there, whose primary purpose when it comes to thinking about dealing with migration in this country is to try and divide the community. And we reject that irresponsible approach. The approach that they take in talking down our economy and dividing our community is bad for our economy and it is bad for our society as well.
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Minister is asked about cap on veterans’ allied health serices
Nationals MP Michael McCormack is next and asks the minister for veterans’ affairs why he’s refused to meet veterans in Canberra who are concerned about a $5,000 cap on veterans’ allied health services.
The minister, Matt Keogh, says the government has committed $177m in funding to increase the fees for allied health workers treating veterans, and removed the burden on veterans being forced to get a new referral every 12 sessions.
McCormack soon makes a point of order because Keogh hasn’t said why he’s refused to meet the group of veterans who have travelled to the capitol. Milton Dick tells Keogh to answer the question.
While Keogh continues, members of the opposition shout “shame” louder and louder.
We’re in the process of putting together a discussion paper that will be released for broad consultation with the veteran community … As they were informed last week by my office, I was unable to meet with them today but, as I have continually said and engaged with many ex–service organisations, we wish to engage with them and the practitioners in allied health services.
McCormack tries to table the letter of refusal from Keogh but he’s not granted leave (which means that the government refuses the request).
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‘A lot of work’ to do on disability foundational supports, Butler says
How will the government ensure that no NDIS participant is exited from the scheme until appropriate foundation supports are fully funded and operational, asks independent MP Sophie Scamps.
The health minister, Mark Butler, says states and territories are working towards having adequate supports in place via Thriving Kids, for children under nine, and foundational supports.
On the former, he says he’s happy with the progress he’s seeing, but on the latter, acknowledges there’s still a lot of work to do.
He also promises that no one will “fall between two stools without proper supports”.
Thriving Kids is well under way. I’ve seen implementation plans, I think, by all state governments with the exception of Queensland. We’re very satisfied with progress being made there. They will start to ramp up from 1 October, with the expectation that they will be fully rolled out from 1 January 2028,
Foundational support systems will have to be built for them as well. Kids over the age of nine and adults who might not end up being on the NDIS as a result of that new test being introduced. And there’s a lot of work for state governments and the commonwealth to do there. We’re committed to doing that work.
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Take three: Coalition continues questions on capacity investment scheme
Liberal MP Garth Hamilton picks up where Dan Tehan left off – but with some much safer language.
He asks “will the minister just tell Australians how much Labor’s secret capacity investment scheme is costing taxpayers?”
It’s the third question pushing for some details on the capacity investment scheme.
Chris Bowen still won’t answer the question and give us a figure. He says broadly:
The capacity investment scheme was treated in the budget in a very similar way – in fact, identical way – to previous government programs of a similar nature. Including programs that were administered by the then–minister for energy, including underwriting new internally generation investments, including Snowy Hydro 2.0.
The opposition tries to make a point of order on relevance, but Bowen sits down, indicating he’s ended his answer.
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‘Cut the crap’: Dan Tehan gets booted from the chamber
The manager of opposition business, Dan Tehan, asks Chris Bowen: “Would you just cut the crap and tell Australians how much your Capacity Investment Scheme is costing taxpayers?”
That doesn’t go down well with the speaker, Milton Dick, who says that “language is beneath the dignity of this house”.
Independent MP Zali Steggall says he should get kicked out immediately.
Dick gives Tehan another go, warning him to use better language, which Tehan ignores.
My question is to the minister for climate change and energy: Will the minister just cut the faecal matter and tell Australians how much Labor’s Capacity Investment Scheme is costing taxpayers?
There’s a collective groan and some shouting from the government benches.
And Dick tells Tehan he’s completely disrespected the speaker and to get out. Dick then skips the question entirely.
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‘Appreciate the notice the opposition gave on the front page of The Australian today’: Bowen
Nationals MP Llew O’Brien is next and asks the climate change minister, Chris Bowen, how much the government has given to foreign investors under the capacity investment scheme which underwrites major renewables projects.
He cites a story in The Australian that revealed private companies had about $40bn in social licence commitments under the CIS.
Bowen dryly thanks the opposition for the heads-up on the question with the story on The Australian newspaper’s front page this morning.
I particularly appreciate the notice the opposition gave on the front page of The Australian today, which says “The Coalition on Monday will launch a parliamentary attack under the … scheme.” I thought it was Christmas, but there you go. You learn something new every day.
I guess, given it’s the first time the opposition’s asked me a question since April, it’s a big deal. You have to flag it on the front page of the national broadsheet.
He then doesn’t answer the question anyway, claiming that deals under the CIS are commercial in confidence:
When you are operating an auction, what you are doing is calling on people to put forward bids. And if you reveal the outcome of those bids, you are undermining the position of the taxpayer.
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Labor pledges new 'opt-out register' for gambling ads
Breaking into question time with some breaking news. The Labor government has pledged a new single-service opt-out register for gambling ads – a similar idea to the Do Not Call register for spam calls – as part of its amendments to its wagering ad bill.
Communications minister Anika Wells has also confirmed Labor will clamp down on inducements and inducement advertising, as well as limiting some commissions for gambling employees.
Wells has today introduced a third gambling bill into the parliament. The existing legislation will be advanced tomorrow, but this new bill sets out a few of the government amendments to their own plan.
The bill’s explanatory memorandum says the government’s plans include “restricting the use of inducements by licensed interactive wagering service providers”, plans to prohibit “inducement-based direct marketing and social media advertising to certain customers, restricts attempts to obtain consent to receive such marketing, prohibits certain commission-based referral arrangements”.
A major change is a new “Wagering Advertising Opt-out Register”. We’re seeking information about how this would work, but the government says it would “provide a single mechanism through which individuals may opt out of receiving wagering advertising from online content service providers”.
Wells said in a speech that the register would “provide Australians with a ‘one-stop shop’ to opt out of seeing wagering advertising on online platforms.”
The Australian Communications and Media Authority will be responsible for implementing and enforcing these reforms, including monitoring compliance with the new restrictions and establishing and administering the Opt-out Register.
This Bill enables the ACMA to recover the costs of those activities through a levy imposed on licensed interactive wagering service providers. It is appropriate that the wagering industry, rather than taxpayers, bears the costs of regulating these activities.
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‘It’s not rocket science’: Coalition and Labor spar on housing
Why has the number of first home buyers dropped by 6% this calendar year, asks shadow treasurer Tim Wilson.
The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics release shows that in the last quarter, new owner occupier first home buyer loan commitments for homes fell 2.9%.
Clare O’Neil says:
There have been more first home buyers each and every year under our government than there have ever been under any other government in Australian history.
She then tries on a bit of a “compare and contrast” which the opposition immediately tries to shut down, saying it was a very tight question.
Milton Dick rules that O’Neil can do a bit of a compare and contrast but it has to be relevant to the question.
O’Neil continues, and decides to stay positive and not criticise the Coalition.
We all read the newspapers on the Sunday morning. For the first time in my life, they are peppered with article after article about first home buyers around the country who are going to auctions and winning.
It’s not rocket science. It’s a very simple reason that they’re winning auctions, Speaker, for the first time in 25 years – first home buyers are standing on a level playing field.
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Coalition launches question time on first home buyers and negative equity
Liberal frontbencher Aaron Violi has the first question today, and asks the housing minister how many people who have used the 5% first home deposit scheme are in negative equity in her electorate of Hotham in Melbourne.
Clare O’Neil chooses not to answer the question asked, and takes a jab at the opposition, saying it’s “fascinating” that they’ve asked this question with the “young leaders of our country gathered here in the gallery”.
She’s referring to the youth parliament program taking place today, with 150 senior school students attending QT today.
The Coalition quickly jumps in to say she’s not being relevant, and Milton Dick agrees, telling O’Neil to stop talking about the opposition.
O’Neil continues, talking about “homeownership rates for young people falling through the floor” and while that’s not untrue, she’s still not answering the question, which makes Dick pretty annoyed.
He cuts her off with a stern warning:
The minister will conclude her answer. She’s not being relevant to the question. We’ll move to the next question. Ministers also have to follow the standing orders.
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Albanese responds to earthquake in Indonesia
Before we get into questions, the prime minister offers his sympathies to the 53 people who have died and thousands impacted by the earthquake in Indonesia, and marks the 81st anniversary of Indonesian independence today.
Anthony Albanese says:
We stand with the Indonesian government and its people at this sad and difficult time – as we have always done and always will do. Today also marks 81 years of Indonesian independence. The Indonesian people’s heroic struggle for independence was one of the most momentous turning points of the 20th century. Australians are rightly proud that we were among the first to recognise the establishment of Indonesia as a sovereign independent nation.
The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, also offers some remarks:
Today we wish the good, decent and democratic people of Indonesia a very happy Independence Day. It’s been 81 years, as the prime minister said, since independence was declared. And Australia supported Indonesia’s independence from the outset. Indeed, in the 1940s, Australia played a very significant role in working with the Indonesians and the Dutch to achieve independence for Indonesia.
Both leaders reflect on the close relationship between Indonesia and Australia including through the Lombok treaty signed in 2006 under the Howard government.
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No deal yet on gambling, Coalition says
Shadow communications minister, Sarah Henderson, says the Coalition and government are still hammering out details on amendments to the gambling reforms.
The Coalition would take the deal to its party room for approval - of which meetings always happen during sitting weeks on Tuesdays (tomorrow). Labor is keen to get the legislation passed ASAP.
Henderson tells News24 that the Coalition has “raised a whole range of concerns” on the bill, and when asked whether she believes a deal can be made this week, she doesn’t say.
Particularly after the Senate inquiry hearings where there was some pretty damning evidence, including in relation to predatory inducements. That’s where the gambling companies are targeting vulnerable or addicted gamblers. So we’ve certainly made it clear the bill cannot pass in its current form.
We are having good faith discussions about amendments to the bill, and those discussions are continuing, but anything that we, of course, are talking about is subject to endorsement by our party.
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Japanese ambassador talks up warm meetings with Albanese government
It looks like the “controversy” of melon-gate has been left behind in last week’s news headlines, with the Japanese ambassador to Australia apparently keen to show off his strong working relationships with the Labor government.
Kazuhiro Suzuki, who last week downplayed the fracas over Anthony Albanese’s comments, has today posted a few times on social media about who he’s meeting with.
He wrote on X:
Pleasure meeting Director-General of National Intelligence Kathy Klugman to discuss regional situation & national security issues. We reaffirmed to promote increased cooperation between JP&AU, as per the Leaders Statement on Enhanced Defence & Security Cooperation.
Klugman, for keen Canberra watchers, was until recently Albanese’s adviser on international affairs.
Suzuki also reposted a photo with Labor senator Raff Ciccone, after the pair met in Parliament House this morning.
“Australia and Japan aren’t just partners, we’re Special Strategic Partners, bound by trust and shared purpose,” Ciccone wrote, adding a photo of the two men smiling warmly at the camera.
Seems like everyone wants to swiftly move on from the podcast.
Renting is ‘biggest leading indicator of poverty in retirement’, shadow treasurer Tim Wilson says
Topics of conversation on this Monday of the parliamentary sitting week seem a little thin on the ground today, with Pauline Hanson’s comments to News24 that superannuation rules should be relaxed and access earlier, still to be debated today.
Liberal shadow treasurer, Tim Wilson, says Hanson will say what she wants to say but keeps a similar message to his colleague Jane Hume, that owning a home is the best economic security in retirement above superannuation.
Speaking to News24, he says:
Pauline’s going to say what she’s going to say. I’m not going to deal with it … The biggest leading indicator of poverty in retirement is that you’re renting in retirement. And so we’ve always believed that home ownership is a very important pillar of a retirement income scheme, and that has to be factored in.
All the modelling that’s done on retirement security is based on the assumption that you own your own home.
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Using super for housing gets ‘gold medal for stupidest policy’, Labor MP says
Julian Hill, the assistant minister for multiculturalism, says the Liberal policy to use super to buy housing is the “stupidest policy”.
Superannuation has become a bit of a political battleground again in recent days, after Pauline Hanson on Sunday said people should be able to access more of it before retirement.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers then told the Australian Financial Review the next election “at least in part it’ll be a referendum on super”.
This morning, the deputy Liberal leader, Jane Hume, said the Coalition previously had a policy to allow first home buyers to use super to buy a home, but hadn’t decided as yet whether to keep the policy for the next election.
At the moment, a person can access their super early under strict conditions, including to pay for certain expenses on compassionate grounds.
Hill tells News24:
A gold medal for stupidest policy would have to go to the idea of using your super to buy a house, super for housing, as the Liberals push. Think about it. Two people turn up to an auction on a Saturday. One of them’s taken 30 grand, it might be all the super they have in their early 20s, or whatever, out of their super, into their pocket, and they’re bidding on a house … It just pushes up the cost of housing, at the same time, it trashes your retirement savings.
*a quick fact check here, the Coalition’s policy stated you could take up to $50,000 or up to 40% of your super to the balance of $50,000.
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South Australia rejects push to join gun buyback scheme
South Australia has refused to join a planned national gun buyback, warning it will not spend state funds on a scheme it says should be paid for entirely by Canberra, AAP reports.
Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis earlier this morning told RN Breakfast his state is not interested in signing up to a model that relies on state co‑funding rather than being fully funded by the commonwealth.
We think we’ve got the balance right here in South Australia, but if the commonwealth government want to embark on a buyback scheme under the same process that John Howard did, they’re more than welcome to.
The John Howard buyback was fully funded by the commonwealth government, so they funded it in its entirety.
So far, New South Wales is the only state to have signed up to the buyback, which is due to begin in November. Other states including Queensland, the Northern Territory and Tasmania have also all ruled out joining any buyback scheme.
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Alan Jones trial enters third week
The Alan Jones indecent assault trial in Sydney is now into its third week. Jones has pleaded not guilty to 20 indecent assault charges and two counts of sexual touching against six men.
Complainant C, who used to drive Jones’s car, is continuing his evidence in the Downing Centre local court.
He said he told his friends and colleagues the broadcaster was a “grub” when he described the way Jones would grope him.
C, who drove Jones while working for 2GB radio as a young man, last week told the court the broadcaster would touch his penis in the car and kiss him in the lift at work and at Jones’s home.
He didn’t tell anyone about the alleged behaviour while he was still working for Jones, but years later he started telling friends and colleagues, C said.
Today, complainant C said that when they asked what it was like to work for the radio host, he replied:
He was a grub.
Alan used to grab me on the cock, in the car, in the lift.
I recall using very vulgar language to describe him.
The trial before judge Glenn Walsh continues.
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‘You will be condemned by history’: Steele-John makes plea against NDIS cuts
Jordon Steele-John has accused the government of backing the “gas industry and the billionaires instead of … disabled people and our families”, as debate on the NDIS legislation in the Senate continues.
He’s making an impassioned plea for the government and Coalition not to go ahead with the legislation and says the cuts are “not needed”.
Both major parties say the scheme as it is is unsustainable. Last year, the scheme grew more than 11%, well above the government’s previous target of limiting growth by less than 6%. Under the changes, the government wants growth to be limited to 2% (which is below even the inflation rate).
Steele-John says:
Shame on you. You betray not only this community, but the national character. You will be condemned by history. The blood and the lives of those who will suffer and die will be on your hands, and will live in your consciences forever.
And come the next election, we will consider what to do with our votes, and we will remember, who backed us up, who fought our corner in this moment, and who decided to turn away … We will ensure that every single life, every single cooked decision. Every single automated nightmare, created by this bill, is laid directly at your door.
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Minns government accuses NSW Liberal leader of ‘pandering to One Nation’ over gun buyback
The NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, has accused the Liberal leader, Kellie Sloane, of “political pandering to One Nation” as she doubles down on her criticism of the state’s participation in Australia’s biggest gun buyback in 30 years.
The Liberal leader, Sloane, who witnessed the Bondi attack, voted with her party for tougher gun laws in the immediate aftermath, including limiting the number of firearms for recreational users to four, and for farmers to ten. The Nationals voted against restrictions, while the Liberals have since walked back their support.
Under the joint federal and NSW buyback announced on the weekend, individuals will be compensated for surrendering firearms that exceed the new limits or which have been reclassified, affecting an estimated 274,000 registered firearms.
Sloane, who has said the government needs to respond to “legitimate concerns” about the policy, including its costs, told 2GB yesterday it was “absolute bullshit” that the buyback would prevent another Bondi attack. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has also criticised the policy. This morning, Sloane again said she did not think the buyback would prevent another attack like Bondi, telling Sunrise:
It won’t. Sadly, it won’t. I mean, there’s a reason that Chris Minns was the only premier in the entire country to stand with Anthony Albanese and support this proposal, which is half-baked. It’s half-baked and it’s a very expensive solution to the wrong problem.
We need to be very clear-eyed about who the real enemy is. And it is not law-abiding farmers. It is not law-abiding sporting shooters in our suburbs. It is terrorists. It is terrorism. It is hate.
Asked about Sloane’s response to the buyback this morning, the NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, told reporters it was “incontrovertible that if you reduce the number of guns in circulation, you make the community safer”. He accused the opposition leader of engaging “in a gold-medal opportunity … of preemptive political pandering to One Nation”.
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Victorian teachers vote to accept government’s pay offer
Victorian public school teachers accepted the state government’s latest pay offer, calling off a statewide strike planned for this week and ending the year-long negotiations.
Australian Education Union members voted 79% in favour of the offer on Monday and confirmed planned industrial action on Wednesday will not proceed.
Teachers will receive total pay rises between 28.3% and 32.4% over four years, plus a $2,000 bonus at the start of the agreement.
Early-career teachers will receive a $12,343 increase by October 2026, bringing their pay in line with New South Wales. An experienced teacher’s salary will rise from $118,063 to $151,419 by 2029, including a $15,393 increase in 2026, which brings their salary ahead of NSW.
The deal also improves conditions, including fewer after school meetings and four professional practice days each year.
AEU’s branch president, Justin Mullaly, said the outcome was thanks to the powerful campaign by tens of thousands of public school staff. He said in a statement:
Increases like these are why it pays to be a union member. This outcome has been won through the direct efforts of AEU members, who demanded pay and conditions that reflect the value and importance of their work in Victorian public schools.
The premier, Ben Carroll, and education minister, Gabrielle Williams, are due to hold a press conference at 11.30am.
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Labor and Coalition continue negotiations on NDIS bill
Back in the Senate, the shadow health minister, Anne Ruston, says the Coalition is working with the government as well as the crossbench to make “improvements to this bill”.
After Greens senator Jordon Steele-John’s attempt to suspend standing orders to dump the bill was shut down, the chamber is now debating the substance of the legislation.
Ruston has plenty of criticism for the government over the bill (no surprises there) over fears from the disability community about who will get kicked off the scheme, the lack of consultation, fraud and exploitation of the system and concerns over gaps between the NDIS and state services which are yet to come online:
We all want to see the scheme protected [as] the scheme’s growth and expenditure are unsustainable at current levels.
One of the things that stood out during the Senate inquiry was the disability community’s outrage and heartbreak that they were not consulted on these reforms before they were introduced. There has been no consultation with the disability community, representative organisations or even state and territory ministers on these reforms …
There is a clear risk that alternative supports will not be in place for participants who are exiting the scheme when these changes commence.
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Nationals MP pushes controversial ‘babies born alive’ bill in the house
Over in the House, the Nationals MP Llew O’Brien is debating his bill to force doctors to provide medical care and treatment for babies born alive after the termination of a pregnancy.
He’s surrounded by Liberal frontbenchers Andrew Hastie and Tony Pasin and backbenchers Rick Wilson, Nationals MPs Alison Penfold and David Batt and One Nation’s Barnaby Joyce.
It’s not a new bill: back in 2024 the now Nationals leader Matt Canavan pushed for similar rules to be introduced, defying an order from then-Liberal leader Peter Dutton that Coalition MPs must not engage in any debates on abortion.
The bill will go nowhere because Labor, which has a majority in the house, won’t support it.
To understand what the issue is, and what the facts are, have a read of this explainer by my colleague Tory Shepherd here:
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Greens move to suspend standing orders to ditch ‘cruel’ NDIS bill
The Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has moved to suspend standing orders in the Senate, which was about to begin debating the NDIS bill, in order to have the legislation thrown out.
Steele-John says the bill ignores evidence from parliamentary hearings and will do harm to people with a disability and their families:
This bill must be discharged, thrown into the parliamentary bin because it will do harm to the Australian disabled community and our families.
It appears that the major parties in this place are, despite all of the evidence given, on so many different fronts, from so many different community groups, and so many different parliamentary hearings, that this bill is dangerous, will do harm, will cause those who have finally reached independence to go back into isolation, back into the dark, shut in, shut up, shut away, despite the most compelling evidence that I have taken in nearly 10 years in this place … [there is] unanimous united feedback that this bill will do harm. It is cruel. It is unnecessary.
The government and the Coalition are still in negotiation to make a deal on the bill, so the Greens won’t have the numbers to shut this down.
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New Tasmanian Liberal senator sworn in
Chris Gatenby has be sworn in as Tasmania’s newest senator, replacing Wendy Askew who announced she would leave federal politics in June.
A few days later her colleague, Liberal frontbencher Jonno Duniam, also announced he would depart but that won’t be until later in the year.
Gatenby is a former Liberal Party president and former senior adviser to the Tasmanian premier, Jeremy Rockliff.
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North Sydney Olympic pool re-opens after power issue forces closure
North Sydney Olympic pool has re-opened following a temporary closure just one week after its five-year restoration.
On Thursday afternoon, a power issue forced staff to clear the pool of swimmers and temporarily shut the complex.
But after staff and contractors completed works to address the problem, the pool was open and operating as usual by Saturday, North Sydney Council confirmed:
Council thanks the community for its patience and understanding during the temporary closure and looks forward to welcoming visitors back to the facility.
North Sydney Olympic pool reopened to much fanfare following a costly five-year, $122m redevelopment.
The famous art deco pool, which first opened in 1936 and has been a training ground for countless elite athletes, was due to reopen in 2022 after closing for a major refurbishment. But it was hampered by delays and ballooning costs.
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Nab records rise in ‘watch loans’ indicating consumer stress
National Australia Bank has recorded an increase in the number of struggling customers amid relentless pressure on Australian households.
The bank said today that levels of “watch loans” were moving higher, reflecting current and potential customer stress.
Watch loans are a leading indicator of a customer’s financial problems, whereby a lender has identified that a borrower may struggle to meet future commitments.
Nab said the Middle East conflict, higher interest rates and recent budget tax changes are creating challenges and uncertainties for customers.
The big bank recorded a $1.83bn quarterly cash profit, according to results published this morning, 2% higher than the average of the prior two quarters.
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Chalmers ‘simply making things up’: Hume
The deputy Liberal leader, Jane Hume, has responded to Jim Chalmers’ claim that the Coalition would end the super guarantee, accusing him of making stuff up.
Before heading out to Googong with Angus Taylor for a press conference, Hume rejected Chalmers’ comments and told reporters at parliament:
I think the treasurer has a leaf out of the Mad Men Don Draper book: if you don’t like what they’re saying about you, change the conversation.
The super guarantee is here to stay and the treasurer is simply making things up.
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Taylor won’t confirm if backpackers will be carved out of Coalition migration targets
Angus Taylor and Matt Canavan might be in for a slightly awkward conversation over which visa classes are going to see cuts to get migration numbers down.
The Coalition has said it will tie migration numbers to housing builds, but the Nats have warned that working holiday visas (ie backpackers) shouldn’t be touched because they’re vital farm workers.
Taylor, who’s doing a press conference in Googong, a town just outside Canberra in NSW, says there will be more to say later about which visas get cut:
We’ll have more to say as we get closer to the election on the composition of visas. What I will say, though, is we will cap migration numbers based on housing supply. Sadly, we’re seeing housing supply [in] freefall …
We’ll look at different visa classes and make appropriate decisions. What we don’t want to do, and to Matt’s point, is we don’t want to undermine the skilled labour that our agricultural sectors need.
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Coalition, One Nation would end super ‘as we know it’ claims Chalmers
Jim Chalmers, who’s become a bit of a fan of the ol’ Parliament House doors-stop (for the unintiated, it’s basically where journos will hang out at the entrances of the Senate and house to ask incoming pollies what their thoughts are on the news of the day).
Chalmers has recently taken it upon himself to – when convenient – enter through the House of Representatives doors rather than the ministerial entrance, so he can give the TV stations a couple of quotes.
This morning he’s taken aim at Jane Hume, the Liberals and One Nation, and claims they’re a threat to super. He accuses Hume of throwing the future of compulsory super in doubt during her earlier interview on News24 (see here):
The Liberals via Jane Hume put the future of compulsory super [in] doubt … The Liberals, the Nationals and One Nation would end compulsory superannuation as we know it.
Their policy and their ideology on super would absolutely decimate the economic security and retirement incomes of millions of Australian workers … Last week, Andrew Bragg at the press club compared super for younger workers as akin to super for cats and dogs.
What Hume said this morning was:
I do think that superannuation is highly valued by Australians, it’s not something that you need in your working life, it’s something you need in your retired life … The best indicator of economic security in your retirement is owning a home and that should be a priority.
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Former public service commissioner announced as Julie Bishop’s replacement at ANU
Gordon de Brouwer has been appointed chancellor of the beleaguered Australian National University, to replace Julie Bishop after months of turbulence.
De Brouwer is a bit of a Canberra institution, most recently having served as the Australian Public Service Commissioner and who has held senior roles in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, treasury and the Reserve Bank.
The decision was made independently of the university’s council after a string of controversies around ANU’s governance. The ANU had voluntarily requested an undertaking from the university quality and safety body, TEQSA, to help make the appointment.
In a statement, De Brouwer said:
I am committed to helping ANU build confidence in its future, with strong governance, a compelling shared strategy and a culture in which our people can do their best work.
The finance minister, and senator for the ACT, Katy Gallagher, has also congratulated the new chancellor who will begin this week:
The ANU is a great national institution and a vital part of Canberra, and I look forward to working with Dr de Brouwer as he leads the University into its next chapter.
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Hume says housing the ‘best indicator of economic security’ in retirement over super
The deputy Liberal leader, Jane Hume says the Coalition will reconsider whether Australians should be able to access more of their superannuation balance early after Pauline Hanson called on Sunday for super rules to be “lightened up a bit” and allow workers to their money in times of crisis.
Hume told News24 this morning its a policy the Coalition took to the last two elections but that it hasn’t come back to shadow cabinet this time around. Coalition policy included allowing first home buyers to use up to $50,000 or 40% of their super balance to buy.
Hume points out that owning a home is the most “best indicator of economic security” in retirement.
It’s something that we will obviously consider as part of our normal processes, that’s not a policy that’s come to our shadow cabinet yet, but of course, it’s something that we would consider.
I do think that superannuation is highly valued by Australians, it’s not something that you need in your working life, it’s something you need in your retired life.
But as I said, the best indicator of economic security in your retirement is owning a home and that should be a priority.
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The system is ‘unfair’: state premiers fight over GST deal
RN Breakfast has decided to making itself something of a boxing ring for the GST debate, with not one but three state treasurers on its program today fighting over the deal that the productivity commission has called a “costly mistake”.
Tom Koutsantonis, the SA treasurer is obviously feeling aggrieved by the deal (like all treasurers besides the Western Australian treasurer) and says that before the mining boom, the only reason Perth was able to grow was because of “those bigger states subsidising Western Australia.”
If you put the Productivity Commission report into any pub across Australia, people read it from cover to cover, [they] all say the system currently is unfair. We’re paying more for it than we were told it would cost. We’re using scarce income tax dollars to prop up a state that doesn’t need it.
Following him is WA’s treasurer, Rita Safioti, who says that despite what the PC says, the deal’s actually good and fine for everyone and says her state government is “very confident in our current deal”.
By that she means that it’s so politically sensitive in the west that Anthony Albanese won’t be inclined to overhaul it.
She says it’s an economic rather than a political argument.
This is a deal that doesn’t make any other state worse off, makes sure that there’s the right incentives to deliver productivity and economic growth. And also helps the federal budget bottom line by making sure that we can continue to deliver the royalties and the company tax in particular.
WA has a significant resources sector and we need the ability to be able to develop those resources because they lead to national economic growth but also are the national bottom line.
Finally, the NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, who’s also been very vocal in his criticism of the agreement, says it’s not fair that people in the west automatically get better entitlements and services because of the deal than those in the east.
He also takes issue with Safioti’s argument that only WA should be incentivised to develop its resources sector.
We have a pretty significant resource state here in New South Wales too, as does Queensland, as does South Australia. And if the logic that WA is arguing for is to apply across the board, then every other state that’s either developing those resources or looking to are entitled to the same benefit.
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NSW framework commits to 75 day assessments for datacentres that meet ‘world-class’ standards
The NSW has committed to assessing new datacentre proposals within 75 days if they meet “world-class” energy, water and environmental standards, under a framework announced today.
The Minns government’s new datacentre guidelines follow the prime minister’s announcement last month of a national office of AI and regulatory framework for datacentres, amid growing community concern about land, water and power use by the rapidly expanding industry.
The Minns government has credited investment in datacentres, which has increased 75% per year on average over the last three years, as the reason NSW has avoided recession.
Under the NSW guidelines, the planning department will commit to assessing proposals within 75 days if datacentre builders comply with six principles, including applying “world-class environmental and efficiency standards”, imposing no net cost to consumers and communities and funding additional water and energy supply.
Under the guidelines, they must “demonstrate a commitment to training and skills to support jobs”. The government says developments will still need to meet planning, environmental and community consultation standards.
The state government says it will introduce regulation to make sure datacentres pay for electricity network upgrades without the cost being passed on to households and small businesses. I
t has not made the same commitment on the cost of providing water, but will commission the independent pricing regulator, Ipart, to review “how water pricing can reflect the full costs associated with servicing datacentres”, including management of the impacts of drought.
The framework has already been endorsed by datacentre companies CDC, AirTrunk, and Data Centres Australia. The NSW treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, says:
This world-class framework provides the certainty that both investors and – importantly – the community need. NSW is a premium destination, so we are setting a high bar.
The NSW government will move its own office of AI, established in 2025, directly into the cabinet office.
It comes after the NSW opposition said it would appoint a dedicated minister for AI if elected next year, alongside a guarantee that frontline workers’ jobs would not be replaced by artificial intelligence.
Following the Albanese government’s announcement of a national framework, the NSW Greens joined their federal counterparts in calling for a moratorium on new datacentres.
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‘Pretty obvious’ SA treasurer says there will be a gap in care left from NDIS changes
South Australian treasurer, Tom Koutsantonis says he has real concerns about the government’s proposed changes to the NDIS scheme, which it hopes to pass this week, and worries there will be gaps in care from the reforms.
Koutsantonis tells RN Breakfast he’s worried his state and others won’t be able to provide enough support for individuals who are no longer eligible for the NDIS.
It’s been an uphill battle for the federal government to get the states on board with implementing so-called foundational supports and the thriving kids program.
Koutsantonis says:
We’re doing our very best, but look, I am concerned about the NDIS. I am concerned about a number of people being taken off the system and those foundational supports leaving people looking for services and they’re going to turn to state governments. And they’re going to turn to state governments, and we won’t have the resources we need to look after them.
I think it’s pretty obvious there’s going to be a gap in care. The question is how we deal with it. I mean, I think the entire system needs reform, and I think the commonwealth government are right to reform it. But let’s not pretend somehow that this system is now fully funded and ready to pick up the pieces of people coming off the NDIS. It’s just not.
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Mathias Cormann defends the WA GST deal he helped create
Mathias Cormann, the former finance minister who helped design the 2018 GST deal for WA and was a senator for WA says he disagrees with critics that the scheme – that’s handed billions of dollars to the west – has been a costly mistake.
On Friday, the productivity commission released an interim review of the deal that says tens of billions of dollars have gone to the richest state and that it “reshaped a system that needed targeted reform, leaving taxpayers with a large and growing bill”.
Cormann, who now heads the OECD (but speaks in a personal capacity) says the deal addressed a “significant unfairness” where WA’s share of GST was down to 30 cents in a dollar.
On RN Breakfast Cormann argues that if the reforms had not been in place, WA’s share would have dropped below 10 cents in the dollar when iron ore prices remained much higher for much longer than was anticipated at the time.
It was a very important reform to federal financial relations, addressing a very significant unfairness for the state of Western Australia, and also a real problem when it comes to the incentive arrangements in our federation in relation to state economic development, in particular of the resources and mining sector.
Asked about WA premier Roger Cook’s comments after the productivity commission released its report on Friday, calling other state governments “lazy” and accusing them of not pulling their weight, Cormann says he won’t go into political commentary.
Nationals argue low gun buyback price doesn’t sit well with the constitution
Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie says the first and only deal so far negotiated between the commonwealth and NSW to buy back guns in the wake of the Bondi terror attack might not work with the constitution.
The scheme will give licence holders a fixed compensation fee based on their type of firearm when they surrender it to NSW police.
McKenzie tells the ABC’s AM program that the deal doesn’t take into account the cost of firearm accessories and falls foul of a provision in the constitution that requires fair compensation:
Does a buyback need to be on just terms? Yes, it does. Does it need to ensure that market value is paid to Australians for their own assets? Of course it does. And under the federal constitution, that’s a requirement.
If that sounds a little familiar to you, it’s the same argument Darryl Kerrigan (or rather his more erudite lawyer) made in the film The Castle: that the commonwealth may acquire property on “just terms”, as set out in section 51(xxxi).
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Debate on NDIS legislation begins in the Senate today
The minister for the national disability insurance scheme (NDIS), Jenny McAllister, says she’s confident there is a deal to be reached with the Coalition overhauling the program.
Debate in the Senate will begin today and the government wants the legislation passed this week.
On Friday, the extended Senate inquiry examining the legislation handed down its report.
McAllister tells RN Breakfast:
I’m confident that there is an agreement to be reached here, and I say it for this reason. The Coalition has said publicly that they think that reforming this scheme does matter. They’ve said that they’re up for that task.
Asked whether participants who will no longer be eligible to be on the scheme under the changes will be left high and dry with the states and territories dragging their feet on alternative support, McAllister says everyone will still be able to access help.
We’ve been really clear that we won’t leave people without supports and it’s why we’ve initiated a conversation about foundational supports well before any access changes. We don’t expect any changes to access to the scheme to occur until 2028.
We don’t want to leave people without supports and we don’t want to see people fall between two stools.
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Joyce says One Nation are ‘not homophobes’, but won’t be seen at Mardi Gras
One Nation leader Barnaby Joyce says his party are not homophobes, but will absolutely not attend a Mardi Gras event.
Last week Joyce said One Nation was “one of the gayest parties in Australia” after comments surfaced from a failed candidate describing same-sex attraction as a mental illness.
Then Pauline Hanson was asked whether she still held her views from 1996 in when she said she didn’t like the event, and yesterday told News24 she still doesn’t like it. She said she has “no problem” with same sex marriage, but that people should keep their sexuality “behind closed doors”.
Joyce told Sunrise this morning the party is saying that an individual’s sexuality is “their business”.
Everybody’s trying to make us as a pack of homophobes, which we’re not. It’s just ridiculous. And we’re not racist, we’re not homophobes, but we always get these tropes thrown at us …
You can absolutely bet I would not go to the Mardi Gras. But that’s my business, and we just want you to live your own life.
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Community groups and migrant advocates urge Labor against rule changes
Dozens of non-profit groups, multicultural advocacy organisations and social service agencies have urged the federal government not to proceed with changes to limit work rights for temporary migrants.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, is working on new changes to cut overseas migration levels to Australia. It was reported last week the package, which is delayed pending cabinet deliberations, will include new rules removing some rights for temporary migrants applying for protection once their claim has been rejected.
Burke’s planned announcement at the National Press Club was delayed this month.
Nearly 150 different organisations, including the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Jesuit Social Services, have organised a massive open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, warning against restrictive changes.
It says removing work rights would strip people of their income and their independence, leaving them unable to pay rent, buy food or meet their most basic needs. Instead the letter urges investment in faster processing of applications, help for legal assistance and work rights.
“At a time when multiculturalism and migrant communities are facing growing attacks and scapegoating, Australia needs leadership that brings people together, upholds fairness and ensures our policies do not further harm communities already being targeted,” the letter says.
This is not the Australia we want to be and it is not the answer to the growing challenges facing our community.
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Welcome
Good morning, Krishani Dhanji here with you for week two of this sitting fortnight.
We’re getting to crunch time on Labor’s proposed changes to the NDIS and gambling regulations – both are still on the negotiation table.
Barnaby Joyce has declared that One Nation are not homophobes on Sunrise, after he last week called One Nation “one of the gayest parties in Australia” – more on that in a moment.
And dozens of non-profit and community groups are urging Labor not to change rules that would limit work rights for temporary migrants.
Let’s get stuck in!
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