Category Archives: Australian politics

PwC did not disclose any conflicts of interest before winning aged care auditing contract

Posted on by

Consulting firm’s contract to audit the Morrison government’s workforce bonus program remains suspended, department confirms

PwC Australia did not disclose any real or perceived conflicts of interest to the federal government before it was awarded a $2.3m aged care contract that has been suspended since June amid a continuing investigation.

The firm was contracted by the Department of Health and Aged Care to audit the Morrison government’s workforce bonus program, which provided two pre-election payments in 2022 worth up to $800 to attract and retain staff in the struggling aged care sector.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Australia’s vaping crackdown to be enforced with new laws

Posted on by

Exclusive: After announcing most forms of vaping would be banned, the Albanese government will legislate changes and boost agencies’ powers

Australia’s ban on non-therapeutic and single-use vapes will be underpinned by new laws – rather than a focus on regulation – in a development that has been welcomed by public health experts.

The Albanese government announced in May that it would outlaw the importation of non-prescription vaping products in the biggest smoking reforms in a decade.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Opposition refers minister to Ibac – as it happened

Posted on by

This blog is now closed.

Warren Mundine said he has kicked two people off his no campaign group Recognise a Better Way, one of which for allegedly making an antisemitic comment.

I’ve actually kicked several people off our campaign in regard to their comments and I intend to keep on doing that.

That’s just between us and the couple of people we had sent off. I don’t appreciate racist comments … All they know is I got rid of them and I don’t accept any racial comments from anyone in regard to these issues.

… It wasn’t particularly about Aboriginals, one was a very antisemitic comment and I’m not gonna wear that crap.

When I talk about treaties, when I talk about constitutional recognition, it is in regard to treaties that are signed between the commonwealth government and First Nations peoples.

… I believe in treaties between the First Nations and the commonwealth and at that, and I put it in that context.

I was involved in the beginning … and then after it got further down the track in regard to [what] it was looking at, [then I said] I don’t support that.

It has to be the First Nations, it has to be the traditional owners who make those agreements. I can’t speak for other people’s country, and they can’t speak for my country.

Continue reading...

Warren Mundine urged to give full details of ‘sacking’ of no campaign volunteers over alleged racist remarks

Posted on by

Spokesman for Indigenous voice to parliament no campaign also condemns comments by Advance board member questioning Stan Grant’s skin tone

The Liberals for Yes have demanded that Warren Mundine explain the full details of “secret sackings”, after the Recognise a Better Way spokesman claimed he had ejected two volunteers for making racist remarks.

On Tuesday Mundine separately denounced as “bizarre” comments by the Australian Jewish Association head, David Adler, who is on the advisory board of reactionary campaign group Advance, questioning Stan Grant’s skin tone. Adler has reportedly said he did not intend to insult the presenter, adding “I am 100% zero racism”.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Australia news live: Qantas supports voice with Yes23 logos on three planes; Bendigo Bank reports record earnings

Posted on by

EY criticised for lack of disclosure on Santos work during parliamentary inquiry. Follow today’s live news updates

Question of whether vape ban to be legislated by commonwealth or states, Butler says

Mark Butler was also asked about the government’s plan to ban all disposable vape products. He said they are working on it “furiously” with eight other jurisdictions for a uniform approach, but haven’t got a set timeframe yet.

… which will be, you know, difficult, complex and probably take some time.

We know that there will be a furious response by the industry – there has been every time we tried to regulate nicotine or tobacco – so we want to make sure that we get this right.

And one of the real problems is we don’t know how much nicotine. This black market that’s flourished [is] cynically targeted at kids.

You can tell that through the fact that they’re bubblegum flavoured and they’ve got pink unicorns on them. It’s not as if those sorts of things are targeted at the middle-aged hardened smoker.

In addition to that … small rural pharmacies, which is the vast bulk of them, will receive 100% of the reduction in dispensing income – that’s over and above the additional investment we’re making in all pharmacies across the country – which will amount … to hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding from taxpayers through the course of this four-year period.

Continue reading...

Coalition’s position on the voice ‘clear as mud’ and ‘completely confused’, Burney says – as it happened

Posted on by

This blog is now closed.

‘Mistakes of the past’: David Littleproud compares voice to ATSIC advisory body

Littleproud says the proposal for the voice to parliament will “repeat the mistakes of the past”, comparing the proposal to ATSIC.

No, again, David, the problem comes from the lived experience we have. And it might work in suburbs in capital cities but when you’re talking about representative bodies in rural and remote Australia, you’re talking about hundreds of thousands of square kilometres, hundreds of different diverse communities that have different challenges and needs.

We were saying let’s have common sense.

Why not let the market decide but let’s educate Australians. This won’t happen overnight. This is something we need to bring them on that journey. That’s why I wanted to have some political leadership but from across the aisle, and say let’s have a national energy summit, bring Australians into our trust and let them decide what the energy mix should look like and live town our international commitments.

Continue reading...

National party refuses to back Peter Dutton on alternative Indigenous voice proposal

Posted on by

David Littleproud says his party has ‘real concern’ about regional advisory bodies Dutton has promised to put in legislation, but not in the constitution

The Nationals have refused to commit to legislating an Indigenous voice if the Coalition wins the next election, undercutting Peter Dutton’s attempt to win over voters with an alternative proposal.

Dutton has campaigned against enshrining a voice to parliament in the constitution, arguing it is “risky” to mention the advisory body in the nation’s founding document.

Continue reading...

Don’t call me Captain Killjoy: David Littleproud opposes Matildas’ public holiday

Posted on by

National party leader says it’s easy for the PM to call for a national holiday if Australia win the World Cup, but business would suffer

David Littleproud has opposed a public holiday for Australia if the Matildas win the World Cup, while insisting he does not want to be labelled “Captain Killjoy”.

A day after Australia defeated France in a thrilling penalty shootout to set up a semi-final clash against England, the National party leader said business groups were right to worry about the costs of a public holiday.

Continue reading...

Prosecutors pause dozens of criminal cases after Services Australia miscalculated debts

Posted on by

Commonwealth DPP reveals 32 criminal cases affected by ‘income apportionment’ adjourned while reviewed

Prosecutors have paused 32 criminal cases and are investigating possible wrongful convictions due to Services Australia relying on an incorrect understanding of welfare law which the commonwealth ombudsman found led to unlawful debts.

The commonwealth director of public prosecutions (CDPP) revealed the 32 cases, which are all affected by “income apportionment”, have been adjourned while it reviews these and an unknown number of historical cases.

Continue reading...

Australian Zionist groups at odds over criticism of government’s language on Palestinian territories

Posted on by

Exclusive: Four affiliate organisations complain they were not consulted before Zionist Federation of Australia criticised the change in terminology

Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

The Zionist Federation of Australia is facing dissent from some of its affiliate organisations after it attacked the Albanese government’s new language on Israel and the Palestinian territories.

On Tuesday the government announced its decision to harden Australia’s opposition to “illegal” Israeli settlements and to adopt the use of the term “Occupied Palestinian Territories”.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Home affairs tried to water down report critical of ‘extraordinary’ counter-terror powers, documents reveal

Posted on by

Exclusive: Department engaged researchers to review its preventive detention of terrorists, only to attempt to remove their most serious criticisms

Department of Home Affairs officials told researchers to water down a key report that threatened to undermine the government’s use of “extraordinary” counter-terror powers allowing individuals to be imprisoned for a crime they have not yet committed, documents show.

Australia’s preventive detention regime for terror offenders, which allows individuals to be imprisoned for up to three years to prevent a future crime, has been described as “extraordinary” and disproportionate by the nation’s independent national security laws watchdog, who called for its abolishment in March and said it was causing Australia to become a “coarser and harsher society”.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Future uncertain for key Tasmania to mainland power transmission link after $2bn cost blowout

Posted on by

Federal government in discussion with states after cost of Marinus Link nearly doubles, putting decarbonisation and energy goals at risk

Tasmania is optimistic the Albanese government will lift funding for a key new transmission link to the mainland after projected costs blew out by at least $2bn.

The Marinus Link was originally priced at $3bn in 2021 for its two-stage construction of separate cables across the Bass Strait, each with 750 megawatt capacity.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Senate report on school refusal recommends subsidised mental health care for students

Posted on by

Labelled a ‘postive first step’ by the Greens, the report also recommends more support for parent groups and teacher training on attendance issues

Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

School students would get better access to mental health care and parent support groups would get more funding under the recommendations of a Senate inquiry to address the “alarming rate” of low school attendance.

The Greens, who initiated the inquiry last October, welcomed the Senate’s report as a “positive first step” and urged the federal government to work with states and territories to immediately begin implementing its recommendations.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Politics live: tourism boost as China approves resumption of group travel to Australia

Posted on by

Follow today’s live news updates

Coalition argue migration rates are behind housing crisis

The Coalition have pursued Labor over those figures, despite the numbers being lower than what was forecast when the Coalition was in power, and due to the re-opening of the borders after the pandemic closures.

I’m very supportive of migration to Australia which helped build this country, but the pace and the rate of that migration is absolutely a legitimate issue for public debate and the impact that has on services into our community is also very legitimate, particularly housing. Frankly, I thought this was a particularly tone deaf contribution from the business community today, suggesting that the only numbers that matter were the permanent migration program and not the temporary workers, students who are coming here right now.

Because we know they are coming in extraordinary numbers and by the end of this year, I’ve been told by people in the industry it’s going to be eye wateringly high numbers, perhaps the largest ever on record.

If we want to continue to be competitive in attracting global talent, our migration system needs to be reformed.

Australia is competing against other countries for the best and brightest; and slow or complex migration systems, which do not provide appropriate levels of certainty for someone looking to uproot their lives to move internationally, puts us at a serious disadvantage.

There is a current misconception that our migration figures are higher than normal.

It is important to recognise migration numbers currently recorded simply reflect a rebalancing after the pandemic border closures in 2020 and 2021.

Continue reading...

Pro-democracy advocate says Australia should prepare to lay future sanctions against Hong Kong officials

Posted on by

Australian lawyer and China bounty target Kevin Yam still believes it is important to pursue diplomacy with Beijing

An Australian citizen who the Hong Kong authorities have vowed to “pursue for life” has risked further ire from Beijing by calling on the Australian government to consider future sanctions against Chinese officials.

Kevin Yam, one of eight overseas-based pro-democracy advocates accused of “encouraging sanctions … to destroy Hong Kong”, said the city’s descent into increasingly repressive rule had been “gut-wrenching”.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Conservative group LibertyWorks has not paid more than $172,000 it owes government over failed legal cases

Posted on by

LibertyWorks, chaired by Warren Mundine, has been issued multiple requests on costs after actions against foreign influence scheme and Covid restrictions, Senate estimates hears

The conservative thinktank LibertyWorks has not responded to multiple requests to pay the federal government more than $172,000 in legal costs for two failed cases over Covid-19 restrictions and the foreign influence transparency register.

LibertyWorks, which is chaired by the leading “no” voice campaigner Warren Mundine, lost a case in 2020 questioning the validity of the register and whether it infringed on the freedom of political communication.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Cheaper prescriptions plan likely to proceed as Coalition drops attempt to block 60-day dispensing

Posted on by

Patients will be able to buy two months of medicine from pharmacies for price of one, saving more than $1.6bn over four years

Patients with chronic conditions are set to receive two months of medicine for the price of one from 1 September, after the Coalition backtracked on a push to tear up Labor’s 60-day dispensing changes.

The changes, which are estimated to save 6 million Australians up to $180 a year for each medicine, faced a disallowance motion brought by the opposition in the Senate on Thursday morning.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Business lobby rejects Coalition’s ‘disingenuous’ claims Labor pursuing big Australia policy

Posted on by

Business Council of Australia wants migration to be more business-friendly and rejects concerns of a surge in arrivals

Big business has sided with the Albanese government by rejecting the “misconception” that migration is higher than normal and the “disingenuous” claim by the Coalition that Labor is pursuing a big Australia policy.

In a report titled Migration Makes Australia Stronger, to be released on Thursday, the Business Council of Australia calls for reforms to make migration more business-friendly and rejects concerns about a surge in arrivals after Covid border closures were lifted.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Trump’s potential return to White House up to American people, says Kevin Rudd

Posted on by

Australian ambassador to US takes more diplomatic angle after previously saying Trump re-election could ‘fray’ support for US-Australia alliance

The Australian ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, says it is up to the American people whether Donald Trump returns to the White House – an outcome he previously said would “fray” support for the US alliance in Australia.

The former Australian prime minister said on Wednesday that US politics was “a complex beast” and he was focused on keeping on good terms with both sides of the aisle, including former Trump officials.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Coalition will seek to block Labor plan for cheaper medicine after backlash from pharmacies

Posted on by

Opposition won’t support 60-day dispensing policy that allows patients to buy two months of medicine for price of one over concerns community pharmacies will be forced to close

The Coalition has asked the Senate to tear up changes allowing patients to buy two months of medicine for the price of one unless Labor pauses the policy and blunts the impact on pharmacies.

On Wednesday the shadow health minister, Anne Ruston, and Nationals Senate leader, Bridget McKenzie, announced that if the Albanese government did not pause the 60-day dispensing policy they would seek to have it disallowed.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...