Category Archives: Australian politics

‘End the private school boys’ club’: slashing salaries of badly behaved MPs not enough, Lidia Thorpe says

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Independent senator says Australians are sick of ‘privileged, high-paid politicians’ not taking their jobs seriously in ‘toxic and unsafe’ Parliament House

Lidia Thorpe has questioned whether docking the salaries of highly paid federal politicians will be enough to deter bad behaviour as parliamentarians contemplate the introduction of a sanctions body for MP misconduct.

The independent senator believes racism in the halls of power should also become a focus of the workplace behaviour enforcement body, describing Parliament House as a “toxic and unsafe environment”.

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NDIS deal passes both houses – as it happened

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Queensland Labor’s longest-serving state MP to retire

Queensland Labor’s longest-serving state MP has announced he will retire at October’s election.

Curtis Pitt is the last survivor of the “Tarago opposition”, the seven ALP MPs elected at the 2012 wipeout election.

The party won government back in 2015, after just one term.

In a Facebook post on Thursday morning, he announced his retirement after 15 years in politics.

It’s not a decision I’ve come to lightly. I’ve always said that the day I wake up and don’t feel I can give it 100 per cent, then it’s time for me to do something else.

When I think back, all of my kids have been born since I’ve been an MP. Having been a member of parliament for five terms, I know that I’ve missed so many important milestones and occasions.

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Super to be paid on parental leave as Labor seeks to close gender gap

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From July 2025, 180,000 families expected to benefit from 12% superannuation paid to parents using paid parental leave

New mothers and fathers are set to have their superannuation topped up by the federal government when they are taking time off to care for their newborn.

Laws paying superannuation on top of government-funded paid parental leave have been introduced to federal parliament in an attempt to lower the gender gap for retirement savings.

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Albanese given taxpayer-funded legal help after defamation threat from John Margerison

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Attorney general approves legal assistance ‘in relation to a defamation claim’ made against PM, along with approval for claims against Bill Shorten

The attorney general has approved legal assistance for Anthony Albanese and Bill Shorten in relation to defamation threats by a business associate of the former Liberal minister Stuart Robert.

On 12 August Mark Dreyfus approved assistance “in relation to a defamation claim” made against the prime minister on 23 July and for defamation claims on 23 and 25 July against Shorten, the government services and national disability insurance scheme minister, according to documents tabled to parliament.

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‘Grade five instincts’: why sook is the new insult of choice in Australia’s parliament

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In the rough and tumble of the House of Representatives, this barb stands out as an oldie but a goodie

In the hardbitten bear pit of politics, any sign of weakness is pounced on.

The latest favourite barb to be hurled about the federal chamber is “sook” – an oldie but a goodie. A slightly gentler insult than “snowflake”, “bedwetter” or “old jellyback”.

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Peter Dutton’s comments on Palestinians fleeing Gaza ‘bad for cohesion and harmony’, envoy says

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De facto ambassador to Australia says opposition leader’s commentary ‘not evidence based, not verified and unacceptable’

Peter Dutton’s comments about people escaping the bloodshed in Gaza are hurtful and “very bad for cohesion and harmony”, according to Palestine’s de facto ambassador to Australia.

After a week of intense parliamentary debate about Australia’s use of visitor visas for Palestinians fleeing the conflict, Izzat Salah Abdulhadi called the opposition leader’s commentary “very political”.

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Sussan Ley defends Coalition’s question time ‘passion’ as Labor proposes penalties for politicians’ bad behaviour

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Albanese government unveils proposal which could see MP’s salary docked by more than $11,000 for misconduct

The deputy opposition leader, Sussan Ley, says the Coalition makes “no apology” for its “passion”-filled performances in question time as parliamentary workplace behaviour is once again in the spotlight.

A new parliamentary workplace sanctions body is on the horizon after the Albanese government unveiled its proposed Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission (IPSC) on Wednesday.

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Social support payment systems may be reviewed as DV commissioner warns they are being ‘weaponised’ against women

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Micaela Cronin highlights concerns that payment systems are used to punish current and former intimate partners

The federal government is considering an across-the-board audit of social support payment systems to identify whether they are putting people at risk, as the commissioner monitoring its national anti-violence plan warns they are being “weaponised” against women.

The domestic, family and sexual violence commissioner, Micaela Cronin, suggested on Wednesday that the government was reviewing all of its payment systems out of concern that they were being used to punish current and former intimate partners.

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Brittany Higgins told journalist who broke alleged rape story Linda Reynolds ‘hated’ her, court hears

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Journalist Samantha Maiden was called to give evidence in the WA senator’s defamation trial against her former staffer

Brittany Higgins felt toxic and told the journalist who broke the story about her alleged rape in Parliament House that Senator Linda Reynolds hated her.

The senator is suing Higgins, her former staffer – who is defending the claim – over a series of social media posts containing alleged mistruths that she believes damaged her reputation.

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Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html

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NSW Liberal council election debacle descends into accusations of factional warfare

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Broadcaster Ray Hadley challenges ‘cowardly’ conservatives to ‘have a bit of courage for the sake of NSW politics’

The New South Wales Liberals’ failure to nominate in some local council elections has spilled over into accusations of factional warfare, with moderates warning a review should not be used as a pretext to dump the president, Don Harwin, or usher in federal intervention.

Brian Loughnane, the former federal Liberal director and reviewer of the 2022 election defeat, has been called in to examine the nomination failure, for which state director Richard Shields was sacked.

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Australia politics live: Coalition to reveal cost of nuclear plan ‘in good time’, Angus Taylor says; misbehaving MPs face fines under new standards commission

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The government will introduce legislation today which includes penalties for MPs and parliament house staff who have been found to have committed wrong doing. Follow the day’s news live

Gambling ads ‘an issue of morality’: Sharkie

As Paul Karp reported yesterday, the independent MP Rebekha Sharkie is one of the MPs pushing for the major parties to be allowed a conscience vote on the forthcoming Labor gambling legislation.

The Murphy report called for a full ban. That’s the expectation of many members of parliament, both the opposition and government said and the crossbench, but many have said to me that they’re wrestling with their conscience on the idea that there would only be a partial ban and many people see this issue closely tied to their faith, an issue of morality.

So it would appear to me and also to Andrew Wilkie that, you know, a straightforward position would be to allow a conscience vote and in my time in the Parliament, we’ve had four conscience votes. I think it would naturally fit for the parameters an issue that sits within their soul.

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‘Strong sentiment’ among construction union members to disaffiliate from Labor, CFMEU secretary says

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Zach Smith says federal government plan to appoint administrators has left members feeling their democratic rights have been stripped

Construction union members are “angry” and there is a “strong sentiment” among many to disaffiliate from the Labor party, the Construction Forestry Maritime and Employees Union’s national secretary has warned.

After the Coalition and Labor struck a deal to appoint administrators to address accusations of criminal misconduct and bikie links, Zach Smith said the union was “never given an opportunity” to address the issues itself.

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‘Enough is enough’: teal MPs call out ‘misogyny’ of Coalition MPs in question time

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After an often-heated parliamentary sitting, new figures show spike in ejections of opposition members as Kylea Tink labels behaviour ‘unacceptable’

Teal MPs have called time on poor question time behaviour, claiming performances by the opposition during recent sitting weeks have been “condescending”, “aggressive” and “often misogynistic”.

Fresh figures also reveal MPs have been booted out of the nationally broadcast event for “disorderly conduct” almost 200 times since May 2022, with more than six Coalition politicians entering double digits.

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Bridget Archer and Fatima Payman sign letter pushing for total ban on gambling ads as independent MPs urge free vote

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More than 20 parliamentarians – including Jacqui Lambie and Lidia Thorpe – sign letter calling for blanket ban

Some 21 parliamentarians including Liberal MP Bridget Archer and former Labor senator Fatima Payman have joined a push for the government to ban all gambling ads, as independent MPs push for a free vote on a total ban.

The first letter is signed by a group of Greens, the teal MPs and other lower house independents, senators Jacqui Lambie, David Pocock and Lidia Thorpe. It calls for a “blanket ban on advertisements for online gambling”.

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Coalition senators split in voting on Ralph Babet motion on abortion – as it happened

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Murray Watt on visas: ‘We are using exactly the same processes as were used by the Coalition’

The opposition has continued its political attacks against visas being given to Palestinians from Gaza (before Israel seized and completely closed the Rafah border in May).

We are using exactly the same processes as were used by the Coalition when they were in power and when Peter Dutton was the minister. Mike Burgess, the director general of Asio, has confirmed that himself.

Peter Dutton was quite prepared to use certain processes when he was the minister. Now we’re in power, he wants to criticise that. He wants to find division, to find reasons for criticism and be negative of the government.

I think this is just a ridiculous example he’s [Adam Bandt] giving, to disguise the fact yesterday the Greens were the only party in the parliament who decided to side with John Setka … rather than taking the side of the Australian people.

We had a vote in the Parliament yesterday, in the Senate, that called on the Greens to say they wouldn’t take political donations from the CFMEU construction division, they refused to vote for that. So I think it’s pretty clear what the motivation here is in voting against this legislation.

We haven’t received a dollar from the CFMEU for a decade, the Coalition received $175,000 in the last two years, Labor has received millions of dollars and what we say is we have not received the money, it is not why we are engaged in the debate.

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Peter Dutton tells Coalition party room he only wants temporary pause on Gaza visas as part of ‘principled stance’

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Some Coalition MPs have indicated privately they would be concerned if opposition leader was advocating to permanently refuse visas to Palestinians

Peter Dutton has assured Coalition MPs he is only calling for a temporary pause in allowing people from Gaza to come to Australia, after some were concerned he wanted a permanent ban.

In his weekly address to the Coalition party room, Dutton insisted the Coalition had taken “a principled stance” in challenging the visa approval process for applicants from Gaza and demanding greater security checks.

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Australia and Indonesia to deepen military ties after striking ‘historic’ security pact

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Anthony Albanese and Prabowo Subianto announce conclusion of treaty negotiations but reporters weren’t able to ask questions about new deal

Australia and Indonesia have struck a new security pact that will lead to more joint military exercises and visits, prompting human rights advocates to call for safeguards.

The Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, told the Indonesian defence minister and president-elect, Prabowo Subianto, in Canberra on Tuesday that there was “no more important relationship than the one between our two great nations”.

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Australians in most common jobs can’t afford to save for deposit without housing stress, report finds

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Childcare workers, aged carers, teachers and retail assistants are among those priced out of the market, analysis suggests

Australians working in the country’s most common jobs cannot comfortably own their own home, new analysis shows, as the Greens double down on stalling the Albanese government’s housing bills.

Childcare workers, aged carers and teachers are among those priced out of the market, a parliamentary library analysis requested by the Greens shows.

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Brittany Higgins will no longer give evidence at Linda Reynolds’ defamation trial, lawyer tells court

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Rachael Young tells court Higgins’ ‘medical state’ forms part of the reasoning behind no longer calling her to give evidence

Brittany Higgins will not testify to defend herself at a defamation trial brought against her by former boss, the Liberal senator Linda Reynolds.

Reynolds is suing her former staffer over a series of social media posts Higgins made after she aired allegations she had been raped by former colleague Bruce Lehrmann in the then defence minister’s office.

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Greens condemn ‘deeply flawed’ deal – as it happened

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Birmingham explains Dutton’s remarks

The Coalition’s Simon Birmingham is speaking to ABC radio RN Breakfast right now and he is asked about the prime minister’s comments about no one coming to Australia from Gaza at the moment.

Because he answered a question from a fellow journalist, so this wasn’t brought up by Peter Dutton, as is being put.

Yes, the borders in Gaza are closed at present.

Just while I’ve got you, Pete, before you go, and while it’s quiet, I do want to ask you about the security checks on Palestinians coming in from Gaza. Your thoughts on that this morning?

No one is coming out of Gaza, because in order to leave Gaza, of course, Israel, due to the nature of the situation there, was having to approve people going through the Rafah crossing in order to depart earlier on.

So they know that that’s the situation, and that’s the context of Peter Dutton then saying he wants just to pause for the moment. He wants to stop people coming in when he knows that no one is leaving Gaza, at the moment.

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