Category Archives: Australian politics

As many as 360 workers sacked at Rex with hundreds more jobs to go

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Employees reportedly told the airline will no longer operate flights between capital cities

As many as 360 staff at Rex Airlines have been sacked already and hundreds more are on the chopping block after administrators were called in to run the embattled carrier, with remaining staff told they may not get paid until a new buyer is found.

It comes amid speculation that Asia-based private equity firm PAG, which funded Rex’s $150m expansion to jet operations, was considering becoming the airline’s new owner out of administration.

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Housing approvals fall to lowest level in 12 years despite Labor’s pledge of 1.2m new homes

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Approved dwellings drop 6.5% in June amid high interest rates and building costs as CoreLogic rues ‘dismal result’

New dwelling approvals in Australia have sunk to their lowest in 12 years, as developers battle high interest rates and rising labour and material costs.

For the year to June, 162,892 houses and apartments secured approval, down 8.5% on the previous year and the least since 2011-12, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on Tuesday.

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Guardian Essential poll: Australians more favourable to Trump and less sure about Aukus

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Survey records 15-point surge in support for Republican presidential nominee since November 2020, with 36% now considering him favourably

Australians are feeling less opposed to a Donald Trump presidency than four years ago, and less sure the Aukus agreement will make Australia more secure, the latest Guardian Essential poll shows.

Trump, who recently survived an assassination attempt, has seen a 15-point surge in support since November 2020, with 36% of polled Australians now considering him “favourable”.

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Labor ignored Bonza’s plea for help, as questions linger over what transport officials knew and when

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Exclusive: Documents reveal what transport minister Catherine King was advised to say in public as budget Australian airline headed for collapse

The Albanese government turned down a plea from budget airline Bonza for financial assistance 10 days before it entered voluntary administration and ultimately collapsed, and new documents have questioned what transport department officials knew and when.

Documents obtained by Guardian Australia through freedom of information laws reveal the transport department prepared a brief on Bonza’s financial assistance request for the transport minister, Catherine King, on 20 April. Ten days later the airline’s planes were repossessed and thousands of passengers stranded across the country.

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Australia news live: states amass record debt but ratings agency says it is ‘manageable’; scam losses rise again

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S&P Global projects total state and territory debt to hit $600bn by late 2024. Follow the day’s news live

Peter Khalil on new role as special envoy on social cohesion

As Anthony Albanese unveiled changes to his cabinet ministry yesterday, he also announced three special envoys.

The act of forming that united whole, it really is about the relationships that we have with each other within our city, how we work together, common goals we share, what common ground we have, how that society works effectively …

It’s not just about multiculturalism [and] it’s not just about religious background or ethnicity. It’s much broader than that … We [have] our political beliefs, the intergenerational differences, the socioeconomic differences, and that is really important that we find ways and policies to strengthen our ability to form that united whole society, especially when it’s being threatened with fragmentation through many different challenges that we’re facing.

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PM calls for Barnaby Joyce to be dumped over ‘bullet’ comment aimed at Labor during anti-wind turbine rally

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Nationals MP apologised after telling anti-renewables protesters to ‘load that magazine’ and that the ‘bullet you have is that little piece of paper’

Prime minister Anthony Albanese says Barnaby Joyce should be sacked from shadow cabinet after the National party MP likened ballot papers to “bullets” during a protest against wind turbines.

Speaking to an anti-renewables rally at Lake Illawarra south of Sydney on Sunday, Joyce compared ballot papers to bullets and urged the crowd to “load that magazine” at the voting booth against the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and the energy minister, Chris Bowen.

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NSW Labor rejects conference motion to repeal anti-protest and youth bail laws – as it happened

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Turning to US politics, Greber says:

It’s a massive shift. You can see it in the way the Democrats feel the momentum.

One of my old sources, I used to be a correspondent in DC, one of my old sources it was as if a month ago the doctor walked in and said, “I’m sorry the test results are terrible, you got three months to live.”

They don’t have many options other than hitting people with mortgages to reduce demand in the economy, which by the way has been driven by an awful lot of federal and state government spending.

The RBA needs to get on top of this and unfortunately people who have mortgages will be the ones who are hit hardest.

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Coalition has ‘a real chance’ to oust Labor government at next election, Peter Dutton tells party faithful

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Opposition leader receives hero’s welcome at Victorian Liberal state council, talking up Coalition’s prospects for upcoming federal election

Peter Dutton has blasted the beleaguered CFMEU and identity politics as the opposition leader rallies Liberal Party faithful ahead of the federal election.

In a wide-ranging speech at the Victorian Liberal state council on Saturday, Dutton went on the offensive and laid out an alternative vision for Australia during difficult times.

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Australia, Canada and New Zealand leaders urge ceasefire in Gaza to end ‘catastrophic’ situation

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Prime ministers release joint statement saying they are ‘gravely concerned about the prospect of further escalation across the region’

The prime ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand have declared that a ceasefire in Gaza is “needed desperately” and urged Israel to “listen to the concerns of the international community”.

In a strongly worded joint statement issued on Friday, the three leaders said they were “gravely concerned about the prospect of further escalation across the region”, including between Hezbollah and Israel.

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Labor seeks to avoid controversy over Palestine at NSW conference amid grassroots pressure

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Delegates expect event to pass only what insiders consider the ‘bare minimum’ on recognition motions

Senior Labor figures are attempting to prevent an outbreak of discontent at this weekend’s New South Wales state conference, with delegates expecting the event to pass only what insiders consider the “bare minimum” on recognition motions.

Despite strong pushes from Labor branches and grassroots members for a strong statement on the recognition of Palestine and sanctions on the Israeli government, sources say the party is focused on avoiding a show of disunity.

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Ceasefire ‘needed desperately’, PM says in joint statement – as it happened

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Q: Will Malarndirri McCarthy, the assistant minister for Indigenous Australians, replace you?

Linda Burney said that was “way above [her] pay grade” but that McCarthy was a dear friend:

The most important thing is for me to support whoever it is in the role and to give them the space to be able to chart their own path … Aboriginal affairs is every minister’s responsibility, not just the minister for Indigenous Australians.

My job is to support that person as much as I can.

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Albanese is only losing two ministers – but replacing them won’t be straightforward

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Two out means two up and two in. Beyond that simple calculation, reconfiguring Labor’s frontbench becomes more complicated

As Anthony Albanese prepares to reveal changes to his ministry on Sunday, the basic calculations are straightforward: two out means two up and two in.

The two confirmed ministerial resignations, from Linda Burney and Brendan O’Connor, create vacancies for two more from the left faction. If Albanese sticks strictly to the formula, it should be one from New South Wales, in place of Burney, and a Victorian in for O’Connor.

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Linda Burney hailed for ‘courage’ and ‘dedication’ amid departure as minister for Indigenous Australians

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Burney, a Wiradjuri woman and the first Aboriginal woman to be elected to the federal House of Representatives, has ‘a record of profound firsts’, PM says

Kindness, grace, resilience and integrity are the values Linda Burney says have driven her 21-year political career, and they were on display as she announced her departure as minister for Indigenous Australians on Thursday.

Burney is relinquishing the ministry but will stay on as the member for Barton until the next election. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said he would announce her successor on Sunday.

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NSW Greens office targeted with Islamophobic and white supremacist graffiti

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Police say they are searching for a male who allegedly vandalised the inner-west Sydney office in what is the latest political graffiti attack

Police are investigating after the New South Wales Greens’ office was graffitied with Islamophobic and white supremacist messages.

The graffiti, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning at the office in inner west Sydney, called an Islamic prophet a white supremacist.

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The bombshell legal ruling that made it impossible for Australia to delay sanctions against Israeli settlers

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Labor is ‘carefully considering’ the ICJ findings on the occupied Palestinian territories – and soon it will have to give its view

It’s the bombshell legal ruling that made it politically impossible for the Australian government to continue to delay imposing sanctions on Israeli settlers.

While much of the Australian media were focused on the latest twists in the US presidential election, the international court of justice delivered sweeping findings against Israel’s conduct in the occupied Palestinian territories, ratcheting up pressure on all governments to take a firmer line.

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Man dies after trying to drive truck on to NSW ferry; global sea ice levels hit record low – as it happened

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Q: Why target the individuals when it’s state policy?

Penny Wong said the Australian government has been “clear in terms of state-to-state relations about our view on settlements”.

They are unlawful under international law. We’ve been clear about that … We have also said that we want to continue to take steps towards a two-state solution.

That may not be the view of some people in the Israeli government, but that is the view of the Australian government.

These individuals have been involved in violent attacks on Palestinians, including things such as beating, sexual assault and torture, resulting in serious injury and in some cases death.

We have imposed these after careful consideration and we would expect that all Australians would recognise the weight of these.

Settlements are unlawful under international law. We are continuing to act in ways that we can to look to how we protect a pathway to a two-state solution, and part of that is to ensure we also impose penalties who perpetrate violence against Palestinians.

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Australia imposes sanctions on Israeli settlers and youth group over violent attacks on Palestinians

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Penny Wong says settler violence in West Bank includes ‘beatings, sexual assault and torture’ as she announces Magnitsky-style sanctions

Australia has imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on seven Israelis and a youth group who Canberra says have been involved in violent attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank.

The foreign minister, Penny Wong, says Israel has received a lot of support globally, urging its government to “recognise the importance of its standing and legitimacy in the international community”. She says settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories are illegal under international law and a “significant obstacle to peace in the Middle East”.

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NT military exercise suspended after pilot escapes crash – as it happened

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Import ban fails to curb flow of Nazi-linked items

The number of items imported into Australia bearing Nazi imagery has not been slowed by a national ban on the symbols, AAP reports.

The importation into Australia of Nazi memorabilia, both historically genuine items and modern recreations, has not abated with the passage of [the ban].

Where these goods are imported in quantities which indicates the goods are likely to be traded, the Australian Border Force refers the goods to the Australian federal police to consider investigation under the criminal code.

Consumers are crying out for clear information on how to save money, protect their health and reduce emissions – and they want that information online where they make their purchasing decisions.

We call on the state and federal governments to give consumers the real truth about the risks of gas appliances, by mandating comprehensive pollution labels on all their ads and websites.

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Australia not ruling out sanctions against Israel settlers as concerns grow over ‘troubling’ behaviour

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Exclusive: Senior Australian government source says ICJ ruling the continued Israeli occupation of territory seized in 1967 was illegal ‘can’t be ignored’

The Australian government is increasingly alarmed at Israel’s “troubling pattern” of behaviour and has not ruled out a more assertive response, including sanctions against settlers.

In the wake of a sweeping international court of justice ruling read out in a courtroom in The Hague late on Friday that said the continued Israeli occupation of territory seized in 1967 was illegal, a senior Australian government source said the advisory opinion “can’t be ignored”.

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US ‘committed’ to Aukus regardless of who is president, admiral says – as it happened

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‘Tumultuous’ coverage must not worsen post-3G, farmers say

Telcos face the ire of rural Australians if the 3G network shutdown goes awry and are being warned they will be held publicly accountable for any fallout, AAP reports.

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