Category Archives: Australia news

Labor will announce new measures to close gender pay gap in election campaign’s final fortnight

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Tanya Plibersek says party would look at introducing superannnuation on paid parental leave ‘when we can afford to’

Labor will promise a new measure to close the gender pay gap and attack the government for promoting “the importance of low paid work” in the campaign’s final fortnight.

On Sunday the shadow minister for women, Tanya Plibersek, confirmed another policy push on gender pay inequity, while the shadow industrial relations minister, Tony Burke, signalled a plan to weaponise the Coalition’s submission to the minimum wage review.

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Missing in action: five issues the major parties are avoiding in the 2022 federal election

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Key areas such as conservation, the arts, science and education have been neglected in a narrowly focused campaign

With two weeks to go until the 2022 federal election, most of the key policy offerings from the major parties have already been outlined – but there are some big gaps. From conservation to education and the arts, both Labor and the Coalition have been short on detail. Here are six areas where voters are left in the dark:

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‘A great big lie’: researcher disputes government claim that 90% of GP visits are bulk-billed

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The Consumers Health Forum says it too has ‘been sceptical for some time about claims of high rates of bulk billing’

The Australian government says almost nine out of 10 visits to GP clinics are bulk-billed, but a health insurance researcher says gap fees often aren’t recorded, meaning the official data is “a great big lie”.

Andrew James*, his wife, and their two children were bulk-billed for 15-minute appointments at their Sydney GP clinic for three years with their Medicare records showing they paid “$0”.

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Marise Payne holds first meeting with Solomon Islands counterpart since China security pact

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Anthony Albanese says meeting ‘about time’ as Scott Morrison says Australia reassured Solomons would not host military base

A meeting between Australia’s foreign minister, Marise Payne, and her Solomons Islands counterpart for the first time since a security pact with China was signed overshadowed campaign announcements on Saturday.

On day 27 of the campaign, and just two weeks out from the federal election, the prime minister, Scott Morrison, was campaigning in Perth, while the Labor leader, Anthony Albanese, was in Tasmania.

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Morrison pledges $20m for tourism; Shorten tests positive as 44 Covid deaths recorded – as it happened

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Foreign minister meets Solomon Islands counterpart in Brisbane; poll shows independent Sophie Scamps has real prospect of taking seat from Liberal Jason Falinski; Bill Shorten tests positive for Covid; NSW records 19 Covid deaths; Victoria nine, Queensland five, Tasmania two, NT one, SA two and WA six. This blog is now closed

Coalition and Labor have so far pledged billions for local projects. But not all sides of the electoral fence are reaping the benefits, write Elias Visontay and Nick Evershed.

Last night Marise Payne met with the foreign minister of Solomon Islands, Jeremiah Manele, in Brisbane. The pair discussed the rising tensions between the two countries.

Australia has been consistent and clear in stating our respect for Solomon Islands’ sovereign decision-making, however we have reiterated our deep concerns about the security agreement with China, including the lack of transparency. I again reinforced this in my meeting tonight. We agreed that Australia remains Solomon Islands’ security partner of choice.

I again welcomed Prime Minister Sogavare’s assurance that Solomon Islands will not be used for a foreign military base.

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From India’s highs to Thailand’s lows, Asia’s weather is hitting extremes

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Analysis: As the heatwave in India and Pakistan starts to intensify again, Thailand and China are recording strangely cold May days

The final days of April saw further unbearable temperatures recorded in India and Pakistan. Temperatures peaked at 49C in Jacobabad, Pakistan on 30 April, with a high of 47.2C observed in Banda, India. The Indian Meteorological Department confirmed that average temperatures in April were the highest for northern and central parts of the country since records began over 100 years ago.

Heatwaves are a common occurrence at this time of year in India and Pakistan, but scientists believe the intensity, duration and arrival time of the conditions witnessed so far this year are caused by rising global temperatures. Despite a slight respite in the extreme heat over the past few days, temperatures are set to intensify once more this weekend and into next week with maximum temperatures expected to approach 50C in parts of north-west India and Pakistan.

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NSW grants review recommends against making pork-barrelling a criminal offence

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Productivity commissioner releases report following Icac hearings involving former premier Gladys Berejiklian

A review of the New South Wales government’s grants spend has recommended against making pork-barrelling a criminal offence, instead arguing grants administrators should document when ministers and politicians try to influence the grants process.

The NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, asked the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the productivity commissioner, Peter Achterstraat, to review grants in the state in November last year, after his predecessor, Gladys Berejiklian, gave evidence to the state’s anti-corruption watchdog that the government “threw money at seats to keep them” and grants were made to help win votes.

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Anthony Albanese open to cabinet reshuffle if Labor wins election

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Opposition leader says all his frontbenchers are worthy of their roles but that caucus would have its say if the ALP defeats the Coalition on 21 May

Anthony Albanese has left open the possibility of changing his cabinet lineup if he beats Scott Morrison and the Coalition on 21 May, noting the mix of senior personnel will ultimately be a decision for the caucus post-election.

In a wide-ranging interview with Guardian Australia on the hustings this week, the Labor leader said all of his colleagues were worthy of their current roles, “but we are certainly not getting ahead of ourselves”.

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How Clive Palmer’s deep pockets are building a yellow, slick road straight through One Nation’s heartland

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Analysis: UAP has bought every available billboard space, and has signs on dusty dirt roads in the middle of nowhere

Take a wrong turn on the back roads through central Queensland, about 40km from Banana (population 354), and the road turns to gravel. A few clicks further on, over a couple of cattle grids, there’s a bright yellow United Australia party sign – but not another driver to see it for miles.

This particular spot is close to smack bang in the middle of the 133,000 sq km electorate of Flynn.

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Damning report on NSW regional health a test of Nationals’ power of persuasion

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John Barilaro and Barnaby Joyce were never shy in pleading the case for the regions. Can the party respond just as forcefully now?

Even their fiercest critics would likely concede that John Barilaro and Barnaby Joyce have been vocal and energetic advocates for regional Australia.

As the former deputy premier of New South Wales, Barilaro wore his ability to secure funds for regional parts of the state as a badge of honour, even when done in ways that have exposed him to criticism.

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Bid to have satanism classes in Queensland government schools dismissed as a ‘stunt’

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Noosa Temple of Satan founder ordered to show cause why affidavits shouldn’t be provided to prosecutors or police

A bid to have satanism classes taught at some Queensland schools has been dismissed as “a base political stunt”, with a supreme court judge ordering the founder of the Noosa Temple of Satan to explain why he should not be prosecuted.

The temple had sought to challenge the state government’s refusal to let the group offer religious instruction at four public schools.

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AGL reveals demerger would cost $260m as Mike Cannon-Brookes tries to block plan

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Atlassian cofounder says released details prove the split would be a ‘terrible outcome’ for energy giant’s shareholders

The planned split of AGL Energy that billionaire Mike Cannon-Brookes is trying to foil will cost $260m upfront and $35m in extra costs per year for the demerged entities, documents from the energy giant show.

In separate releases to the ASX on Friday afternoon, AGL laid out its details of the demerger ahead of a 15 June vote by shareholders. As the biggest shareholder following his purchase of a 11.3% holding, Cannon-Brookes can block the move with the support of another 13.7% of share owners.

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Scott Morrison suggests Anthony Albanese is using Covid as an excuse in response to ‘brain fog’ question

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Prime minister’s latest comment on Labor leader’s performance follows jibe about Albanese’s ‘quiet week’ in Covid isolation

Scott Morrison has insinuated that Anthony Albanese is using his Covid infection to excuse poor performances and suggested the Labor leader “can’t hack the campaign”.

Morrison used a campaign event in Western Australia on Friday to personally target the Labor leader, brushing off suggestions his opponent’s campaigning could be impaired by his recent bout of Covid-19.

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Toddler allegedly left on childcare bus in almost 30C heat ‘doing well’ in recovery, family says

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Police say investigation is under way after three-year-old Queensland girl Nevaeh Austin was found unconscious on Wednesday

The family of a three-year-old girl who was allegedly left in a hot bus for six hours outside her childcare centre in central Queensland say they are hoping for a speedy recovery.

Nevaeh Austin was found unconscious on a bus in almost 30C heat by staff about 3pm on Wednesday outside Le Smileys Early Learning Centre in Gracemere.

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ACTU urges Morrison to discipline wage panel member over ‘extraordinary’ public comments

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Mark Wooden reportedly said Labor was playing ‘political games’ by saying it would lift wages

Unions have urged Scott Morrison to consider sacking an expert member of the minimum wage panel for what they describe as “extraordinary and inappropriate” public comments about Labor’s wage policy.

The labour economist Mark Wooden reportedly said the Fair Work Commission does not want the government “telling [it] what to do” and Labor was playing “political games” by promising to lift wages if elected.

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Independents slam ‘dirty tactic’, reporting fake campaign signs; 30 Covid deaths – as it happened

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Independents report ‘misleading and unauthorised’ campaign signs; Scott Morrison won’t say if he will resign in case of hung parliament; Anthony Albanese backs royal commission into the pandemic; trans rights ‘debate’ ‘hugely regrettable’, Liberal senator says; at least 30 Covid deaths recorded. This blog is now closed

How does Andrew Bragg think Dave Sharma and Trent Zimmerman are feeling, given their seats are under threat:

As I say, I don’t agree with the analysis. I think the Liberal party has been a strong party of government because we have been able to represent a whole lot of different people across our country and we are doing that right now through things like strong climate policies, but also a social liberal agenda which protects minority groups such as the LGBTI community which I addressed last night at the Equality Forum.

Well, people are entitled to their opinions. I don’t always agree with everything you say and I don’t always agree with what my colleagues say. We are entitled to have our own views and cross the floor and make our own statements known where it is appropriate.

I mean, I’m not a commentator on these things. People are entitled to their own views. I think I have been very clear we have a strong voice for people in the cities and people should absolutely vote for Dave Sharma and Trent because they’ve done a great job in standing up for their communities.

I don’t agree with Mr Turnbull’s analysis. We have done important work for people who live in the inner cities on things like achieving the net zero 2050 commitment, and also developed economic policies which favour the inner city on things like fintech and cryptocurrency and we have made important commitments, as I spoke about last night to the equality forum, on HIV, listing Prep on the PBS.

The idea we are a party only for the bush or for the bushes is not true, or for the burbs is not true. We govern for all Australians.

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Malcolm Turnbull says Australians are ‘voting with their feet’ to support teal independents

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Former PM to tell Washington Harvard Club the rise of the independents could mean the ‘capture’ of the Liberal party is thwarted by ‘direct democratic action’

Disgruntled Liberal voters are “voting with their feet” to support the so-called teal independents, because the influence of the party’s moderate wing at the federal level was “diminished and diminishing”, the former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull is set to say.

Describing the 2022 Australian election campaign in a speech he is to give to the Washington Harvard Club on Friday, Turnbull says the rise of the independents is “the most interesting part of the election” because “if more of these ‘teal’ 10 independents win, it will mean the capture of the Liberal Party will be thwarted by direct, democratic action from voters. People power, you might say.”

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Coalition climate target consistent with more than 3C global heating, research says

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Labor’s emissions targets are in line with 2C of heating, which would still lead to extreme heat events and the destruction of the Great Barrier Reef

The Morrison government’s climate change commitments are consistent with more than 3C of global heating, bordering on 4C, a level that would lead to catastrophic damage across the planet, according to a new analysis.

Labor’s climate target was found to be consistent with about 2C of heating above pre-industrial levels. Both would be expected to lead to the loss of tropical coral reefs, including the Great Barrier Reef, and a significant rise in the number of extreme heat events in Australia, assuming other countries took equivalent action.

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Cost of living and fixing aged care are top concerns as election nears, ANU poll shows

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Six in ten people surveyed say the two issues are of most concern, followed by the Australian economy, healthcare costs and climate

Reducing the cost of living and fixing the aged care system are voters’ two top priorities for the 2022 federal election, according to a new Australian National University poll.

The survey of more than 3,500 people found those two issues transcended the political divide with more than 60% nominating them as top priorities, ranking ahead of issues of more concern to Coalition voters, including defence against terrorist attacks and reducing crime.

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Path to victory: the seats that will decide the 2022 federal election

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Labor needs to gain seven seats to form majority government while the Coalition must offset any losses with gains elsewhere

Scott Morrison and Anthony Albanese are preparing for the final sprint to the 21 May election finish line when Australia will decide who forms government.

Labor can sniff victory, but the Liberals are not giving up, hoping the final fortnight may yet see the undecided voters stick with the devil they know.

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