Australia federal budget 2019: reaction to Josh Frydenberg’s first budget – as it happened

Posted on April 2, 2019 by Admin

Australia’s treasurer says the budget is ‘back in the black’. This blog is now closed

12.00pm BST

And that is where we are going to end tonight, before we all turn into pumpkins.

But don’t worry, we’ll be back early tomorrow morning for all the fallout. Plus, you know, parliament.

11.46am BST

Mike Bowers has been out and about:

Penny Wong warns racism and hate speech in parliament threaten democracy

Posted on March 28, 2019 by Admin

Labor senator says those who ‘see political or commercial advantage in heightening cynicism’ are diminishing civic life

Penny Wong will say that “racism is a threat to our democracy” in a speech taking aim at those who see “political or commercial advantage” in increased cynicism towards public institutions.

The Labor senator is set to warn that hate speech and extremist views in parliament and a “lack of unity in response to these” have harmed democracy, pointing the finger in part at the Coalition for its tardy response to condemn One Nation in the 45th parliament.

One Nation’s James Ashby filmed seeking $20m from NRA to weaken Australia’s gun laws

Posted on March 25, 2019 by Admin

Al-Jazeera journalist posing as gun campaigner films senior party figures in Washington DC soliciting financial support to help One Nation seize the balance of power

Senior One Nation figures James Ashby and Steve Dickson have been caught seeking millions of dollars of political donations from US gun rights group the National Rifle Association in a bid to seize the balance of power and weaken Australia’s gun laws.

The revelations are contained in an al-Jazeera investigation which used hidden cameras and a journalist posing as a grassroots gun campaigner to expose the far-right party’s extraordinary efforts to secure funding in Washington DC in September.

NSW election: Gladys Berejiklian confident Coalition will win a majority

Posted on March 24, 2019 by Admin

Government clings to power despite big gains from minor parties and independents

Gladys Berejiklian has said she is confident the Coalition will return to government in New South Wales with a razor-thin majority as counting continues after Saturday’s state election.

The premier, who is the daughter of Armenian migrants, reiterated her objection to comments by the Labor leader, Michael Daley, about young Sydneysiders leaving the city and being replaced by “Asians”, which surfaced in the final week of the campaign, suggesting her background had helped her connect with voters.

Gladys Berejiklian leads Coalition to third term in government in NSW

Posted on March 23, 2019 by Admin

Premier says she will work closely with minor parties as prospect of minority government remains

Gladys Berejiklian has led the Coalition to a third term in government in New South Wales despite a rising tide of minor parties and independents, and has become the first woman elected premier of the state at a general election.

Many seats were still too close to call on Saturday evening but one thing was certain – the night had been a huge disappointment for Labor, with no chance of forming government and no major improvement in their statewide primary vote compared with the election four years earlier.

Bangers and ballots: everything you need to know about the NSW election

Posted on March 20, 2019 by Admin

There’s a good chance Saturday’s poll will produce a hung parliament. Here’s how to make your vote count – and where to buy your democracy sausage

Almost 5.3 million people are enrolled to vote at more than 8,000 voting stations in Saturday’s state election. New South Wales has fixed terms, with elections held on the fourth Saturday in March every four years since 1995. About a quarter of voters cast their ballot before election day in 2015, and this is expected to rise in 2019. Almost 850,000 people had voted by Thursday morning.

Cost of x-rays and ultrasounds to drop under Coalition pledge to increase Medicare rebates

Posted on March 17, 2019 by Admin

All ultrasound and diagnostic radiology services to be cheaper under plan

Patients who need x-rays and ultrasounds will end up paying less under a new Morrison government pledge to reduce out-of-pocket expenses for the services.

The health minister, Greg Hunt, announced on Sunday the government would expand indexation of Medicare payments to all ultrasound and diagnostic radiology services over three years from 1 July 2020 – for the first time in 20 years.

Australians are asking how did we get here? Well, Islamophobia is practically enshrined as public policy | Jason Wilson

Posted on March 16, 2019 by Admin

Any 28-year-old has grown up in a time when racism was ratcheting up in the public culture

The worst terror attack in New Zealand’s modern history took place on Friday, and the alleged perpetrator is an Australian.

Appropriately, this calamity has started a process of deep reflection in the man’s home country. Everywhere, decent Australians are asking, how did we get here? Do we own him?

There has been extensive, international discussion about the role of the online subculture of the far right in these events – the codes, memes and signals of internet-mediated white supremacy.

Even in its dying days, the government denies the need for climate action | Peter Lewis

Posted on March 11, 2019 by Admin

The reckoning for this failure will come at the next election. And it can’t come soon enough

For all the skittishness of Australian politics through the years of the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison governments there’s been one factor that has been remarkably consistent.

Amid leadership coups, cultural offensives and the revolving door of energy policy acronyms, the Australian public has remained steadfast in its belief that more needs to be done to address climate.

Coalition relaxes visa rules to make it easier for farmers to hire skilled workers

Posted on March 10, 2019 by Admin

Farmers say change ‘a good first step’ but separate agricultural visa still needed

Australia’s visa rules have been relaxed to make it easier for farmers to hire skilled workers.

Farmers have described the changes as a good first step but warned they are unlikely to dampen calls from the sector for a separate agricultural visa because labour shortages are mainly in lower skilled harvesting roles.

‘Not a life sentence’: Christopher Pyne plots next move after 26 years in parliament

Posted on March 2, 2019 by Admin

The ‘fixer’ intends to enter the world of business, and lists the advice he gave John Howard in 1993 as one of his big regrets

Regrets, the retiring Christopher Pyne may have had a few, but one quickly sprang to mind when he was asked whether, looking back, he wished he had done anything differently.

“I probably wouldn’t have told John Howard in 1993 that his time was over, we wouldn’t go back to him,” he said. “That led to some period in the freezer for me.”

Last four refugee children leave Nauru for resettlement in US

Posted on February 27, 2019 by Admin

Move follows intense campaign by refugee advocates for all children sent to the island by the Australian government to be taken off

The last four children living in Australian government-run offshore processing on Nauru have now left the island, amid a group of 19 people flown to the US for resettlement.

The group includes a number of Iranians, according to refugee advocates, contradicting persistent suspicions that Donald Trump’s travel ban on six nationalities was blocking refugees from the resettlement scheme.

Weakened aid budget may be used to fund $2bn Pacific island infrastructure bank

Posted on February 22, 2019 by Admin

Aid groups fear money will be diverted from the aid budget, risking doors ‘closing to us in Asia’

Aid groups fear the federal government is on the verge of taking more money from the strained aid budget to fund a $2bn infrastructure bank for Pacific island nations.

Prime minister Scott Morrison announced the Australian infrastructure financing facility last year as part of Australia’s “Pacific step up”, which is aimed at combatting rising Chinese influence in the region.

Michaelia Cash demands apology after Senate grilling – politics live

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Admin

Senate estimates continue, with three senior ministers in Labor’s spotlight. All the days events, live

11.12pm GMT

Ugh. Now that I have wrestled with tech demons, I can tell you that as expected, the motion to suspend standing orders goes down, 69 to 74.

10.58pm GMT

The division is called – to see if Labor can suspend standing orders.

It does not look like the Nationals will be backing it.

Labor demands investigation into ministers Cash and Keenan over AFP raid on AWU – politics live

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Admin

Earlier Mathias Cormann admitted he books holidays by calling CEO of travel company, who is also Liberal party treasurer, directly. All the day’s events live

5.28am GMT

Wayne Swan is on his feet, talking about his career, which included eight election wins and one loss, since 1993. Or as he describes it, enough days to cover almost four continuous years of parliament.

5.23am GMT

Wayne Swan says yesterday was his 35th wedding anniversary, and two hours ago, he became a grandfather again.

So it’s a good week to be Wayne Swan.

Labor issues please explain over Paladin’s $420m Manus contract

Posted on February 16, 2019 by Admin

Penny Wong says it’s ‘deeply concerning’ a company with ‘such a poor track record’ was awarded a lucrative sum through closed tender

Penny Wong has indicated Labor will target the Paladin offshore detention security contract in Senate estimates this week, accusing the government of failing to explain why the company was awarded $420m in contracts through closed tender.

The Australian Financial Review has reported that Paladin Group’s $420m of contracts to provide security to refugees on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea was extended by the home affairs department in January after a closed tender process.

Scott Morrison says people smugglers will ‘have a crack’ if Labor is elected

Posted on February 15, 2019 by Admin

Bill Shorten dismisses PM’s comments, saying it’s possible to have strong borders and treat people humanely

The prime minister, Scott Morrison, has sent out a fresh message on border security, saying “people smugglers know they won’t get through me and Peter Dutton” but would “have a crack” if Bill Shorten became prime minister.

Morrison said the government had “increased the strength, resource and capability again of Operation Sovereign Borders” after the asylum seeker medevac legislation passed parliament this week, in spite of the Coalition’s best efforts to block it.

Labor starts fightback on border security as medical evacuation bill passes Senate – as it happened

Posted on February 13, 2019 by Admin

Labor, the Greens, Tim Storer, Derryn Hinch and the Centre Alliance vote in favour of the refugee transfer legislation. This blog has now closed.

7.30am GMT

That is where we will leave you today. It’s been a big week and after the last few days, I think we all need a bex and a lie down.

Obviously, for me, when I say bex, I mean vodka, but insert whatever self-care aid is necessary.

7.10am GMT

From the valedictories

Medical evacuation bill still alive with Phelps open to amendments – politics live

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Admin

Key crossbencher Kerryn Phelps indicates she would consider Labor’s changes to the medevac legislation. All the day’s events, live

11.54pm GMT

The PMO has released the transcript of Scott Morrison’s doorstop this morning:

JOURNALIST: Prime minister, if you lose the medevac bill today, why should you not drive to Government House and call an election?

11.53pm GMT

You may remember from Luke’s report yesterday, that David de Garis declined to answer how he found out about the AWU raid. Looks like shiz is about to get reeeal interesting in the federal court.

Justice Bromberg has ruled Michaelia Cash's former media adviser David De Garis will have to give evidence about who tipped him off that federal police were set to raid the AWU's offices. #auspol

Labor caucus signs off on medical evacuations bill – as it happened

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Admin

Labor has been holding talks all day and has agreed on three principles. All the day’s events, live

9.42am GMT

And that is where we are going to call it quits tonight.

But fear not – we’ll be back in about 12 hours. It is going to be that sort of year, me thinks.

9.39am GMT

Scott Morrison and Marise Payne will hold a press conference at 8.45 tonight to talk about Hakeem al-Araibi.

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Category Archives: Coalition

Australia federal budget 2019: reaction to Josh Frydenberg’s first budget – as it happened

Penny Wong warns racism and hate speech in parliament threaten democracy

One Nation’s James Ashby filmed seeking $20m from NRA to weaken Australia’s gun laws

NSW election: Gladys Berejiklian confident Coalition will win a majority

Gladys Berejiklian leads Coalition to third term in government in NSW

Bangers and ballots: everything you need to know about the NSW election

Cost of x-rays and ultrasounds to drop under Coalition pledge to increase Medicare rebates

Australians are asking how did we get here? Well, Islamophobia is practically enshrined as public policy | Jason Wilson

Even in its dying days, the government denies the need for climate action | Peter Lewis

Coalition relaxes visa rules to make it easier for farmers to hire skilled workers

‘Not a life sentence’: Christopher Pyne plots next move after 26 years in parliament

Last four refugee children leave Nauru for resettlement in US

Weakened aid budget may be used to fund $2bn Pacific island infrastructure bank

Michaelia Cash demands apology after Senate grilling – politics live

Labor demands investigation into ministers Cash and Keenan over AFP raid on AWU – politics live

Labor issues please explain over Paladin’s $420m Manus contract

Scott Morrison says people smugglers will ‘have a crack’ if Labor is elected

Labor starts fightback on border security as medical evacuation bill passes Senate – as it happened

Medical evacuation bill still alive with Phelps open to amendments – politics live

Labor caucus signs off on medical evacuations bill – as it happened