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.
Continue reading...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”.
Continue reading...Critics argued laws were ‘rushed through parliament’ and will result in more Aboriginal children becoming incarcerated
A motion to repeal controversial youth bail and anti-protest laws in New South Wales was defeated at the state Labor conference on Sunday.
The motion was the first opportunity for the youth bail laws, passed by the state government earlier this year, to be debated amongst rank and file party members. The laws make it harder for reoffending 14- to 18-year-olds who commit serious break-and-enter or motor vehicle theft offences to get bail.
Continue reading...This blog is now closed.
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.
Continue reading...Clare O’Neil and Andrew Giles axed as Tony Burke steps into home affairs role and also takes on role of immigration minister
Anthony Albanese has cleared out his entire home affairs ministry, replacing both Clare O’Neil and Andrew Giles with Tony Burke as he reset ahead of the coming election.
In making his announcement, Albanese stressed the “stability” of his cabinet, saying it had been “two years and two months with precisely the same team in place” before this reshuffle. He added when “team members step down … it does provide an opportunity for others to step up”.
Continue reading...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.
Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads
Continue reading...This blog is now closed
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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...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.
Continue reading...This blog is now closed
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.
Continue reading...This blog is now closed.
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.
Continue reading...This blog is now closed.
‘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.
Continue reading...This blog is now closed
Biden has been ‘a great fan of Australia’: Albanese
Anthony Albanese is speaking with ABC RN after Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the US presidential race.
The president has been a great fan of Australia. [A] very significant economic relationship has grown out our trade during his presidency … He’s someone who has stood up for values of social inclusion, and importantly as well for Australia and for the world he’s been a leading figure on climate action.
He was a gracious host to myself and Jodie during our state visit last year … [He] will continue to be over the coming months the most important leader in our globe. Of course, the United States is our most important ally.
The policies won’t change much. I mean, he’s obviously very interested in policies around tariffs and trade. I don’t think that will change much from his first term.
I think the challenge for us with with Donald Trump is to remind him that one of America’s unique advantages is its network of allies and partners and to make the maximum use of that. And there’s been great progress … in terms of Aukus [and] many groupings in the Indo-Pacific … and all these need to be sort of maintained and strengthened and that requires American leadership.
Continue reading...This blog is now closed. Follow the latest developments on the global Microsoft outage live blog
Shorten says last CFMEU Labor donation was over two years ago
Earlier on the Today Show, the NDIS minister, Bill Shorten, was asked about the CFMEU and said that the last donation received by the Labor party from them was more than two years ago.
We’ve said that we’re suspending all donations from the CFMEU. In fact, we’ve suspended the CFMEU from the Labor party … The last donations were over two years ago. We’ve taken the action to stop any financial relations with the CFMEU.
I want to make clear there is zero tolerance for anyone who tried to subvert the demerit and penalty system. This taskforce will help ensure the penalties apply to all road users.
Continue reading...The Hecs/Help scheme was not designed so people making a regular wage remained in debt until death, expert says
There was a time when would-be poets, historians and writers could expect to pay off an arts degree at an Australian university within the decade, if they were able to find stable employment. Fast forward to now and they may die with their debt.
Arts degrees in Australia are poised to cost more than $50,000 for the first time, with experts warning some students will never be able to pay off their debts.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Labor MP Jonty Bush among those speaking out about state’s youth justice policies after Guardian Australia investigation
Queensland’s most prominent victims’ rights groups say the state government must remove children from police watch houses after the release of confronting footage showing the “brutal” treatment of children in the adult holding cells.
The videos, published after a year-long investigation by Guardian Australia and SBS The Feed, showed young people locked in “freezing” isolation cells, becoming panicked and struggling to breathe.
Continue reading...This blog is now closed
A drone delivery service will launch in Melbourne today.
Food delivery service DoorDash is working with Wing – a subsidiary of Alphabet, AKA Google – to deliver the service.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Two officeholders quit, with one claiming the party had ‘become a spineless jellyfish’
Labor’s multicultural branch in Western Australia is in upheaval, with two officeholders quitting the party in protest at the treatment of Fatima Payman.
Guardian Australia can reveal that the branch’s treasurer and vice-president have resigned, with one claiming the party had “become a spineless jellyfish” that “throws its own under the bus at the drop of a hat”.
Continue reading...Election promises are now the sole priority for any new funding in the budget update
Anthony Albanese has narrowed the scope of new policy announcements to political essentials only, telling ministers before the mid-year budget update that they can seek funding for measures that fulfil election promises and nothing more.
Guardian Australia has confirmed that Albanese wrote to his ministers last week, making it clear that election promises are now the sole priority for any new funding in the budget update, due by mid December but possibly sooner. Everything else approved but not yet funded will have to wait – possibly until a second term.
Continue reading...Fair Work Commission’s Murray Furlong appointed as administrator of construction union. Follow the day’s news live
Tim Ayres flags ‘proportionate’ federal response to CFMEU
A Labor senator says that federal intervention into alleged criminal behaviour within the CFMEU will be effective and proportionate, AAP reports.
Tony and the team in there are doing the careful work of making sure that the government’s response is effective, well-weighted and effective.
While I don’t forecast the debates in terms of the national executive, we have received these requests from the premiers, we will act upon them, and we’ll act in accordance with the requests from the premiers.
We’re very blessed in this country. We don’t have a gun culture, we don’t have a history of political violence, we don’t at this point in time – thank God – have the fragmentation and polarisation that sadly exists in America to quite the same extent.
So look, can you rule these things out? Of course not. Do I expect it? Well, maybe some time in the next 100 or 200 years, sure. Almost anything could happen in that period of time. But is is imminent? I doubt it very much.
Continue reading...