Category Archives: Victorian politics

Victorian ministers’ diaries revealed to public for first time in ‘significant milestone’ for transparency

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Allan government releases summaries showing meetings with lobbyists, stakeholders and other external organisations

Victorian ministers have opened up their diaries to the public for the first time, revealing their meetings with media bosses, union leaders, sports stars – and even a Hollywood celebrity.

After changes introduced last year under the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, ministers now have to disclose diary summaries outlining scheduled meetings with lobbyists, stakeholders and other external organisations.

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ACCC to investigate supermarket sector – as it happened

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BoM issues wind weather warning for Tasmania

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for damaging winds in parts of Tasmania.

Australia has a very important role to play as a signatory to the ICJ, a signatory to the genocide convention, to ensure the protection of Palestinian civilians and ensure that the investigations that are occurring with UNRWA … don’t inhibit funding and delivery of services that are going to basically save lives in coming days and weeks and months.

UNRWA has done the right thing in standing down the staff, sacking them. They have got an independent investigation occurring. 150 UN UNRWA staff have been killed, their families and children as well, over the past several months of this conflict. The UN is in the middle, sandwiched in the conflict, trying to do its best to save lives. Donor governments like Australia need to bear this in mind that, if funding ceases, there is nowhere else to turn to. People will simply collapse and die.

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New Zealand to be briefed on Aukus – as it happened

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The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking to ABC RN, and says news that the inflation rate has plunged to a two-year low of 4.1% is “welcoming, encouraging progress”.

… We know that people are still under pressure and we need to not be complacent about it. We need to continue to work as we have with our three point plan, having the surplus, making sure we deal with cost of living pressures without putting pressure on inflation, and dealing with … supply-chain issues as well.

With parliament resuming next week, this is a wake-up call that 2024 is the last chance for meaningful democratic reform ahead of the 2025 election …

Australians should go to the next election with strict political donation disclosure laws, truth in political advertising laws in force and information about who’s meeting ministers made public as a matter of course.

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‘Shock and disappointment’ among some Labor MPs over Victorian government’s decision on duck hunting ban

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‘Baffled’ MPs express alarm at ‘captain’s call’ while premier Jacinta Allan says cabinet followed ‘normal process’ in a ‘consensus decision’

Some Victorian Labor MPs were “shocked and disappointed” by the decision to continue to allow duck hunting in the state, despite a recommendation from a government-initiated inquiry.

After a marathon three-hour meeting on Monday, cabinet rejected a recommendation from a Labor-led parliamentary inquiry to ban the divisive practice, which would have brought the state into line with New South Wales, Western Australia and Queensland.

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‘It’s a no-brainer’: what voters in upcoming Dunkley byelection say about Labor’s stage-three tax cut changes

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Victorian electorate will be first test of support for overhaul that shifts more of the benefit to low- and middle-income earners amid cost-of-living pressures

Ilene Jones’s wishlist for a tax cut is simple – more money to spend on school fees, a laptop for her son and groceries.

“It’s just the basics. It’s not extravagant,” she says.

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Victorian opposition drops support for treaty, citing ‘issues around cultural heritage’

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The Coalition backed a bill in 2022 to start the treaty process but spokesman Peter Walsh says ‘things have changed’

The Victorian opposition has dropped its support for a treaty with the state’s Indigenous people, citing concerns about cultural heritage laws.

The move was described by the state’s First People’s Assembly as “disappointing but not surprising”.

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Traditional owners call for special rights to prevent government repossessing land as Victoria prepares for treaty talks

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Indigenous traditional owner groups and advocates submit major land reform proposals to state’s truth-telling commission

Victorian traditional owner groups are calling for special land rights to prevent land they own from ever being repossessed by the government, as the state prepares for nation-first treaty talks to begin this year.

Indigenous traditional owner groups and Aboriginal advocacy organisations have submitted major land reform proposals to the state’s Indigenous truth-telling commission which is this year investigating housing and land inequality facing First Nations Victorians. The inquiry’s recommendations could inform treaty negotiations which are scheduled to begin later this year.

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Victorian Labor at odds with federal party on industrial relations bill

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State treasurer Tim Pallas warns amendments will encourage unions to refuse to bargain as he seeks meeting with Tony Burke

The Victorian government and employer groups have raised the alarm about amendments to Labor’s industrial relations bill, warning they will embolden unions to refuse to bargain with industry.

The Victorian treasurer, Tim Pallas, has written to the federal workplace relations minister, Tony Burke, warning the amendments will guarantee unions “will be no worse off on a clause by clause basis” if they dig in and seek an arbitrated outcome from the industrial umpire, encouraging unions to do so.

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Victoria to offer free healthcare to those who have fled Israel-Gaza war

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Those not eligible for Medicare due to their visas to get free hospital care, dental and other services

People fleeing the Israel-Gaza war will receive free healthcare under a Victorian initiative, amid calls for other states to follow suit.

The state’s health minister, Mary-Anne Thomas, will on Saturday announce people fleeing the conflict – who aren’t eligible for Medicare due to their visa – will be able to access essential healthcare, specialised mental health support and language services.

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Daniel Andrews fires up over ‘Dictator Dan’ moniker and Sky News After Dark ‘bullshit’

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Former Victorian premier hits back at ‘haters’, including those who labelled him a ‘control freak’ and ‘dictator’, in first interview since leaving politics

Daniel Andrews has lashed “absolute pretenders” in the media, derided Sky News Australia’s “after dark bullshit” and says he doesn’t care if people call him a “dictator”, in his first interview after his resignation.

In the long-ranging interview on the Socially Democratic podcast, hosted by former Labor campaigner Stephen Donnelly, the former Victorian premier also hit back at suggestions he was a “control freak” and that the public service had been politicised.

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‘Creeping politicisation’ in Victoria’s public service needs ‘urgent attention’, ombudsman warns

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Ministerial staffers frequently hired in government departments and independent advice ignored, says report which takes aim at Suburban Rail Loop

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Victoria’s ombudsman says there is evidence of “creeping politicisation” in the state’s public service, with ministerial staffers frequently hired in government departments and independent advice ignored.

Referring to a “culture of fear” among staff, Deborah Glass on Wednesday tabled her long-awaited report on the alleged politicisation of the public service, which also takes aim at the government’s Suburban Rail Loop project.

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Stage set for national cabinet clash over GST – as it happened

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The NSW Australian Paramedics Association will take part in a 12-hour strike today, from 7am to 7pm, despite the threat of legal action.

Members will still attend emergency “lights and sirens” jobs as part of an ongoing pay dispute.

We want to assure the public that emergencies will still be attended to, with our focus intensifying on life-threatening cases.

Our decision to limit responses to non-emergency jobs enhances our capacity to manage critical cases.

Facing potential legal repercussions and a substantial fine of up to $20,000 per day, our commitment remains firm.

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Victorian ministers to be forced to make diaries public and reveal meetings with lobbyists

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Premier Jacinta Allan announces new ministerial code of conduct, which includes ban on employing family members as staff

Victorian ministers will now have to disclose their meetings with lobbyists as part of reforms long sought by the anti-corruption watchdog to bring the state into line with New South Wales and Queensland.

The premier, Jacinta Allan, on Friday announced a new ministerial code of conduct, which will require ministers and parliamentary secretaries to publish quarterly diary summaries outlining scheduled meetings with lobbyists, stakeholders and other external organisations.

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Victorian government strikes deal with Greens to pass vacant homes tax reforms

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Legislation to expand taxes on vacant Victorian homes and undeveloped land set to pass parliament

A deal to strengthen taxes on empty homes has been struck between the Victorian government and the Greens.

An upper house vote on changes to Victoria’s vacant residential land tax was put on ice earlier this month when the Greens and the Coalition refused to back the legislation.

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Killing kangaroos could be banned in metro Melbourne in plan hailed as ‘step in the right direction’

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Reduced kangaroo populations and urban sprawl prompt proposal to end commercial culling in 10 council areas

Hunters would be banned from killing kangaroos in all Melbourne metropolitan areas from 2025, under a proposed overhaul of Victoria’s commercial culling program.

A plan by the state’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action for kangaroo harvesting between 2024 and 2028 proposes excluding 10 council areas across the urban ring of Melbourne due to reduced kangaroo populations and urban sprawl. The proposal was first reported by the Herald Sun.

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Victorian government told emissions targets at risk under plan to increase taxes on renewable energy providers

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Industry experts say renewable energy providers could pay up to 20 times more tax if bill passes

Victoria’s ambitious emissions targets could be imperilled if the state government’s plan to slug renewable energy providers millions more in taxes each year goes ahead, the sector has warned.

Renewable energy providers could pay up to 20 times more tax if a bill currently being debated in Victorian parliament passes, according to industry experts.

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Moira Deeming says she’ll lodge defamation claim against Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto in court

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First-term MP says mediation with the party leader failed, as she seeks to return to the Liberal party room

Victorian MP Moira Deeming says she will lodge defamation proceedings against the state’s Liberal leader, John Pesutto, declaring mediation has failed.

The first-term MP was expelled from the parliamentary Liberal party after she took part in an anti-transgender rally in March that was gatecrashed by a group of masked men who performed Nazi salutes.

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Mulgrave byelection: Labor retains Daniel Andrews’ seat despite swing against Victorian government

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Dandenong mayor Eden Foster leading 54-46 on a two-party preferred basis after Saturday’s byelection

Victorian Labor has retained Daniel Andrews’ seat of Mulgrave despite a significant swing against the government in the former premier’s seat.

The Dandenong mayor, Eden Foster, was leading with more than 40% of the primary vote in Saturday’s byelection, which was down more than 10 percentage points from Andrews’ showing at last year’s state poll.

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Melbourne has waited decades for an airport train. But is a federal funding commitment enough to get it done?

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Unlike governments interstate, Jacinta Allan was uncharacteristically subdued about Canberra’s funding review

Throughout her decades in politics, Jacinta Allan hasn’t been afraid to pick a fight with the federal government – no matter which party was in power.

But on Thursday, when the Albanese government announced it would cut $4.8bn worth of infrastructure funding in Victoria after a months-long review, the premier was uncharacteristically subdued.

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‘We deserve our fair share’: state Labor leaders clash with federal government over infrastructure plan

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Albanese government move to make states pay at least 50% of new infrastructure project bills receives pushback from premiers

State Labor leaders are at odds with the Albanese government over its plan to split the cost of building nationally significant infrastructure.

On Tuesday, the federal minister for infrastructure and transport, Catherine King, announced it would no longer be “the default” for the federal government to pick up the bulk of the tab for new roads, rail and other major projects.

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