Category: Australian News

A Kempsey Shire causeway that’s highly susceptible to flooding is to be replaced with a new 75-metre-high bridge following approval of more than $3 million in natural disaster betterment funding from the Albanese and Minns Governments.

The Dungay Creek causeway at Yessabah has been repeatedly damaged across multiple natural disasters in recent years, leading to frequent closures which have impacted and isolated local communities. 

A more resilient and higher concrete structure is being funded through the Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package jointly funded under the Commonwealth-State Disaster Funding Arrangements. The funding will allow council to build more resilience into the road network to help communities to stay connected during extreme weather.

Work will start this month with the construction of precast elements off-site, and is due to be complete in February 2026, weather permitting.

Senator Tony Sheldon:

“Infrastructure that keeps communities connected during natural disasters isn’t just about roads or bridges – it’s about ensuring families can stay safe, access medical help when they need it, and recover together after the worst has passed.”

“There’s often an increased demand for medical services during natural disasters, so having infrastructure that provides access to those services is essential.”

“I’m really pleased to see Kempsey Shire Council leading the way on this project. With the backing of the Albanese and Minns Governments, this new bridge will be a game-changer for locals, keeping them safe and connected when they need it most.”

NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully:

“The NSW Government is committed to making sure we do all we can to improve the safety of local infrastructure and mitigate against future disasters.

“This bridge is critical to the livelihoods of locals, and not only will this work mean it is more resilient in the event of future disasters, it will also help keep them safe and connected.”

NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison:

“It’s great to see all three levels of government working together to improve the reliability of the crossing over Dungay Creek which will provide social and economic benefits for Council and the community.

“The new bridge will reduce the number of closures and will mean communities can stay connected during and after flood events, ensuring Council can focus on other assets or functions during post-flood events.”

Kempsey Shire Council Infrastructure Delivery Group Manager, Dylan Reeves:

“The Dungay Creek causeway project is a significant undertaking for our community and will greatly enhance the reliability and safety of access for the community of Wittitrin.

“With preliminary off-site works commencing in January 2025, we’ve already completed essential groundwork, including site surveys, geotechnical investigations, and environmental assessments.

“The construction will be managed by Kempsey Shire Council, with specialised contractors engaged to ensure we deliver a high-quality project. We’ll minimise disruptions by keeping the existing causeway open during construction, with only limited closures during key phases.

“This bridge represents an incredible enhancement to our transport network, ensuring safety and better connectivity for all who rely on it.”

Kempsey Shire Council Mayor, Kinne Ring: 

“The Dungay Creek causeway project is a powerful step forward in connecting the Macleay Valley, improving road safety for all, and enhancing the daily lives of our residents.

“With work beginning in January 2025, this bridge is an essential piece of infrastructure, made possible through the Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package.

Kempsey Shire Council is proud to manage this significant upgrade to our transport network, providing safer, more reliable access for our entire community.”

Australians are doing it tough. Inflation is through the roof, food and fuel prices keep climbing, and power bills are out of control. People need cheap power, a reduction in their fuel bills, less income tax and solutions to the housing and food crises.  

Meanwhile, the Labor government is more focused on increasing taxes and mass migration than actually fixing the problems everyday Australians are facing.

While Labor and the Liberals keep offering band-aid solutions that do nothing to lower the cost of living, One Nation has been delivering real policy solutions that put money back in Australians’ pockets.

This year, One Nation has made huge inroads in policy announcements that tackle the financial pressures Aussies are facing—without blowing out government spending.

Cutting Taxes and Giving Australians a Fair Go

One of the biggest ways to ease the cost of living is tax relief, and One Nation is the only party putting forward serious, commonsense tax reform.

• Raising the tax-free threshold for self-funded retirees to $35,000 – Retirees who’ve worked hard and saved responsibly should not be slugged with tax just for funding their own retirement. Unlike pensioners, these Australians receive no government support, yet Labor still wants to take more from them. One Nation will let them keep more of their money.
• Income splitting for families – Families should be able to file joint tax returns, so couples with children aren’t unfairly taxed when one parent stays home. This policy helps families keep more of their income, reduces the tax burden on single-income households, and makes it easier for parents to raise their kids without needing government handouts.
• Removing work limits for pensioners and veterans – Australia has a worker shortage, yet we punish pensioners and veterans for working by cutting their payments if they earn too much. One Nation will scrap these penalties so older Australians can work as much as they want without losing their pension. This helps businesses, fills workforce gaps, and reduces the need to import foreign workers.

These are real, practical solutions that make life more affordable for Australians without increasing debt or wasting taxpayer money.

Fixing the Housing and Skilled Worker Crisis

Housing prices and rents are skyrocketing because of Labor’s mass migration policies. Meanwhile, we have massive shortages in skilled trades, healthcare, and education. Instead of addressing the problem, Labor’s solution is to bring in more migrants—which only drives up housing demand and makes things worse.

One Nation’s policies tackle this issue head-on by:

• Encouraging older Australians to re-enter the workforce by removing pension earning limits, helping to fill critical job shortages without relying on foreign workers.
• Reducing the need for taxpayer-funded childcare by making it easier for one parent to stay home with children through income splitting, rather than forcing both parents into the workforce just to survive.
• Giving self-funded retirees more financial freedom so they can invest more in Australian property and businesses, stimulating the economy without government intervention.

Labor and the Liberals refuse to address the real causes of the cost-of-living crisis. One Nation is leading the way with policies that provide long-term solutions instead of quick fixes.

Real Action

Labor promised lower power prices – remember that $270 lower power promise Albo made.. Instead, they shut down coal and gas projects, pushing prices even higher. They promised more housing, but their mass migration policies have made the crisis worse. Every time they make a promise, it ends up costing Australians more money and more hardship.

One Nation doesn’t make empty promises. We deliver policies that work—solutions that put money back in people’s pockets, ease cost-of-living pressures, and ensure Australians come first.

The 2025 Federal Election is coming, and Australians will have a choice:

• More taxes, more migration, and more cost-of-living pain under Labor
• Or real economic relief with One Nation’s common-sense policies

The solutions are here. It’s time for a government that actually listens and puts Australians first.

The RBA should call a meeting immediately to cut interest rates, the Greens say.

“Inflation is coming down rapidly, markets are pricing in a rate cut, and it appears inevitable that rates will be cut when the RBA board meets next month,” Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“But there is no need to wait that long. Most of the country is back at work – the same should apply to the RBA Board.”

“The latest CPI of 2.4% is well within the RBA’s target band of 2-3%.”

“People are being smashed by needlessly high interest rates and the RBA needs to act immediately.”

“This current high interest rate cycle has been hugely damaging to so many people through higher rents and higher mortgages. It needs to end now.”

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens and higher education spokesperson, supports and welcomes a senate inquiry into university governance. 

Senator Faruqi sits on the Senate Education and Employment Committee, which is conducting the inquiry. Terms of Reference and further details of the inquiry can be found here.  

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens and Senator for NSW:

“This senate inquiry is a win for all of us who have been highlighting the breadth and depth of the impacts of the ‘corporate university.’ As a former academic, I have seen this decline where students and staff suffer while the executive class splurge on consultants and largesse.

“The need for an extensive overhaul of university governance has been crystal clear for a long time as neoliberal policies of both Labor and Coalition governments have crept in. Universities have become places of systemic wage theft while VCs and executives walk away with hefty paychecks.

“The corporate model has corroded universities to the extent that nothing short of a governance overhaul will do to fix the problems that have been entrenched over years.

“Cleaning up university boards to ensure they are run by staff and students, not stacked with corporate elites, will lead to a more democratic university which serves the public interest.

“The Greens will make sure that this inquiry results in actually fixing governance problems and making universities democratic, accountable and transparent.”

The Lunar New Year marks exciting new opportunities for Australian food and agriculture exporters to China, with $20 billion worth of trade impediments now removed.

China’s consumers can celebrate the Year of the Snake by dining on a smorgasbord of Aussie cuisine, including delicious lobsters, the world’s best wines, and high-quality beef steaks.

The Albanese Labor Government has worked calmly and consistently to restore dialogue to Australia’s relationship with China and secure the removal of $20 billion of trade impediments.

Following the removal of the final trade impediments in December 2024, dining tables in China will now feature Australian live rock lobsters, a welcome outcome for Chinese consumers and Australian businesses alike.

Over 900 tonnes of live rock lobsters has already been exported to China since the removal of impediments. This has supported the jobs of 3,000 Australians employed in the industry, 2,000 of which are in Western Australia.

Australian fresh cherries are also highly prized as a gift to celebrate the Lunar New Year, and demand is expected to grow this financial year, after strong growth last year. Australia exported $14 million or 582 tonnes of cherries in 2023-24, an increase of 129 per cent in value and 137 per cent in volume. 

Exports to China of Australian agricultural products previously affected by trade impediments have rebounded in 2024 year-on-year (January to October):

• barley increased 221 per cent in value;
• wine increased over 5,000 per cent in value; and
• timber logs (specifically, wood in the rough) increased over 8,000 per cent in value.

China remains Australia’s largest market for agricultural exports, worth $17.1 billion and accounting for around a quarter of total agricultural exports in 2023-24.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong:

“The Albanese Labor Government’s calm and consistent approach to our relationship with China is delivering for Australians and for our national interest.

“It’s the result of hard work and a responsible Government that doesn’t play reckless political games with Australia’s most important relationships. 

“Labor will continue to support Australian businesses to sell their products to the world, including through our efforts to diversify our trade.”

Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell:  

“Sustained engagement and advocacy by the Albanese Labor Government has resulted in the removal of around $20 billion of Chinese trade impediments, benefiting Australian farmers, exporters and our regions.

“But we will not rest on our laurels – we are committed to creating even more export opportunities for Australian farmers and producers.

“Every product we export means more national income and more well-paying Australian jobs.”

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Julie Collins:

“Australia has an outstanding reputation as a supplier of high-quality agricultural products in China.  

“Our Government is focused on strengthening our trade relationships and expanding opportunities for Australia’s farmers and producers.

“In 2023-24, we recorded 88 market access achievements which opened, improved, maintained, or restored access for Australian businesses, including unlocking 10 new markets.

“Australia exports over 70 per cent of our agricultural, fisheries and forestry production to 169 markets globally – the most diversified trade has ever been – thanks to the Albanese Labor Government.”

In a balance of power position, the Greens (WA) will negotiate to ban fracking across the whole of the Kimberley.

Currently, fracking is banned in WA’s south west, Peel, Perth and parts of the Dampier Peninsula, leaving the Kimberley open to the highly polluting, destructive industry.

This fracking carve out for the Kimberley was created in 2018 by WA Labor under former Premier Mark McGowan and has led to Texan fossil fuel company Black Mountain applying to drill and frack 20 oil and gas wells in the Martuwarra Fitzroy River catchment in the stunning West Kimberley.

The WA EPA is currently assessing Black Mountain’s proposal and a decision will be required of the WA Government after the election.

In December 2024, Environment Minister Reece Whitby approved Woodside’s North West Shelf extension which could pave the way for fracking proposals in the Kimberley.

WA’s Kimberley region is home to tens of thousands of First Nations people who have protected and cared for their Country for more than 60,000 years.

The Kimberley has the largest, most intact tropical savannah left in the world and its nature and culture, with vast dramatic landscapes, are the draw cards for the $500 million tourism industry.

It is full of globally significant wetlands, free-flowing river systems and pristine oceans, and provides refuge for threatened wildlife that have disappeared from most of Australia. 

The Greens will hold the major parties to account and give the Kimberley the protection it deserves. 

In a balance of power position, the Greens will push for:

• Extend the current fracking ban to cover all of the Kimberley and the midwest. 
• Rejection of Black Mountain’s proposal to drill and frack 20 oil and gas wells in the Martuwarra Fitzroy River catchment. 
• Increase protection for the Kimberley’s stunning intact natural landscapes, rivers and oceans through a co-design process with Traditional Owners. 

Greens WA candidate and Fossil Fuels Spokesperson Sophie McNeill:

“WA Labor caved into pressure from fossil fuel companies in 2018 and gave them a licence to frack our state’s most stunning and untouched region. It is past time for this to end. 

“Fracking is banned for good reason in the south west, Peel and Perth regions. It is a dangerous, risky practice that destroys and poisons water supplies and scars our landscapes. 

“Labor knows it’s unsafe which is why they have banned it down south – so why should the people of the Kimberley have to suffer the consequences of this cowboy industry?

“We have seen the devastation caused by fracking in other parts of Australia and across the world.

“Why does WA Labor think it’s ok to protect communities in the rest of the state from this toxic practice, but not the people of the Kimberley?

“Only the Greens will stop fossil fuel companies turning the Kimberley into Texas.”

Greens WA candidate for Fremantle Felicity Townsend:

“This is an issue extremely close to the hearts of the Fremantle community.

“A recent survey of over 1,000 people in the seat of Fremantle revealed that 92% of voters want a ban on fracking and 72% are willing to change their vote for it.

“Local Fremantle member and current Minister for Water Simone McGurk has the power to end this dangerous practice tomorrow, but instead she has allowed fossil fuel companies to run her government’s agenda.

“Recent analysis by climate scientists has demonstrated there could be 8,700 oil and gas fracking wells across the Kimberley in places like the Martuwarra Fitzroy River and Roebuck Bay catchments with full scale development and a pipeline to the Pilbara.

“It is only the Greens who are listening to the people of Fremantle on this critical issue and who have the power to turn a ban on fracking in the Kimberley into reality.”

Greens MLC Dr Brad Pettitt (speaking from Broome):

“The Broome community was outraged in 2018 when WA Labor gave fossil fuel companies a license to frack the Kimberley.

“The people of the Kimberley have fought tooth and nail to stop fracking and protect the Kimberley for the past 15 years.

“This is a community that defeated Woodside at James Price Point; who have shown time and time again that they will not allow this Country to be destroyed by fossil fuel multinationals.

”It beggars belief that Labor would allow the pristine, intact Kimberley environment to turn into a vast network of fracking wells that risk poisoning the region’s water supplies and critical river networks. 

“The Cook Labor government must stop putting the demands of fossil fuel companies before that of the well-being of the WA community.” 

Momentum is gathering for an end to native forest logging. A 2024 survey showed that 70% of people in NSW support an end to native forest logging on public land, with 69% in support nationally. Ending native forest logging in NSW is no longer a question of if, but when. 

Under the Greens’ plan, the NSW Government will be able to access $140.4 million of Commonwealth funding per year, for 20 years, contingent on an end to all native forest logging in the state. This funding will go directly towards ecological restoration and ensuring a just transition for communities and workers. The Greens will pay for this plan by making the big corporations pay their fair share of tax. 

The Greens will advocate for this funding to contribute to establishing the Great Southern National Park, which will ensure the protection and enjoyment of our forests by all for generations to come. Under this proposal, there is the potential for over 400,000 hectares of state forest to be added to the reserve system once native forest logging ends. Additionally, funding could go towards rehabilitating and restoring our forests, creating sustainable communities and jobs, working with Traditional Owners, supporting sustainable plantations, and increasing disaster resilience and management capability, including remote area firefighting

The proposal for a Great Southern Forest National Park is one that has been coordinated by local community groups and environmental NGOs over a number of years, including the Great Southern Forest NSW organisation and the National Parks Association of NSW. 

The Greens will be launching their policy initiative on NSW’s South Coast, which suffered immense devastation during the 2019–2020 Black Summer bushfires and continues to remain in the grip of an ecological crisis, with logging continuing to destroy critical habitats, including those of the endangered greater glider. The fires burned over 1.1 million hectares in the region, with 61% of the affected area experiencing high or very high severity burns—devastating local communities, wildlife, and ecosystems. 

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens, Senator Nick McKim, Greens spokesperson for Forests, and Sue Higginson MLC, NSW Greens spokesperson for the Environment, are in Batemans Bay today to announce the Australian Greens’ plan to end native forest logging in NSW and create the Great Southern Forest National Park. 

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens: 

“Ending native forest logging once and for all and restoring them is necessary for our environment, climate and community. Logging native forests is not just unsustainable, it’s untenable.

“The NSW South Coast forests and communities have been through devastating bushfires and logging continues to destroy the habitat of endangered species like the greater glider. Creating the Great Southern Forest National Park will ensure the protection and restoration of our precious forests and the wildlife within for generations to come. If we don’t step up for nature now – the ancient living breathing forests will become graveyards.

“By not ending native forest logging the Federal and NSW Labor governments have failed our environment, climate and communities, all to serve corporate interests over people and the planet.

“Our magnificent forests should be a sanctuary for wildlife like the Greater Gliders, not a sacrifice to industry. Yet, Federal and State Governments have sanctioned native forest logging and stood by and watched the trees fall. 

“It is time for the government to stop siding with industry and start protecting our forests, climate, water, and our future.” 

Senator Nick McKim, Australian Greens Spokesperson for Forests: 

“Our beautiful native forests are worth more standing. They are rich in carbon and biodiversity, and critical in the fight for a safe climate and healthy ecosystems. 

“Ending native forest logging is a huge opportunity for the people of NSW, particularly regional communities.

“We can protect nature, take climate action, and create thousands of new, well paid, skilled jobs in firefighting, rewinding and environmental restoration and management.”

Sue Higginson MLC, NSW Greens Spokesperson for the Environment: 

“It’s past time that native forest logging ended in NSW. It is driving the extinction and climate crises, and our precious forests need to be protected and regenerated.

“Stitching together the unfinished Great Southern Forests is just part of the fantastic project that is protecting and regenerating all native forests in NSW – and the Greens are putting our plan to fund it on the table.

“If the NSW Minns Labor Government wants to recover any of their credibility on the environment and forests, then they should grab this opportunity with both hands.”

References

1.  Australia Institute (2024) Polling Research: Ending Native Forest Logging Across Australia

2. Eurobodolla Shire Council, Bushfire Recovery

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, and the Attorney-General, the Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP, will travel to Poland to attend the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp.

The world must never allow the memory of the Holocaust to fade. It is vital that the lessons of the past continue to be learnt to ensure this never happens again.

An estimated 1.1 million people were murdered in Auschwitz, almost a million of whom were Jews, before the camp was liberated on 27 January 1945.

What happened at Auschwitz and during the Holocaust is a reminder of the dangers of hatred, bigotry, racism and prejudice and the need to remain vigilant against a repetition of the atrocities perpetrated there.

The 80th anniversary of the liberation is also an opportunity to acknowledge the remarkable contributions and enduring resilience of the approximately 27,000 Holocaust survivors and their families who made Australia their home after World War II.

The Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism in Australia, Ms Jillian Segal AO, will join the official Australian delegation in Poland.

Australia is a proud member of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, and is committed to Holocaust remembrance, education and research, and ongoing efforts to counter the spread of Holocaust denial and antisemitism.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs will also visit Switzerland and Austria this week, including for meetings with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency António Guterres, and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Mirjana Spoljaric.

Responding to reports today that the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) reduced fines for Optus and colluded on their media strategy before going public, Greens Communications Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“The public need to know they have a corporate watchdog with teeth, not a corporate lapdog. The truth is the ACMA has been too weak and too cosy with the big corporations it’s tasked with regulating for too long.

“The ACMA is overdue for a thorough overhaul. They are supposed to regulate these big corporations, not collude with them on communications strategy. The ACMA should reveal the full list of every media statement they have consulted with industry and corporations on before releasing for public consumption.

“The regulator continues to show they are useless when it comes to holding media companies and telcos to account. They are like wet lettuce, whether it’s Optus or the Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O show, as Senate Estimates heard recently. 

“Comprehensive reform to communications and media regulation is long overdue, but sadly it has been squibbed by successive Governments. The agency needs a big broom through it.”