Category: Australian News

The NSW Government is keeping communities in the dark about plans for publicly-owned land around four major sporting stadiums. The Sporting Venues Authorities Amendment Bill 2025, which has already passed the lower house of the Parliament, would enable residential and tourist accommodation on public land near stadiums in Newcastle, Wollongong, Parramatta and Penrith.

In last week’s Budget Estimates, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said that there would not be any hotels built on the Venues NSW land surrounding WIN Stadium in Wollongong, following Dr Cohn’s questions.

But today Minister for Sport Stephen Kamper told the Budget Estimates hearing: “We’re legislating across the board for residential and hotel accommodation on all sites… We didn’t want to have any restrictions on any of our land holdings.”

Greens spokesperson for Sport and Recreation Dr Amanda Cohn asked Minister Kamper whether he would amend legislation to limit accommodation development in keeping with announced plans, for example at the site of the current car park adjacent to McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle as outlined by the Broadmeadow Place Strategy.

Dr Cohn told the hearing:

“There’s a real inconsistency between what the government is saying they’re going to do at these sites and what you’re wanting legislation to permit you to do on these sites.”

“The legislation you’ve put forward would allow development not only in that carpark but also at the showground and on the land that’s currently the hockey fields and the Knights Centre of Excellence.”

According to Dr Cohn, the NSW Government is attempting to quietly pass this legislation without community consultation or scrutiny.

“The land belongs to all of us,” Dr Cohn said.

“Venues NSW was created to manage major facilities for sport and entertainment events, not to act as a real-estate arm for the government,” Dr Cohn said.

“This bill is quietly opening the door to for-profit accommodation on public land, and it’s not consistent with the plans the government has announced for Wollongong or for Newcastle.”

1. The Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Anthony Albanese MP, welcomed the Prime Minister of Canada, the Right Honourable Mark Carney, to Canberra for his first official visit to Australia as Prime Minster. Leaders acknowledged the Ngunnawal people as Traditional Custodians of the lands of the meeting and recognised people and families with connection to the lands of the Australian Capital Territory and region.
2. Leaders recognised the shared values underpinning the close partnership between Australia and Canada including parliamentary democracy, multiculturalism, equality before the law and respect for our First Nations cultures, knowledge and peoples. They welcomed the 40th anniversary of the Canada-Australia Consular Services Sharing Arrangement – a pioneering partnership that expands the reach of where our citizens can access consular support around the world and stands as a concrete demonstration of the deep trust between our two countries. They reaffirmed Australia’s and Canada’s close strategic alignment and steadfast commitment to an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, and to a world governed by rights and rules, not fear or force.
3. Leaders acknowledged the challenges facing Australia and Canada in a deteriorating geostrategic environment. They noted increasing risks for regional and global stability, as well as national economic resilience and security, posed by sharpening strategic competition. Leaders acknowledged that the close and longstanding friendship between Australia and Canada is a solid foundation for enhanced strategic collaboration as we seek to promote and protect our national interests in a complex global environment.

Advancing Economic Security and Prosperity

4. Leaders reiterated that building strong domestic economies, underpinned by fair, open and predictable global trade, is fundamental to enabling greater prosperity for both countries. They welcomed the upcoming 10th iteration of the Australia-Canada Economic Leadership Forum to be held in Vancouver in May of this year and recognised the valuable contribution of connecting business leaders between the two countries.  Leaders noted unprecedented challenges to global economic frameworks that have underpinned our common prosperity for decades. Leaders tasked their Ministers to work closely together and with others to address these challenges.
5. Leaders agreed to establish formal talks between economic portfolio Ministers at the earliest opportunity, and on a regular basis, to identify pathways and projects to deepen cooperation and advance a shared vision for prosperity, security and resilience at home and in the Indo-Pacific region.
   • Meetings of the Australian Treasurer and Canadian Minister for Finance and National Revenue, supported by senior officials, will seek to strengthen collaboration in tax and two-way investment, discuss economic security and key macroeconomic developments and work together on economic reforms to strengthen internal resilience.
   • Meetings of the Industry Ministers, supported by senior officials, will seek to enhance industrial policy and economic security cooperation.
6. Leaders committed to promoting cooperation between regulators that helps to facilitate access to safe, effective and efficient agricultural inputs, including feeds, fertilizers, crop protection products, and pest control technologies, in both jurisdictions. These arrangements of inputs would aim to leverage the environmental, health and safety assessments conducted by either country to support the authorization of products that advanced economic prosperity and food security, and bolster trade, while ensuring the protection of human and animal health and the environment.
7. Leaders committed to modernising the Australia-Canada Tax Treaty to facilitate greater investment, including joint investments, in nation-building projects in both countries. Both countries agreed to prioritise the negotiations. As two countries with large pension funds, Leaders welcomed enhanced collaboration between the financial sectors in Australia and Canada, including an MoU between IFM, Canadian Pension funds and Australian Superannuation Funds signed in Sydney on 4 March and an invitation to a senior delegation of Australian Superannuation Funds to visit Canada in 2026.
8. Leaders welcomed the signing of the new Australia-Canada Clean Energy Partnership. Through this Partnership, Australia and Canada will strengthen cooperation to unlock new two-way trade and investment opportunities across clean energy sectors, scale-up clean energy technologies, modernise electricity grids, and build secure and sustainable clean energy supply chains. This collaboration will help create jobs, drive economic growth, and reduce emissions in energy systems as both countries advance toward net-zero. The Partnership will also complement Australia and Canada’s existing cooperation on climate and energy, including through Australia’s role as COP31 President of Negotiations.
9. To protect communities from the harms and promote opportunities of artificial intelligence, Leaders welcomed enhanced collaboration between Australia’s Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute and Canada’s Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute under a new MoU. This MoU will deepen information exchange on AI technologies, joint work to advance AI evaluation, measurement, and mitigation, as well as facilitate exchanges of talent between the two countries.
10. Leaders agreed that Canada and Australia will explore opportunities for enhanced regulatory cooperation and further collaboration across sectors of mutual interest. They noted the value of continued dialogue between regulatory authorities to share best practices, support alignment where appropriate, and identify areas where cooperation could help strengthen economic security and promote inclusive, sustainable growth. Leaders emphasised that this exploratory work will remain flexible and non-binding, allowing both countries to advance cooperation at a pace and scope that reflects shared priorities.
11. Leaders welcomed the renewed pandemic preparedness contract between the Public Health Agency of Canada and CSL Seqirus to deliver 15 million doses of cell-based adjuvanted influenza vaccine, from CSL’s manufacturing facility in Victoria, Australia in the event of an influenza pandemic being declared. This pandemic vaccine readiness contract will help protect Canadians against future pandemic events and demonstrates how Australian and Canadian science and health collaboration is supporting our health and economic security, supply chain resilience, and pandemic preparedness. Leaders were further pleased to welcome the MoU signed between the Business Council of Australia and the Business Council of Canada on 5 March, 2026, to facilitate greater trade and investment and facilitate meaningful business leader engagement.
12. The Leaders welcomed progress under the Australia–Canada–India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership and noted the recent meeting of the AI Ministers of the three countries on the margins of the AI Summit in New Delhi. They agreed to develop a joint workplan to advance practical trilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence and digital technologies and underscored the potential for deeper collaboration across digital infrastructure, semiconductor and electronics manufacturing, high-performance computing, Internet-of-Things (IoT), cybersecurity, and startup ecosystems. The Leaders further agreed to strengthen policy and regulatory exchanges to advance AI sovereignty, inclusivity, access and trustworthiness; promote AI adoption and related business-to-business partnerships; and advance joint capacity-building through skills development, training, and knowledge-sharing, with a view to fostering trusted innovation ecosystems and delivering tangible outcomes. The Leaders welcomed the codification of this work through the signing of a trilateral Australia-Canada-India MOU on Cooperation in Technology and Innovation.

Strengthening Mutual Interests in Critical Minerals

13. Leaders noted Australia and Canada’s combined strengths as major global critical minerals producers and committed to working more purposefully in partnership to advance our mutual interests and promote thriving, dynamic global critical minerals supply chains. Leaders committed to pursuing common positions on key critical minerals issues, working together to shape emerging markets in ways that reflect our shared commitment to fair and open trade, and high environmental and labour standards. Leaders were pleased to confirm Australia had also joined the G7 Critical Minerals Production Alliance.
14. Leaders committed to strengthening and deepening collaboration in relation to critical minerals investments, standards and between Australia’s Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve and Canada’s Critical Minerals Sovereign Fund. They welcomed the signing of the Joint Declaration of Intent on Critical Minerals Cooperation in November 2025 under which Australia and Canada are working to strengthen supply chain resilience. Leaders were pleased to confirm Resources Ministers will meet annually to drive progress on areas of cooperation as outlined in the Joint Declaration of Intent.
15. Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to sharing technical expertise related to mapping critical minerals deposits and improving extraction and processing capabilities, strengthening our respective domestic critical minerals sectors and enabling growth.
16. Leaders welcomed the development of a Canada-Australia Mining Skills Exchange Pilot, in collaboration with industry stakeholders, academic institutions, and government partners across Canada and Australia, to address key skills and labour shortages and ensure allied ability to expand critical minerals production.

Deepening Defence and Security Cooperation

17. Recognising the significant security challenges of our times, and the interconnected nature of Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic security, Leaders agreed to enhance defence and security cooperation, including through the establishment of a biennial Defence Ministers’ Meeting. Ministers of Defence will be supported by regular senior officials’ talks focused on identifying pathways for greater defence collaboration to uphold international peace and security by deterring threats to our shared security and intelligence interests. 
18. Leaders reaffirmed their commitment for Australia and Canada to collaborate on the development of Over-the-Horizon Radar (OTHR) technology in support of fielding an Arctic-OTHR system in Canada, bringing together Australia’s world-leading Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) technology with Canada’s expertise in operating high-frequency radar in the Arctic. Leaders were pleased to note the upcoming training of Canadian operators on the use of the radar system in Australia and welcomed concrete progress made towards finalizing a government-to-government arrangement. As part of this shared endeavour, leaders reaffirmed their intent for Australia and Canada to jointly develop advanced technology and intellectual property under our deepening strategic relationship, with long-term benefits for both of our defence industrial bases.
19. Leaders underscored the value of the long-standing Australia-Canada defence and security science, technology and innovation partnership and committed to continued cooperation to address emerging and disruptive technologies. They also recognised the need to create the conditions for more seamless defence industrial collaboration. To this end, Australia and Canada will continue exploring mutually beneficial options to facilitate collaboration on advanced military capabilities, strengthen defence trade, boost Research and Development innovation, and science and technology cooperation, noting the importance of the defence and dual-use industry to our domestic economies as both countries expand their defence capabilities. 
20. Leaders committed to seek opportunities to enhance and formalise interoperability and the conduct of combined military activities in the Indo-Pacific in support of freedom of navigation and overflight, and to deepen intelligence cooperation, including through regular exchange of personnel and enhanced training on common platforms. To support this, Ministerial talks will explore concrete mechanisms to facilitate the movement of defence personnel and equipment between our countries and remove unnecessary barriers to operational collaboration, and as such, have agreed to initiate discussions on establishing a Status of Forces Agreement.
21. Leaders acknowledged deep cooperation on border security, policing, and law enforcement, including efforts to combat illicit trafficking and transnational crime while facilitating the secure movement of legitimate trade and travel, and welcomed the entry into force in 2026 of the Canada-Australia Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement.
22. Leaders also agreed to continue cooperation on countering emerging threats such as foreign information manipulation and other forms of foreign interference, bilaterally and multilaterally through the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism. These efforts will allow Australia and Canada to place their collective weight towards regional stability.

Strengthening Institutions, Building Resilient Communities

23. Acknowledging the contributions of Canadian and Australian firefighters to both countries, Leaders discussed efforts to strengthen disaster resilience and preparedness and welcomed the Joint Declaration of Intent between Australia’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Public Safety Canada which elevates the existing MoU on emergency management and disaster risk reduction and enables opportunity for cooperation on training and development, information exchanges, and collaboration on research and innovation.
24. Leaders agreed to advance civil space cooperation, building on the existing MoU between the Canadian Space Agency and the Australian Space Agency, including collaborating on Earth observation missions, which will support bush and wildfire monitoring internationally through satellite imaging and data sharing.
25. Leaders agreed to reinvigorate the Canada-Australia Public Policy Initiative to foster exchanges between senior officials on priority policy issues, including government modernisation and social cohesion, online harm, and trust in democratic institutions.
26. Leaders welcomed collaboration on shared polar science priorities, including in climate systems, biodiversity, human impacts and coordination in environment monitoring. Enhanced annual senior officials’ engagement will advance cooperation on strategic issues in the polar regions.

The Albanese Government has passed legislation in the Parliament which will establish the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence (PJCD).

The establishment of the PJCD implements a recommendation of the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade’s Inquiry into international armed conflict decision-making made during the 47th Parliament, following a referral from the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence.

This was not the first time a committee recommended the establishment of a statutory committee dedicated to Defence, but it is the first time a government has taken it up. 

The PJCD will allow Parliament to be briefed on matters relating to the Australian Defence Force, Department of Defence, Australian Submarine Agency, Department of Veterans’ Affairs and other Defence portfolio agencies.

Importantly, it will be able to receive and consider classified information to conduct effective scrutiny of Defence and its portfolio agencies, and strengthen government decision‑making on defence and strategic policy.

The legislation passed today establishes appropriate safeguards that enhance Parliamentary accountability and transparency while ensuring sensitive information about Australia’s national security, and that of our international partners, is protected.

We live in a complex world and it is increasingly important that the Parliament and public are able to better understand Australia’s strategic circumstances and scrutinise the decisions that governments have to make to keep Australians safe. 

The Committee will also be responsible for monitoring and reviewing on an ongoing basis the Government’s response to the findings of any Royal Commission inquiries relating to Defence, including the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

The Committee’s membership will be confirmed in due course. 

The Committee’s make‑up will be similar to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, with the Prime Minister, in consultation with the leader of the Opposition, to appoint 13 members, comprised of seven government and six non-government members across both Houses of Parliament.

Today, the Liberals and Labor party joined together to create a new secret Defence committee that will hold closed-door hearings that will deliberately exclude any critical voices from the Greens and other crossbenchers.

The Defence Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee on Defence) Bill 2025, establishes a new committee that gives the Prime Minister an effective veto over who sits on it, and will only allocate spots for the Liberal and Labor parties.

This new committee will be based on the Parliamentary Joint Committee for Intelligence and Security (PJCIS), which only has the pro-Trump, pro-Aukus and pro-war Liberal and Labor parties represented and which never challenges Government policy.

Senator David Shoebridge, Greens spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Defence, said:

“This Bill has been in the works for years, but if you want a better example of why Australia’s defence and foreign policy should not be made behind closed doors between the war parties, look at Albanese backing in the US and Israeli illegal war on Iran. The decision to follow Donald Trump into the next US forever war will be decided in this committee full of only the war parties.”

“We know this Bill was a backroom deal between Liberals and Labor who are scared of the blow torch being turned on the dangerous AUKUS deal. This is business as usual from these pro-war parties that have united on spending hundreds of billions on US nuclear submarines and following Trump into every war he wants.

“This committee will be filled with Liberal and Labor insiders furiously agreeing on tying ourselves to the US and reinforcing their groupthink. It’s not good for public accountability, transparency or Australia’s independence.

“Whether it is AUKUS or signing Australia up to the US’s forever wars, now more than ever we need to have critical voices in the room when looking at Australia’s defence policy.

“Committees should reflect the makeup of Parliament and the community. The Liberal and Labor unity ticket is not reflective of the community, which is increasingly moving away from these two parties.

“Over the next decade, three-quarters of a trillion dollars in public funds will be poured into Defence. The major parties want that to be a black box, so you cannot see where that money is going, that’s what this secret committee is all about.

“The Greens remain committed to open public scrutiny of Australia’s Defence policy, to stem the flow of public funds to US arms dealers and their billionaire owners, all while setting up cushy jobs for tired old politicians.”

Shane Rattenbury, Leader of the ACT Greens:

“Today’s report from the ACT Ombudsman pulls back the curtain on how public housing tenants are being treated, and it’s not good enough.

“For too long, serious maintenance failures have been allowed to persist while the government looks the other way instead of stepping up to meet basic responsibilities.

“It is hard to avoid the conclusion that public housing tenants are being treated as second-class citizens by this government. Urgent repairs are dragging on for months. Basic maintenance is falling through the cracks. And nothing is being done about it.

“If a private landlord behaved this way, they would quite rightly find themselves before ACAT. The difference is that many public housing tenants, quite fairly, don’t have the time, resources or confidence to navigate this complex complaints processes.

“The government knows this, and the result is a system where unacceptable standards are tolerated because the people affected are least able to fight back.

“The report outlines a shocking example of a tenant left without a proper roof for more than a year. That is not a minor oversight, it is a profound failure. It speaks to years of underinvestment and a culture that has not treated public housing with seriousness.

“The Greens will be scrutinising the government’s response closely. What we need now isn’t spin, it’s a shift in attitude and investment in new and existing public homes.

“Public housing is not a charity or an afterthought. It is an essential public service, and it should be delivered to the highest standard, as any Canberran has a right to expect.

Greens communications spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young:

“For years, Kyle Sandilands has made millions off misogynistic, racist, and plain vile content. It’s time he was shown the door. 

“ARN have given him 14 days to explain himself, he should’ve been given 14 seconds to be out the door. History has shown he does not care about being sanctioned, or counselled and will not change. He’s had more than enough chances. 

“No wonder Jackie has decided to dump the show with Kyle. Years of abusive rubbish finally took its toll. 

“Kyle’s comments disrespect women and minority groups, and fuel a culture of hate and division. He is unfit to have a public platform, and he should be sacked.

“Why is it always the woman that has to leave? The abusive bloke should be the one that gets the boot.  

“No woman should have to put up with this nasty, demeaning crap – especially at work.

“The show has trashed our airwaves for long enough, ARN should cancel it for good, and Mr. Sandilands should be sacked immediately. How many more chances does one bloke need?

Greens Senator for South Australia, Sarah Hanson-Young:

“Reports that Adelaide University has pulled their venue from the Constellations event  featuring United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese is concerning.

“Adelaide University really needs to explain why they have cancelled the booking for an event featuring one of the world’s leading legal experts in international law and human rights in the Middle East.

“The whole Writer’s Week debacle shows that there is a culture of fear infecting our institutions. A fear of having difficult conversations and hearing views and facts that are uncomfortable and challenging.

“You cannot cancel curiosity, you cannot cancel compassion, and you cannot silence a city that believes in the exchange of ideas and freedom of expression. 

“South Australians expect better from our cultural institutions. Universities should not simply capitulate to external political pressure or media intimidation

“Seeking to silence a distinguished international human rights expert undermines academic freedom, weakens intellectual integrity, and contradicts the very principles universities are meant to uphold.

“I’m concerned that this decision continues the dangerous precedent set by Premier Malinauskas’ political interference in Writer’s Week. 

“We live in a time of division and uncertainty but we cannot overcome that if we run from these difficult conversations. It’s up to all of us to defend free speech, not retreat from it.”

“Thankfully the event will go ahead and a new venue with a sold out crowd in attendance showing that South Australian audiences aren’t as fearful as these institutions.

The Albanese Government held its fourth Product of Concern Summit in Canberra today to support the sustainment of Australia’s Collins class submarines.

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy, convened the summit alongside 
Minister for Finance, Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher, and senior representatives from government and industry.

Since being listed as a Product of Concern in December 2024, Defence and the contractor, ASC Pty Ltd, have developed a remediation plan for the sustainment of the Collins class.

This plan will ensure Collins class submarines remain among the most capable conventionally powered submarines in the world.

Since the revitalisation of Defence’s Projects and Products of Concern process in 2022, the Albanese Government has strengthened the oversight and remediation of defence projects.

Remediation is being achieved through targeted workforce initiatives, process improvements and productivity reform. The Product of Concern framework continues to play a crucial role in driving cooperation, accountability and sustained action across government and industry.

This is the twelfth Project of Concern Summit since May 2022.

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy:

“I was pleased to convene the fourth Product of Concern summit for the Collins class submarine fleet today. This process helps ensure Australia has a highly-capable conventional submarine fleet for many years to come, and as we transition to nuclear-powered submarines.

“By bringing Defence and industry together on a regular basis, we maintain oversight and transparency of the capabilities required by the Australian Defence Force to preserve peace and deter conflict.

“The Product of Concern framework, which was revitalised by the Albanese Government, provides a structured forum to collaborate and agree on remediation activities to support Collins class submarine sustainment outcomes.”

Today’s report paints a clear picture of the challenge that lies ahead for the ACT – we need to address our deteriorating fiscal position, but we cannot undertake Budget repair at the expense of those who can least afford it.

“Revenue is stretched, but government services are vital. It’s clear we cannot respond by cutting services the way neoliberal governments of the past did. Instead, we need a pathway that builds rather than demolishes, a pathway that puts people first.

“It’s clear the path to fixing Canberra’s budget – not for the abject sake of surpluses, but to ensure sustainable, long-term investment in the services Canberrans need and deserve – lies in a combination of increased revenue and genuine savings and efficiencies.

“These efficiencies do not mean rash austerity Budget’s or recklessly cutting public service jobs. It means reorienting priorities and making the Government’s work more impactful to everyday Canberrans.

“Saul Eslake specifically highlighted health and education, which have accounted for more than half of government spending for years, but where outcomes have fallen behind.

“These are such vital services for our community, and for the level of investment we are making, we simply need better results and improved use of our resources.

“Over the coming months, the Greens will be scrutinising the implications of this interim report and using it as a basis to insist the Committee Inquiry to ask the right questions and deliver recommendations for improving the budget and reshaping our priorities for the future.”

Greens MP for Balmain Kobi Shetty has slammed the Minns Labor Government for delivering just 10% affordable housing on publicly owned land — far short of their election commitment of 30% on surplus government-owned land.

Kobi Shetty MP for Balmain said:

“There’s no question that above a metro station is exactly where new density should go, properly supported by public transport and infrastructure.

“But delivering just 10% affordable housing on publicly owned land during the worst housing affordability crisis in generations is not good enough. It’s another broken promise from the Minns Labor Government.

“Without significantly more social, affordable, and public housing, this development risks becoming another exclusive waterfront enclave for the rich, while nurses, teachers, essential workers, and young families are pushed further out of the communities they serve.”

Shetty said the decision represented a major backflip on NSW Labor’s commitment to deliver at least 30% social, affordable and universal housing on surplus government land.

“This is public land. They’re sacrificing our last working port in Sydney Harbour for this new development. It should be used to deliver public good — not be a cash cow for developers.

“NSW Labor promised 30% affordable housing on surplus government land. Delivering just 10% falls drastically short of that commitment. It even falls short of what the former Liberal Government had planned for the Bays West Precinct– which was for 30% affordable housing.

“We have a NSW Labor Government who claims to care about working people. They claim to be addressing the housing crisis – but their vision is even less ambitious than what we were set to get under a conservative Liberal Government.  

Shetty said genuine community consultation and stronger affordable housing targets were essential to ensure the project delivers for the broader community.

“We need more homes — but they need to be homes people can actually afford. It’s a significant amount of housing, and the government will need to plan it very carefully to ensure it is integrated with the rest of Balmain and Rozelle, and people can access all of the services they need.

“We welcome the firm commitment to delivering the Glebe Island Bridge as an essential walking and cycling link for our growing city”