Category: Australian News

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Jakarta, Indonesia from 5 to 7 February 2026 to meet the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, and sign the Australia–Indonesia Treaty on Common Security.

The treaty reflects the close friendship, partnership and deep trust between Australia and Indonesia. It will take Australia–Indonesia cooperation to a new level, for the benefit of our shared security and that of the region.

The Prime Minister will be joined by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong, who will meet with Indonesian Foreign Minister His Excellency Sugiono during the visit.

Alongside regional security, Australia and Indonesia work together closely across a range of areas including trade and investment, education, and development.

Indonesia’s strong economic growth represents an enormous opportunity for Australian businesses and investors, which we are working to realise including through Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040.

There is a great demand amongst Indonesian consumers for Australian education, healthcare and consumer goods. At the same time, Indonesian investment into Australia has increased. This is good for Australian jobs, businesses and our economy.

This will be the Prime Minister’s fifth official visit to Indonesia. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles will be Acting Prime Minister until the Prime Minister’s return from overseas.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“The new treaty is a watershed moment in the Australia–Indonesia relationship.

“It represents a major extension of our security and defence cooperation and demonstrates that our relationship is as strong as it has ever been.

“Australia’s bond with Indonesia is unique and enduring, as neighbours, partners and friends who are committed to a secure, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

“I thank President Prabowo for his invitation to visit Indonesia to sign this historic agreement and look forward to discussing ways we can continue to work together.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong:

“Australia and Indonesia have together taken the most important step in strengthening our partnership in thirty years – bringing our cooperation to a higher level, acting together to secure peace and stability for our nations and the region.

“In these uncertain times, this is a demonstration of the importance we place on our relationship and the respect we have for each other.

“This Treaty is part of how the Albanese Government is building Australia’s future in our region.”

New figures show the Capital Gains Tax discount will blow a quarter-trillion dollar hole in the budget over the next decade.

Parliamentary Budget Office analysis, commissioned by the Greens-led Select Committee into the Operation of the CGT Discount, shows it will cost the budget $247 billion over the next ten years.

This is considerably more than the $205 billion it has cost over its entire 25 year history.

The analysis shows that the richest 1% of income earners will get a staggering 59% of the benefit from the CGT discount this financial year, rising from previous analysis 54%. 

Comments attributable to Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim:

“The evidence keeps piling up against the most unfair tax rort in the country. Every time you crunch the numbers it just gets worse.”

“The capital gains tax discount has blown out into a quarter-trillion-dollar joke that overwhelmingly favours the super-wealthy, who have had it far too good for far too long.”

“This tax break cuts straight across any claim of fairness. Nearly 60 per cent of the benefit goes to the richest one per cent, while just 4% of the benefit goes to people under 35.”

“It means that Australians who go to work each day pay double the tax than someone who earns the same amount flipping investment properties.”

“Instead of supporting productive investment, the CGT discount is now overwhelmingly used to subsidise speculation on existing properties, driving up prices and making home ownership even more difficult for renters.”

“Labor cannot keep talking about a fair go for workers and fixing intergenerational inequality while defending the most unfair tax break on the books.”

Greens Housing spokesperson Senator Barbara Pocock:

“It’s clear that Labor cares more about property hoarders than it does about renters, first home buyers and people experiencing homelessness.

“Labor’s response to the housing crisis is making things worse. It is more concerned about rewarding property investors with tax breaks than about investing in social housing, homelessness services, and rent assistance altogether. 

‘Labor needs to stop treating housing like a game of monopoly. It needs to scrap the tax breaks for wealthy property investors and directly build social and affordable homes.”

“Massive tax breaks for wealthy property investors are cooking our housing system. Negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount let cashed-up investors outbid everyday Australians — and young people are the ones paying the price.

“Australia’s housing system is rigged for the wealthy; it’s a system designed to drive up the cost of housing, generating enormous wealth for the few while increasing rents for the many who haven’t won the generational lottery.

“Reigning in investor lending growth would be celebrated by renters and aspiring home owners who otherwise feel nothing but despair as they watch a repeat bout of runaway housing price inflation.

The full PBO costing can be found here.

The Victorian Greens have secured a housing ‘Head of Power’ to legally mandate property developers include public, community and affordable housing in new developments.

The Greens say that Labor now has “no excuses” not to force developers to contribute their fair share of housing that people can actually afford.

For the first time, the Greens amendment creates a clear legal power for councils and the Planning Minister to require public, community and affordable housing when big new developments are approved.

The Greens welcome the government’s support for their amendment which was secured as part of the Greens negotiations on the Planning Amendment Bill 2025 at the end of last year.

The Greens amendment has been widely supported by housing advocates who have been calling for the change for a long time.

It passed Parliament last night officially solidifying the new power into the law and the Greens say that now Labor must use it.

The Victorian Greens spokesperson for Planning, Dr Sarah Mansfield said:

“The head of power will make sure we’re building homes people can actually afford, now Labor has to use it.

“Private property developers aren’t thinking about affordability, they’re thinking about profit and for too long, Labor’s given them all the power over what gets built.

“While renters are being smashed, young people are locked out and the public housing waitlist is exploding, Labor’s got no excuse to give property developers special treatment.

“Now the only thing stopping new developments from including public, community and affordable housing is Labor.”

The Victorian Greens Leader, Ellen Sandell, has accused Labor MPs of hypocrisy and performative sympathy as Parliament returns today after a month of devastating bushfires and floods.

Sandell said Labor MPs cannot credibly express concern for communities impacted by bushfires while their own government continues approving new fossil fuel projects that are worsening the climate crisis.

Over the past nine months, the Allan Labor Government has handed fossil fuel corporations five new approvals including just off the coast of the Otways which was ravaged by fire.

Parliament will speak on the bushfires during a condolence motion today, where Sandell said she will directly challenge Labor MPs on what she described as a fundamental contradiction between their words and actions, accusing Labor MPs of crying crocodile tears.
Climate disasters are already costing Victorians an estimated $2.7 billion every year, with costs rising as disasters become more frequent and severe. Many homes across Victoria are predicted to become uninsurable by 2030, leaving families exposed while fossil fuel corporations continue to make billions in profit and pay little to no tax.

The Greens say Victoria cannot accept this as the new normal and are calling on the Allan Labor Government to immediately stop approving new fossil fuel projects, end special treatment for fossil fuel corporations, and start making polluters pay for the damage they cause.

The Greens will also introduce amendments to expand the government’s coal mine rehabilitation liability scheme to cover all mines, ensuring companies are held financially responsible for environmental damage rather than leaving taxpayers to foot the bill. The party has previously introduced legislation to ban new offshore oil and gas drilling, as well as a coal ban, but these were not supported by Labor.

Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell:

“The past month has felt apocalyptic in Victoria, with extreme heat, bushfires and floods devastating communities.
“Labor MPs can’t hand out meals at relief centres with one hand and approve new fossil fuel projects with the other. It’s insulting to the communities who have lost everything.

“Climate disasters are already costing Victorians well over $2 billion every year, and those costs are rising fast. Many homes will become uninsurable by 2030, yet Labor continues to give special treatment to fossil fuel corporations that are driving this crisis.

“Polluters should be paying for the damage they cause, not ordinary people. Instead, Labor is cosying up to them, giving them a free pass to make billions in profit and pay nothing in tax while the community is left to pick up the bill.”

The Allan Labor Government has rejected calls to provide funding for Victorians to make their homes more flood and fire resilient – despite a month of devastating bushfires and floods tearing through communities across Victoria.

In its response to the Greens-initiated parliamentary inquiry into climate resilience, Labor has knocked back key recommendations to protect households and communities from worsening climate disasters – including a dedicated Resilient Homes Fund and stronger investment in climate adaptation infrastructure.

While Victorians are left exposed, New South Wales and Queensland have already signed onto the Commonwealth Government’s $1.6 billion disaster resilience fund, which helps households rebuild, relocate and adapt homes in high-risk areas. Despite the Commonwealth signalling it was open to Victoria’s involvement, the Allan Labor Government has failed to sign up.

Climate disasters are already costing Victoria more than $2.7 billion every year. Instead of making the big polluting corporations driving climate damage pay their share, Labor is leaving taxpayers and disaster-hit communities to pick up the bill.

The inquiry report found the financial burden of climate disasters is being unfairly shifted onto communities, while highly polluting industries take no responsibility for the consequences of their business models.

The Greens are demanding big polluters pay for the climate crisis, a call shared by over a third of submissions to the inquiry – who argued that adaptation funding should come directly from the worst climate polluters.

Leader of the Victorian Greens Ellen Sandell said Labor’s response was “insulting” to communities who have lost everything and “utterly tone deaf” after weeks of fires and floods.

Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell: 

“Labor cried crocodile tears in Parliament for bushfire victims one day then the very next day refused to fund measures to protect the same communities in the future. After a month of climate disasters, it’s not just tone deaf, it’s insulting.” 

“While families are exhausted and traumatised, trying to put their lives back together, the coal and gas companies driving the climate crisis are making massive profits and getting special treatment from Labor.” 

“Labor should get out of bed with the big polluters and actually make them pay for the damage they’re causing.” 

The Victorian Greens have welcomed the Court of Appeal’s decision protecting more than 30 “hold-out” households in North Melbourne and Flemington from eviction.

The Victorian Greens say that public housing residents shouldn’t be in this position in the first place. The injunction is another consequence of Labor’s disastrous plan which residents, activists, lawyers and the Greens have successfully delayed.

The Allan Labor Government has infamously refused to produce any documentation to justify the decision to demolish the towers, despite repeated requests. 

Many residents say they have not been offered suitable homes as options for relocation, with a parliamentary inquiry hearing that Homes Victoria relocations officers had engaged in coercive and misleading practices when engaging with residents. 

The same inquiry recommended that all demolitions be halted unless Labor provides documents to justify the demolition and privatisation of each building  – which the Allan Labor Government has yet to respond to. 

Victorian Greens housing spokesperson, Gabrielle de Vietri: 

“Residents shouldn’t be in this position in the first place. It shouldn’t be up to the residents holding out for their home, Labor shouldn’t be demolishing their home at all. 

“This is just the latest in the laundry list of reasons that Labor’s mass demolition and privatisation of public housing is a total disaster.

“From top to bottom, this plan has never stacked up, forcing people from their homes, replacing public housing with private apartments, and handing prime inner-city land to property developers.

“Make no mistake, the only people benefitting from this plan are the private property developers Labor’s shaking hands with. Labor’s putting corporate profits ahead of human lives. 

Shadow Minister for Early Learning, Felicity Wilson, today welcomed the work of the NSW Early Learning Commission which confirmed that action is being taken to address the risks our children face in early education and care across NSW. 

“Today’s reporting that early education services are being held to account for lack of compliance is a welcome sign that the NSW Early Learning Commission is working as intended,” Ms Wilson said. 

“However, action needs to be taken sooner to ensure services aren’t failing, and parents and kids aren’t left in the lurch, particularly when places are in such high demand.” 

Last October, the NSW Liberals and Nationals supported laws that created the NSW Early Learning Commission to improve the quality of early education and care across NSW, with child safety key to this reform. 

“This Minns Labor Government needs to ensure early learning is of a quality and standard that parents expect and kids deserve.” 

Ms Wilson added that financial and reputational consequences are clear; if you put children at risk, you will pay the price. 

“It is clear, cutting corners in NSW on children’s safety is not acceptable.” 

“As a mum with a child in childcare at the time, I welcomed the reforms, but there will always be more to do to protect our kids and ensure their early education and care services.” 

“Child safety is not a partisan issue; it is the responsibility of all political parties to ensure that child safety in early education and care is paramount.” 

Ms Wilson concluded that she looks forward to working with stakeholders and parents in 2026 to ensure that when parents send their kids to early learning services, they have confidence that their kids’ safety and wellbeing are protected. 

I am pleased to announce the Governor-General has appointed Mr Simon Duggan as the Secretary of the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR).

Mr Duggan has an extensive career in the Australian Public Service most recently as the Deputy Secretary of the Energy Group at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

Prior to joining DCCEEW, Mr Duggan was a Deputy Secretary at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet where he led the Economy and Industry Group and served as Australia’s G20 and G7 plus Sherpa.

Mr Duggan also spent 18 years at the Department of the Treasury, leading on policy reforms relating to the domestic and international economy.

Mr Duggan’s term will commence on 16 February 2026 for a five-year period.

I would like to thank Ms Tania Rishniw for acting as Secretary since December 2025.

The Albanese Government is undertaking the most significant reform to the Defence estate ever to ensure it is fit‑for‑purpose – providing the ADF with the facilities and capabilities it needs to keep Australians safe.

Today, the Albanese Government has released a public version of the Defence Estate Audit and the Government’s response to it – agreeing or agreeing-in-principle to all 20 of the Audit’s recommendations.

Commissioned following the 2023 Defence Strategic Review, Ms Jan Mason and Mr Jim Miller led an independent process to assess whether the estate is fit‑for‑purpose and provides the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with the facilities and capabilities it needs to keep Australians safe.

Key areas of focus for the Audit included strengthening the resilience of the Defence estate, mechanisms to accelerate delivery of major infrastructure, and options for consolidation of underutilised facilities.

The Defence Estate Audit found: 

“Defence is constrained by the weight of its past when it comes to management of the estate. 

“Today’s estate footprint comprises numerous legacy sites without a clear ongoing link to current or future capabilities. 

“Urgent interventions are needed to correct the unsustainable trajectory that has resulted from decades of deferred decisions on contentious estate issues.”

The Audit’s 20 recommendations aim to transition the estate toward a more modern, future‑focused and fit-for-purpose capability that best enables the ADF in its tasks. 

The Audit’s first recommendation, which the Government has agreed to, calls for Defence to “reduce its property holdings through focussed divestment of sites at market value in areas not aligned with current or future capability priorities”.

The Government received the Audit at the end of 2023 and has since taken the necessary and appropriate time to assess potential impacts on personnel, capability and broader community groups.

A total of 68 sites were identified for divestment by the Audit. Following assessment, the Government has agreed to: 

• Wholly divest 64 sites, three of which have been divested since the Audit’s commissioning: Magnetic Island (QLD), Haberfield Training Depot (NSW) and Garbutt (QLD)
• Partially divest three sites: HMAS Penguin (NSW), RAAF Williams – Laverton (VIC) and Warradale Barracks (SA)
• Retain in full one site: Pittwater Annex (NSW)

Some of the sites are historically significant and have important meaning to current and former Defence personnel. The Albanese Government is committed to preserving and enhancing public access to historically significant sites and collections so that all Australians can celebrate our proud military history.

As part of the divestment process, the Department of Finance will manage the new divestments arising from the Defence Estate Audit. 

Finance is leading this process due to its experience in managing large-scale divestment programs, expertise in divestment and remediation, and oversight of the Commonwealth Property Disposal Policy and other land policy and legislation.

All proceeds from divestments under this process will be retained within the Defence portfolio and be reinvested in National Defence Strategy priorities, including continuing to upgrade and strengthen our northern bases.

The Albanese Government thanks Ms Jan Mason and Mr Jim Miller for their diligent, focused Audit, drawing on their experience in estate management, infrastructure development and financial governance.

The Albanese Government is committed to ensuring the Australian Defence Force has the facilities and capabilities it needs to keep Australians safe. This means making the hard decisions to transition to a modern Defence estate that reflects the needs of our nation and our Defence personnel.

A copy of the final report and the government’s response is available here: https://www.defence.gov.au/about/reviews-inquiries/defence-estate-audit

A full list of sites is available here: https://www.defence.gov.au/about/locations-property/delivering-future-estate

The Department of Finance expression of interest site is available here: https://www.finance.gov.au/government/property-and-construction/divestments/defence-estate-audit

Richard Marles, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence: 

“In order for the Australian Defence Force to protect our nation and keep Australians safe, it must have a Defence estate that meets its operational and capability needs.

“For many years this has not been the case, with many Defence sites vacant, decaying, underutilised and costing millions of dollars to maintain. That is why the Albanese Government is undertaking the most significant reform to the Defence estate in Australia’s history.

“We know this is significant and challenging reform, but we are clear-eyed and committed to seeing it through, because it is the right thing to do in the national interest.”

Katy Gallagher, Minister for Finance:

“The Department of Finance has the expertise to manage the large-scale Defence estate divestment program.

“This approach will ensure sites identified by the Audit are sold at market value, with careful consideration of remediation, heritage and community impacts. Importantly, proceeds will be reinvested in key Defence priorities.”

Peter Khalil, Assistant Minister for Defence: 

“We promised to ensure taxpayer money spent within Defence is aligned with the public’s expectations, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

“These reforms present a once in a generation opportunity to reposition Australia’s Defence estate to ensure it meets the strategic challenges we are facing, and enhance our ability to maintain the stability of our region.

“The Defence estate plays such an important role for our Defence personnel and within the broader community. We will continue to support and engage closely with the community as these reforms are implemented.”

Today marks two years since Australian citizen, Dr Yang Jun, received a suspended death sentence in Beijing.

Dr Yang has demonstrated remarkable resilience and fortitude in the face of great challenges for the past seven years of his detention.

The Australian Government has made clear to China that we remain appalled by Dr Yang’s suspended death sentence.

Dr Yang is entitled to basic standards of justice, procedural fairness and humane treatment, in accordance with international norms and China’s legal obligations. We advocate consistently for Dr Yang’s welfare and conditions.

Today our thoughts are with Dr Yang and his loved ones. We want to see him reunited with his family.

The Government will continue to advocate for Dr Yang at every opportunity.