Category: Australian News

The Treasurer’s five-point plan to avoid recession is just the latest piece of spin from a government with no solutions to Australia’s economic challenges.

Australia is already in a GDP per capita, productivity, and consumer confidence recession after two years of Labor’s failed economic management.

For struggling Australian families and small businesses, there is nothing ‘soft’ about the Treasurer’s ‘carefully calibrated’ plan to let interest rates and inflation run for longer.

In reality, Labor is presiding over a five-step plan to squeeze Australian households:

1. Taking $60 billion from family budgets to bolster its own through deliberate bracket creep;
2. Fuelling higher rates and higher inflation by adding $315 billion of spending;
3. Making the structural deficit worse by increasing spending by $4 for every $1 raised in the latest budget;
4. Losing control of migration and energy policy, making it harder to afford a house and harder to keep the lights on;
5. Smashing small businesses with more red tape, more taxes, and bad workplace laws.

Because of the Albanese Labor Government’s bad policies, Australians are facing higher prices, higher taxes and higher mortgage repayments for longer.

Hardworking Australians are paying a very high price for a Labor government that can’t manage money.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said Australia is facing a deadly combination of high inflation and household recession.

“Nothing can hide the fact that Jim Chalmers and Anthony Albanese have smashed our economy.

“As I have said for a while, and as independent economist Steven Hamilton today writes, Jim Chalmers is a doctor of spin, not of economics.

“The Treasurer likes to create the illusion that he understands what the economy needs. But his actions prove otherwise.

“Economist after economist has been clear, more spending will lead to higher inflation.

“Labor has added $315 billion in spending since the last election – that’s more than $30,000 for every Australian household. Most Australian families don’t feel like they’re getting value for money on that extra spending.

“The RBA has its foot firmly on the brake, the Albanese Labor Government continues to slam the accelerator.

“Australian households are struggling under the weight of Labor’s economic mismanagement. Sadly, this government is completely out of touch with reality.”

This week, we will travel to Papua New Guinea to attend the 30th Australia-Papua New Guinea Ministerial Forum.

As neighbours, friends and equals, the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea is more important than ever.

The Ministerial Forum is an opportunity for Ministers from a range of key policy areas to advance our partnership and our shared priorities. This includes our economic relationship, strategic cooperation for security and stability, and development.

The Forum will be co-chaired by Minister Wong and Papua New Guinea Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Justin Tkatchenko BEM OL – also representing Australia will be:

• The Hon Mark Dreyfus KC MP, Attorney-General, Cabinet Secretary
• Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Minister for Emergency Management
• The Hon Clare O’Neil MP, Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Cyber Security
• Senator the Hon Tim Ayres, Assistant Minister for Trade, Assistant Minister for Manufacturing.

The delegation will also engage with Australian and Papua New Guinea businesses through the Annual Australia-Papua New Guinea Business Dialogue.

The Ministerial Forum builds on the commitments from the Annual Leaders’ Dialogue between Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Marape in February, and the signing of the landmark Bilateral Security Agreement in December 2023.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the Hon Richard Marles MP:

“Papua New Guinea is one of our closest and most important defence partners, and is home to our largest Defence Cooperation Program.

“Australia and Papua New Guinea’s defence partnership reflects 50 years of our defence personnel training, exercising and working side by side.

“I am delighted to return to Papua New Guinea to discuss how we can work even more closely together to address the security and defence challenges facing our region.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong:

“Australia and Papua New Guinea’s relationship is based on our common history, our close geography and our shared values.

“I look forward to meeting again with my counterpart Minister Tkatchenko and other Ministers as we work to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Pacific.

“We are supporting Papua New Guinea in its response to the landslide in Enga Province, just as Papua New Guinea has supported Australia in times of need.”

Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:

“Australia’s relationship with Papua New Guinea is profoundly important and built on a strong foundation of friendship and respect.

“We are part of a Pacific family, and as the collective response to the tragedy in Enga has shown, in times of trouble Australia will be there just as PNG was there for us during the Black Summer bushfires.

“As our past unites us, so too does our future, built on deep economic and security cooperation. These connections matter – the more we relate to each other, the more safe, stable and prosperous our region will be.”

Deputy Greens Leader and Higher Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has responded to the Group of Eight’s scathing criticism of the Government’s plan to cap international students, stating that Labor should listen to the sector and dump the bill.

Senator Faruqi:

“It’s good to see the Group of Eight join the growing list of critics slamming the Government for making policy decisions based on an entirely false and divisive conflation of international students and the housing crisis.

“Labor’s international student cap bill is an audacious attack on fundamental principles of student choice and university independence, and it’s no wonder the plan is attracting so much opposition within the higher education sector. 

“The bill is a blatant power grab, giving the Education Minister an unprecedented, dangerous level of ministerial discretion over universities.

“Governments should not be micromanaging students or universities.

“This politically driven approach to higher education compromises the study needs of international students and will be terrible for Australia’s reputation as a place to study.

“After years of sustained underfunding of universities by both Labor and Coalition Governments, the bill will make things worse and risk thousands of jobs during a cost of living crisis.

“Capping international student numbers under the guise of easing pressure on the rental market is not just a dishonest, dog whistling conflation, it is bad policy that will do nothing to fix our broken housing system or higher education system”. 

Today Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hosted Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Canberra for their Annual Leaders’ Meeting.

Following the meeting, the leaders witnessed the signature of a range of bilateral arrangements that will renew dialogue and strengthen cooperation between Australia and China.

Australia’s goods and services exports to China have more than doubled since China-Australia Free Trade Agreement entered into force in 2015. Ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen its implementation.

A Memorandum of Understanding on our Strategic Economic Dialogue will take forward discussions on economic policy issues and our bilateral economic cooperation.

Leaders welcomed the resumption of cooperation on climate change through an updated Memorandum of Understanding, which provides a framework to deepen dialogue on this vital issue. Australia will host the next Australia-China Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Change later this year.

Education remains our largest services export to China, and China has been our largest source country for international students since 2002.

Leaders oversaw the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding on Education and Research Cooperation, which will encourage further cooperation in areas such as quality assurance, online education, and qualification recognition.

Australian and China also strengthened collaboration between our arts and cultural sectors through the 15th Implementation Program under the 1981 Agreement on Cultural Cooperation. The program will encourage collaboration, visits and skills exchanges between creative and cultural professionals and institutions.

Prime Minister Albanese

“I was pleased to host Premier Li today for the Annual Leaders’ Meeting, which built on the progress made since my visit to China last November.

“The agreements reached today are a result of the Government’s steady and deliberate approach to our relationship with China.

“They also reflect the broad range of areas where we can cooperate and work to mutual benefit.

“Bilateral trade has brought significant benefits to both our countries. China remains our largest trading partner and trade supports one in four Australian jobs.

“Australia and China recognise the need to work together to tackle climate change—a global issue that requires a global response.”

The Albanese government has made another major commitment to women’s sport and the Matildas, contributing to the shared cost of hosting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup on home soil in 2026.

The government’s $15 million investment will help ensure the tournament is a success and build upon the Matildas sport changing 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup performance while increasing opportunities for women’s football in Australia and across our region.

The 2026 competition hosted in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia is expected to generate more than $200 million for the local economy.

More than 24,000 international visitors will flock to Australia for the first event and games will be broadcast to a global audience of hundreds of millions.

It will bring Asia’s best footballers to Australia and give us another chance to celebrate the Matildas on home soil.

Last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup was an unprecedented success with a lasting impact on not just women’s football, but Australian sport.

The Matildas have continued that momentum qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics, moving to 12th in the world and selling out a record 14 straight home games, entrenching their position as our country’s most popular national team.

The AFC Women’s Asian Cup is the oldest women’s international football competition in the world.

The 2026 event will serve as the final Asian qualifying tournament for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong:

“Hosting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup will be another opportunity to bring the world to Australia, bring Australians together, and showcase Australian excellence and inspire the next generation of athletes.

“This competition will put Australia at the heart of sport in our region and our investment is another example of the Albanese government’s commitment to make Australia even stronger and more influential through sport.”

Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher:

“The Albanese Government is proud to be supporting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia with a $15 million funding boost.

“When we invest in women’s football we’re investing in more than a game, we are also inspiring future generations of sports stars.

“During the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup the Matildas ignited the dreams of young players across the country and with the Tillies leading the way, the future of women’s football in Australia is bright.”

Minister for Sport, Anika Wells:

“The Tillies and the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup redefined Australian sport and now the Albanese government is backing the Matildas again with a $15 million investment for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup.

“Our Asian Cup funding builds on the $200 million Play Our Way program to improve women and girls sporting facilities, it builds on our investment for the Netball World Cup in 2027 and Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2029.

“Women’s sport is not a nice to have, it is not a phase, it is brilliant, nation-stopping theatre and it’s here to stay.”

Football Australia CEO, James Johnson:

“We convey our sincere appreciation for the Federal Government’s substantial investment today which now ensures Football Australia is well positioned to continue this tradition.

“With the competition poised to commemorate its 50th anniversary next year, it’s our ambition to elevate the experience of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup to a level that celebrates women’s football in our region, and further ignites dreams of the next generation of footballers throughout our confederation.

“Hosting the AFC Women’s Asian Cup will strengthen our ability to establish a lasting impact for people from all backgrounds in Australia and across Asia.”

The Australian Government is strengthening nuclear safeguards to help prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

Safeguards, and their related verification techniques, deter the spread of nuclear weapons through the early detection of the misuse of nuclear material or technology.

Australia has been implementing the highest standards of nuclear safeguards for almost 50 years and was one of the first countries to establish a nuclear safeguards support program with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

With a new $7.5 million investment, Australia will provide funding to connect Australian expertise in robotics, AI and advanced physics with the nuclear safeguards work of the IAEA. This will equip the IAEA to develop more effective and technologically advanced methods to improve safeguards verification techniques.

This week, the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office is hosting seven countries from the Asia-Pacific Safeguards Network to attend a Masterclass on Advanced Safeguards, delivered by the IAEA. Participants will be provided with a greater understanding on techniques, current approaches and best practice in applying high standards of nuclear safeguards in their countries.

Australia is committed to a world without nuclear weapons and has a proud history of meeting the highest standards of nuclear non-proliferation. We strongly support the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime.

The ACT Greens have today announced they will deliver a Centre for Neurodivergence to provide free support to neurodivergent Canberrans, including those with ADHD and autism, should the Greens be re-elected later this year. 

“The ACT Greens want every Canberran to live a full and happy life, which means ensuring that everyone has access to the support and services they need,” said recontesting Member for Murrumbidgee Emma Davidson, ACT Greens spokesperson on disability.

“However, we know that most people who are neurodivergent are waiting months, if not years, to get a diagnosis and the support they need to live their lives to the fullest. 

“This can be particularly challenging for parents and carers who are left feeling isolated and helpless as they are trying to navigate this new and complex space with their child. 

“That’s why the ACT Greens want to establish a dedicated centre that provides free information and support to neurodivergent people and their families,” Ms Davidson said.

“The Centre for Neurodivergence will take a strengths-based approach – celebrating and supporting the beautiful diversity of how our minds and bodies work. It will also look at the community around the individual and provide support to their family, friends and workplaces in order to better understand neurodivergence. 

“At the moment, our systems of support for health care, education, employment, and social connections are built around neurotypical assumptions. Many people living in the ACT are neurodivergent, or know someone who is neurodivergent, yet our systems don’t support them and only change once someone has a diagnosis. 

“This means people go without the right support to excel in their lives, or may be adults before they connect with the right supports for their needs. We also know that there are many neurodivergent people who may not need or choose to go down the diagnosis pathway, who would still benefit from support. 

“Our Centre for Neurodivergence is a first in Australia and will provide a range of support for people when they ask for it – not only after they have a diagnosis.”

The Centre will provide free services and support such as:

• Assessment and diagnosis for people of all ages
• Early intervention allied health supports such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling, with or without a diagnosis
• Space for peer groups to meet
• Improved access to GP, psychology, and psychiatry services
• Information and resources for neurodivergent people, including those with autism or ADHD, their families and friends, carers, educators from early childhood through to tertiary education, and employers.

ACT Greens MLA Laura Nuttall, who is recontesting her seat in Brindabella, outlined the need for such a facility from her personal lived experience with neurodivergence.

“This would have been an absolute game changer for me when I was pursuing an ADHD diagnosis,” said Miss Nuttall.

“Getting support for ADHD is such an involved and often discouraging, exhausting process.

“We’re at a point where you can’t really get much support from allied health professionals before an official diagnosis, and for many people an official diagnosis is cost-prohibitive, takes ages and is ironically hugely taxing on your executive function. That doesn’t help when chances are, the reason you’re seeking help is because you need help right now.

“I realised I probably had ADHD a couple of years back when it started to interfere with my work, study and life. At the time I was under rental duress, but because I really did need the help, I went through the months of waiting, forked out roughly $600 and had some personally challenging discussions to be told that I did in fact have ADHD and could finally start getting help. 

“This system we’re proposing, that provides support before you even need to go through the diagnosis process, means people get help straight away, and I’m so excited that the Greens would make that happen in the ACT,” said Miss Nuttall. 

Ms Davidson said that the changes to the NDIS for psychosocial support mean that we will see more people left without the basic services they need to live a good life. 

“The ACT Greens plan will help people access support sooner, without diagnosis and address future needs that arise from NDIS reforms and the Disability Royal Commission recommendations,” said Ms Davidson. 

The Centre’s physical design and service model will be co-designed with people with lived experience of neurodivergence, carers, healthcare professionals, educators of neurodivergent students, academic researchers, and community advocates. It will be a fit-for-purpose building which will be easily accessible by bus or light rail.

The ACT Greens estimate this initiative will have a capital expenditure cost of approximately $15 million to establish a purpose-built space, and an additional $5 million per year for staff such as psychiatrists, psychologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, counsellors and peer workers.

The Centre for Neurodivergence is part of the ACT Greens commitment to delivering innovative health services across Canberra that support the person as a whole, rather than just their medical diagnosis. Read the details of our plan at https://greens.org.au/act/policies/disability. 

A joint $40 million investment in Sydney’s historic Leichhardt Oval will deliver critical upgrades to ensure the safety and comfort of competitors and fans.

The Albanese Government recognises the significant contribution Leichhardt Oval has made, and continues to make, to sport in Australia. It is on track to host 120 sporting fixtures in 2024, including both men’s and women’s national rugby league matches and dozens of other sport events including women and girls’ soccer.

It is critical we invest in iconic local sporting venues like Leichhardt Oval for the benefit of players, spectators and the wider community.

These venues are a platform for elite women and girls’ sporting competitions, such as NRLW and Women’s A League. They have formed the pathways for so many athletes to go on to major national and international success.

Leichhardt Oval has become increasingly expensive to maintain and significant upgrades are required to ensure it can continue to host elite, amateur and grassroots sporting events and training.

The $40 million investment will draw on the Inner West Council’s Leichhardt Oval Masterplan and includes upgrades to:

• New female-friendly change rooms.
• Increased seating capacity of 3,000.
• A new northern grandstand.

The Commonwealth, State and Local governments have formed a funding partnership to secure the future of Leichhardt Oval. The Commonwealth is committing $20 million to the project, with the NSW Government and the Inner West Council investing $10 million each towards the upgrade.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“There’s nothing better than sitting on Wayne Pearce Hill at Leichhardt Oval.

“My Government understands the important role suburban grounds play in the quality of life for Australians.

“This investment will not only be great for the Wests Tigers, but will see Leichardt Oval continue to be a hub for school, women and girls’ sport.

“Leichhardt Oval is a place where the faithful can go along and cheer their local sporting teams, and this funding from all three levels of government will ensure that spirit is preserved.”

Minister for Sport Anika Wells

“Leichhardt Oval has a rich history in Australian sport, and we want to see that continue.

“So many Australians have fond memories of not just watching the Tigers’ NRL and NRLW teams but soccer games and a range of women’s sporting events.

“It’s time for this iconic oval to receive the love it deserves, so I welcome our partnership with the NSW Government and the Inner West Council to deliver these significant upgrades.

“Players and fans will be able to make new memories and enjoy the facilities at the oval for generations to come.”

New South Wales Minister for Sport Steve Kamper

“Today we are joining all levels of Government to future-proof Leichhardt Oval.

“Whilst Leichhardt Oval is the spiritual home of the Wests Tigers, this oval has become much more than that. It has become a true community hub and a home for women’s sport.

“The NSW Government is committed to increasing the participation of women and young girls in sport. This funding will ensure the stadium can deliver fit-for-purpose facilities for the next generation of elite, amateur and grassroots athletes.”

The Australian Greens have called Peter Dutton’s climate target comments ‘a waste of breath’, given the Liberals have zero chance of winning government at the next election and no chance of overturning a climate majority in the House and Senate.

During the passage of climate legislation in 2022 the Greens secured provisions to ‘Dutton-proof’ the law, ensuring climate targets couldn’t go backwards through any unilateral executive action of a future government. The party said they would continue to use their power in the Senate following the next election to block any weakening of that legislation.

The Greens say with no prospect of forming a majority government or holding the balance of power in the Senate, Dutton and Anthony Albanese should stop confecting a meaningless fight.

This week, Dutton suggested the Liberals would weaken Australia’s 2030 climate targets if elected, but said he wouldn’t announce what those targets were until after the election, an election the Liberals will certainly lose.

And even if against all odds the Coalition were able form a minority government, existing legislation would prevent Dutton from going below the 43 per cent target. 

Further, given likely Senate election results at the next election, there is no foreseeable pathway to change that legislation.

If the 2022 election result was replicated in 2024-25, the Greens and Labor together would have 39 votes in the Senate, a blocking and passing majority.

If the 2019 election result was replicated in 2024-25, the Greens and Labor together would have 37 votes, with at least one independent such as Lidia Thorpe and Tammy Tyrrell (who are not up for election) or David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie (should they be re-elected) likely to provide the final 38th blocking vote.

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt, said while Dutton was wasting airtime talking about climate targets he would never have the power to change, the real fight after the next election will be about going further.

With the Greens gearing up to increase their representation in the House and likely to hold balance of power in the Senate as well, Mr Bandt said they were going to use their power to push for stronger climate action, including stopping the next government from opening new coal and gas mines.

Leader of the Australian Greens, Adam Bandt MP:

“The confected 2030 target stoush between Peter Dutton and Anthony Albanese is nothing more than hot air.

“The Liberals haven’t got a chance in hell at winning the next election, and existing climate legislation has been Dutton-proofed so he can’t weaken the targets even if he wanted to.

“Neither Labor nor Liberal targets meet the Paris Agreement climate goals, and instead of a confected debate about something Peter Dutton won’t even have the power to do, we should focus on what the science demands and stop opening new coal and gas mines.

“In a minority Parliament, the Greens will push Labor to stop opening new coal and gas mines, something Labor and Liberal are desperate to avoid talking about. 

“Neither Liberal nor Labor are committed to the Paris goal of keeping global warming below 2 degrees, let alone 1.5 and both want more coal and gas mines. Every new coal and gas mine approved by Labor sets back the transition to clean, cheap renewables, while exporting dirty climate pollution across the globe.”

It’s time the Government implemented the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of People with Disability that were handed down more than 8 months ago. 

In a government-run public consultation, responders emphasised the importance of implementing the recommendations made by the Royal Commission, as well as greater accountability and evaluation to ensure that implementation is effective and leads to improved outcomes. 

The consultation revealed positive support across stakeholder groups for the recommendations made by the Royal Commission, with the highest support coming from disabled respondents. Many shared the view that the recommendations represent a real opportunity to improve the lives of disabled people.

The recent federal budget had no new funding allocated to implement the recommendations, so advocates are deeply concerned that there will be no tangible action for at least another year.

Jordon Steele-John, Greens Spokesperson for Disability Rights and Services:

“The Royal Commission has presented us with an opportunity to uphold the rights of every disabled person in this country, and Labor is letting that opportunity slip away.

“The job is still far from over, and the Labor government has made shockingly little progress since the report was handed to them more than 8 months ago.

“This consultation confirms what we already know: the disability community, organisations and advocates all want to see positive change in the sector. 

“We’re still yet to see the co-design and consultation that Labor had promised us. Their NDIS legislation and their inaction on these recommendations make it clear that Labor doesn’t care about disabled people and our lives.

“We will continue to put pressure on Labor to implement the recommendations, fund the NDIS and ensure future disability legislation is created by and for disabled people.