Category: Australian News

Labor’s decision to write a blank cheque on behalf of Australian Taxpayers to bring more renewables online is a glaring admission that its climate and energy policies have failed.

Labor’s decision to underwrite new renewable energy projects responds to a 40% drop in investment since Labor came to office, making its 82% renewables target to 2030 unachievable.

Instead of learning lessons from its failure, Labor is doubling down and it will be everyday Australians that have to pay the bill.

And how much will it cost? Labor refuses to say. In other words, it’s a blank cheque.

Instead of keeping Australians safe, building critical roads and rail and fixing its cost-of-living crisis Labor is doubling down on a ‘renewables only’ plan that has lost all credibility.

Labor’s 43% emissions reduction target, 82% renewable energy target, 89% electric vehicle target and the all-important $275 reduction in power bills are all set to fail.

This risks locking Australia into a path from which there may be no return, and future generations will be destined for energy poverty and energy insecurity.

Labor is failing on all counts when it comes to climate change and energy.

In fact, under Labor, electricity prices have hit record highs with families paying up to $1000 per year more on their bills.

Labor must abandon its reckless ‘renewables only’ ideology and adopt an ‘All-of-the-Above’ approach, as the Coalition has done, if it wants to cut emissions while keeping the lights on and prices down.

The independent Reserve Bank Governor last night confirmed that Australia’s inflation is being driven by domestic factors, is widespread and will be higher for longer. The Prime Minister and the Treasurer are now at direct odds with the RBA Governor with their view of inflation.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said this is an inevitable consequence this Government being distracted, out of touch with cost of living pressures, and out of its depth on the economy.

“Labor have announced more than $188 billion in new spending in just 18 months – more than $20,000 per household,” Mr Taylor said.

“Labor’s economic plan isn’t working with Australians suffering the worst fall in real disposable income in the OECD, collapsing productivity, and an economy that is going backwards on a per person basis.

“Australians deserve a government that puts Australians’ interests first.”

Labor’s decisions are making the pain of inflation worse:

• Poorly managed migration that is making rents and housing unaffordable
• Energy market interventions that aren’t bringing down prices and costing billions in taxpayers money.
• Bad workplace laws that will remove flexibility for workers, raise prices, and make it harder for young Australians to get a job.
• Broken promises on taxes – whether it is franking credits, retirement savings, personal income tax, or Australian companies – Labor are taking more money out of Australians’ pockets at a time they need it most.

In Governor Bullock’s own words, the inflation crisis is “homegrown”.

This inflation crisis is coming from Canberra. The Albanese Labor Government has no one to blame but themselves for being asleep at the wheel and distracted.

The cost of living crisis is what families are discussing at the kitchen table, but it’s clear that it’s not being discussed around Albanese’s Cabinet table.

Over the weekend (Sunday 19 November), One Nation MPs and supporters gathered in both Adelaide and Brisbane to celebrate International Men’s Day.  

Both Senator Pauline Hanson and One Nation’s South Australian MP, Sarah Game, have called for a specific Minister for Men.  

All of our events were a huge success, with sold-out rooms and riveting speakers.  

The Brisbane event was hosted by Senator Malcolm Roberts, and the guest speaker was war veteran and hero, Heston Russell.  

Sarah Game hosted the Adelaide event with guest speakers Jim Whalley AO of Nova Systems, Prof Gary Wittert from the University of Adelaide, Will Frogley of Master Builders SA, Zane Kirkwood of Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation, and Chris McDermott from the Little Heroes Foundation.  

Senator Hanson and Sarah Game have called for a Men’s ministry in response to terrible anti-male decisions from successive governments, including the messy and unproductive Child Support System to the general erosion of many men’s rights, especially concerning family law.  

Sarah Game has focused on the importance of recognising men’s mental health and ensuring all Aussie men have access to the support and treatment they need to make them productive members of our community. Sarah has also championed the cause of eliminating parental alienation, highlighting the harm it is doing to the children of our society. 

Greens Senator David Shoebridge has expressed concerns that the outcome of the review of Australia’s oppressive secrecy scheme runs the risk of increasing the reach of secrecy laws, even as it usefully reduces the number of criminal secrecy offences.

The announcement from the Attorney General today of the next stage of the secrecy offences review notes support for retaining political oversight of prosecutions of journalists. 

The review recommends the removal of criminal sanctions from 168 secrecy offences out of the 875 while at the same time proposing a new overarching offence targeting public servants who breach confidentiality where this causes harm. 

Greens Senator and Justice Spokesperson David Shoebridge said:

“The collective outrage at the steady creep of secrecy laws has clearly been heard by this Government, but unfortunately this review doesn’t yet deliver the scope of change needed to get the balance right. 

“The fact that there are 875 secrecy offences on the books is evidence of a culture of concealment that needs fundamental root and branch reform not a quick trim. 

“We welcome the proposed removal of criminal sanctions from 168 secrecy offences as a step in the right direction but it’s far from enough. 

“The newly proposed overarching secrecy offence targeting public servants is extremely concerning when public servants are already being prosecuted as whistleblowers under existing laws. 

“If the trials of David McBride and Richard Boyle demonstrate anything it’s that we need less oppressive secrecy laws, not a brand new catch all secrecy offence.

“We know secrecy laws have a massive impact on press freedom and whistleblowers and any reform must start from this essential fact,” Senator Shoebridge said. 

Senator Jordon Steele-John, Australian Greens spokesperson for Disability Rights and Services and Health said:

“Minister Shorten’s comments about the future of supports for autistic people available through the National Disability Insurance Scheme will send shivers down the spine of neurodivergent people and their families. 

“The NDIS is a vital support for disabled people. The Greens are resolute in our view that the NDIS should continue to be a support for people with psychosocial disabilities. 

“It is abhorrent that a Labor government seeks to balance their budget bottom line off the back of disabled people’s access to vital services. We thought this cycle of fear and worry was over when we kicked out the liberals, we were wrong. 

“Despite a Labor government we’ve never seen less access to GPs, we’ve never seen public schools so under-resourced, and now the government is threatening to take away a lifeline for autistic kids and their families: their NDIS supports. 

“The lack of comprehensive community support for neurodivergent people would see these changes remove the lifeboat and actively push disabled people into the sea. 

“To support people in this country we need levels of government to work together. The disabled community are calling on all levels of government to properly fund the NDIS, expand investment in Medicare and resource our public schools.”

“Labor can’t just shunt the responsibility for supporting kids with psychosocial disabilities from the NDIS to the school system.

“Public schools are already on their knees, thanks to a bipartisan refusal to adequately fund the sector for decades.

“We heard during the Senate inquiry into school refusal that neurodiverse students aren’t being adequately supported in the school system as it is, so Minister Shorten’s comments will be causing anxiety among parents, carers and teachers across the country.

“We need a properly funded NDIS to support autistic kids, and a fully resourced public school system where teachers have the time and facilities they need to provide care and attention to every student.”

Australian school students walking out of the classroom tomorrow and Friday to call for peace in Gaza should be encouraged to exercise their democratic right to protest, the Greens say.

With the number of people killed in Gaza now over 13,000, including 5,500 children, thousands of students will strike tomorrow in Melbourne, and in Sydney and Wollongong on Friday, to demand Labor join growing international calls for an end to the violence.

Australian Greens spokesperson on Education (Primary & Secondary), Senator Penny Allman-Payne said:

“Australian school students are seeing kids their own age pulled from the rubble of Gaza. Is it any wonder that they want the government to do something about this horror?

“Telling kids to stay in the classroom while their political leaders endorse Israel’s massacre of Palestinians is completely out-of-touch with the public mood and ignorant of how informed students are.

“If the government really wants kids to stay in the classroom, they should simply demand a permanent ceasefire, like the majority of Australians are calling for.

“I urge students to ignore condescending calls from Labor and the Liberals to turn a blind eye to the brutality in Gaza and exercise their right to engage in peaceful protest.

“Solidarity with striking students tomorrow and Friday, and with everyone engaged in resistance to Israel’s war on the people of Gaza.”

Victorian Greens education spokesperson, Aiv Puglielli MLC said:

“Every day young people are watching this humanitarian catastrophe unfold on their phones.

“They are seeing horrific violence committed against Palestinians by the state of Israel as the death toll in Gaza rises above 13,000.

“They are also seeing their governments refuse to act, and ignore the millions of people around the world calling for peace.

“I’ve spent recent Sundays marching alongside tens of thousands of people in Melbourne, in what have become the largest peace demonstrations in Australia since the Iraq war.

“The Greens back every student planning to strike tomorrow and use their voices to call for an immediate ceasefire.”

The Albanese Government is supporting the Pacific to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights, with a $37 million investment in the second phase of a program being implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

The Transformative Agenda for Women, Youth and Adolescents program will work with nine Pacific governments over the next five years to strengthen quality sexual and reproductive health services.

Australia supports the universal realisation of sexual and reproductive health and rights. This enables everyone, especially women and girls, to make informed decisions about their health and to participate and benefit from social and economic development.

This funding complements other Australian Government investments in sexual and reproductive health and rights in the Pacific, including $5.7 million to the International Planned Parenthood Federation and $15.3 million to UNFPA Supplies. Australia is also providing $38 million in core funding for UNFPA globally.

Our support is delivering results, including improved midwifery through training for Pacific midwives, providing young people with the information they need to stay safe and enabling more people with disabilities to access services.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong said:

“Australia is committed to empowering all people, particularly women and girls, to realise and understand what their rights are when it comes to sexual and reproductive health.

“Investments in sexual and reproductive health and rights are key to improving health, strengthening gender equality and accelerating inclusive development.”

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

“Access to sexual and reproductive health services, information and education means people can make informed decisions about their lives, protect their health and reach their full potential.

“These investments are part of our five-year $620 million Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative, which is supporting partner countries to build resilient and equitable health systems.”

In New Delhi, I announced the inaugural Maitri Fellowships program to support the two-way exchange of Australian and Indian researchers.

These foreign and trade policy placements in Australia and India will build academic capacity and deepen understanding of contemporary perspectives in each country.

Research will focus on economic trends and issues of geostrategic interest to Australia and India.

Eligible Australian institutions are invited to nominate experts for placement. The program has three streams:

• long-term fellowships (1-2 years) for Indian senior researchers to come to Australia
• short-term fellowships (up to 6 months) for Indian early to mid-career researchers to come to Australia
• short-term fellowships (up to 6 months) for Australian early to mid-career researchers to go to India.

The Maitri Fellowships program is administered by the Centre for Australia-India Relations. Further details can be found at australiaindiacentre.org.au.

Foreign Minister, Senator the Hon Senator Penny Wong said:

“The Maitri Fellowships program is an investment by the Australian Government in a broader and deeper understanding of the Australia-India relationship, our shared interests and shared challenges.

“As the partnership between our two countries grows, the importance of this understanding is ever more important”

Centre for Australia-India Relations CEO Tim Thomas said:

“The Centre for Australia-India Relations is committed to fostering mutual understanding of Australia and India through informed public commentary and debate.”

A slice of Bollywood in Brisbane or a splash of Melbourne in Mumbai is now on the cards for filmmakers thanks to a new agreement between Australia and India.

Australia’s film industry will benefit from an exciting new partnership with India – following the ratification of the Australia-India Audio-visual Co-production Agreement.

The treaty-level agreement will strengthen collaboration and creative exchange between Australia and India, allowing more films and television series to showcase the best of both cultures, landscapes and people.

The agreement will strengthen the existing ties between the Australian and Indian film industries, assist Australian producers reach new audiences, and Australian audiences to connect with new stories.

The agreement – announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March – will also open up new avenues for industry investment and help distribution for Australian producers in one of the world’s largest and growing markets.

Projects in both countries will be able to access government funding including grants, loans and tax offsets under the agreement.

Since the inception of the co-production program in Australia almost 40 years ago, formal arrangements have been signed with 14 countries, leading to the creation of 214 official co-production titles with total budgets of more than $2 billion.

For more information about the International Co-production Program visit Screen Australia.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong said:

“I’m very excited to see yet another great outcome for the Australian film industry, and the Australia-India relationship.”

“Our two countries enjoy deep and enduring cultural ties. We’re proud to have a large and growing Indian community here in Australia and this agreement will only see our links strengthen further and bringing our people even closer together.”

Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke MP said:

“India is a global film powerhouse and this agreement is great news for the Australian screen industry.”

“As a long-time Bollywood fan, I can’t wait to see how this plays out and know this will be a gamechanger for both Australian and Indian filmmakers.”

Australians are only going backwards under this Albanese Government, and Victorians are being hit the hardest of all.

Despite the Prime Minister’s promise that Australians would be better off under Labor, new analysis has shown that Victorians are $1,100 worse off compared to their counterparts in New South Wales.

This comes at the same time as new analysis of ABS State Accounts data which revealed that in the year to June 2023, Victorians faced the fastest decline in real household disposable income per person, at a rate of 6.5 per cent.

Chair of the Cost of Living Committee and Liberal Senator for Victoria Jane Hume said that it is going to be a really tough Christmas period for many Victorian families because of Labor’s cost of living crisis.

“We know that mortgage stress is increasing, real wages are going backwards, and the price of everything is going up. Now we have analysis to show just how much the average Victorian is worse off under Labor.

“The Cost of Living Committee has repeatedly heard from charities that they are seeing record demands on their services, now from families with two incomes, and some even with mortgages. At Christmas, those services will be busier than ever and from these numbers we can expect Victorians will see the worst of it.

“We have consistently heard that the best thing the Government can do to help take the burden off these charities and help families is to get inflation down. That is the only way we take pressure off the RBA so they don’t have to keep raising interest rates.

“Both the state and federal Labor Governments need to own up to the damage they have done to our state. Victorians are clearly worse off under Labor.”