Category: Australian News

Australia should follow the lead of New Zealand and Canada and ban foreign ownership of residential property to help fix the growing national housing crisis.

One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson said Australia also needed to reduce immigration to sustainable levels to help make more housing available to Australian families.

“Many countries don’t allow foreign ownership of land or housing, but it’s open slather for foreign investors in Australia’s overheated residential property market,” Senator Hanson said. “Housing is in extremely short supply with many thousands of Australians now struggling to buy or rent a home, but from 2023 the government will bring in 213,000 immigrants per year – more than the entire population of Hobart.

“We’re struggling – and failing – to secure accommodation for people already living in Australia but the government is only adding to the problem with these huge numbers.”

Senator Hanson said AMP’s chief economist Shane Oliver last year warned increased immigration would drive house prices 5% higher and rents 7% higher in 2023.

“A 2018 housing affordability study by the Grattan Institute estimated that 450-550 new homes were needed in Australia for every 1000 new immigrants,” she said. “That means more than 100,000 new homes will need to be built every year just to accommodate new immigrants at a time when we can’t even keep up with the housing needs of those already here.

“This same study said that unless state governments reform their planning systems – and there is no indication they will – the Commonwealth should ‘consider tapping the brake on Australia’s migrant intake’.

“One Nation puts Australia and Australians first. We want to reduce immigration to no more than 100,000 per year to reduce demand for housing, and ban foreign ownership of residential property (both new and established housing) to increase the supply of housing – foreign owners would be given a 12-month grace period to sell Australian residential property. New Zealand banned foreign ownership in 2018 and Canada recently introduced a two-year ban as well.

“National Cabinet was formed to address the COVID-19 pandemic but we face a new crisis now – housing availability and affordability – which will require coordination and leadership from the Commonwealth, states and territories.

“I’ll be pushing for the National Cabinet to return to the table and develop a comprehensive response to our housing crisis, with planning reform and stamp duty reform at the state level and restrictions on foreign ownership implemented at the Federal level.

“And until we’ve regained the capacity to secure accommodation and housing for Australians living in Australia, we must reduce immigration. Let’s catch our breath, focus on meeting the needs of people already living here, and then have a serious and sensible debate on whether or not we really want or need a big Australia.

“I’m very confident most Australians are not in favour of a big Australia, and it’s about time the major parties recognised this and put in place an immigration policy which reflects what the electorate wants.”

Following a ACOSS/UNSW report released today highlighting the inadequacy of Australia’s social security system and the depth of poverty for people on income support, the Greens are again calling on Labor to raise Jobseeker and all pensions above the poverty line to $88 a day in May’s budget.

Senator Janet Rice, Greens social services spokesperson and Chair of the Community Affairs References Committee’s inquiry into poverty said:

“Today’s findings are more evidence for what is already beyond clear: Australia’s social security system is not fit-for-purpose.

“With 1 in 8 Australians living in poverty, the Labor Government can’t keep burying their heads in the sand and continue to ignore the millions of renters, single parents, students, women, and people with a disability all doing it tough. 

“Young people are once again being hit hardest, with households on Youth Allowance being in the deepest poverty at almost $400 a week below the poverty line. 

“When students are living in poverty, they aren’t able to focus on their studies or prosper at uni. The stress of not knowing how you’ll feed yourself or pay your rent can be overwhelming, and many are forced to drop out. 

“The Labor Government is robbing young people of their future.

“When one in five renters, and the majority of people on Jobseeker and Parenting Payments are living in poverty, the government cannot keep pretending social security payments are adequate.

“The Labor Government has found $368 billion to spend on nuclear submarines and $254 billion in Stage 3 tax cuts for the rich, but nothing for people struggling to pay rent and put food on the table. Labor need a reality check. 

“Labor say they’re on the side of struggling Australians – it’s time they show it, and use that money to make life a bit easier for people doing it tough. 

“Instead of spending over $600 billion on nuclear submarines and tax cuts for billionaires, we should raise all social security payments above the poverty line to $88 a day, get dental and mental health into Medicare, and build enough public homes to clear the waitlist. 

“Poverty is a policy choice. Labor should choose wisely.

The Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable Anthony Albanese MP, welcomed the Honourable Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa to Canberra on 22 March 2023. The Prime Ministers’ bilateral talks reflected the longstanding relationship between Australia and Samoa, underpinned by mutual respect and trust. The Prime Ministers affirmed their strong partnership and commitment to work together on shared challenges and priorities to support a stable, prosperous and resilient Pacific region. Prime Minister Albanese also acknowledged Prime Minister Fiamē’s historic achievement in being elected Samoa’s first female Prime Minister, and her contribution to gender equality in Samoa and the region.

Prime Minister Albanese recognised Prime Minister Fiamē’s regional leadership and expressed his appreciation for her significant contribution to Pacific unity. Amidst an increasingly complex regional outlook, the Prime Ministers acknowledged the centrality of the Pacific Islands Forum in driving collective responses to shared regional challenges such as climate change, economic recovery from COVID-19 and regional security. The leaders welcomed Kiribati’s return to the Forum. They also underlined their commitment to continue to work together to contribute to a stable, prosperous and resilient Blue Pacific, based on the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, regionalism and a Pacific family-first approach to peace and security.

The Prime Ministers acknowledged the urgent need to accelerate international action to address the existential threat of climate change. Their discussions reinforced their commitment to work together to advance real and significant climate action and drive the transition to net-zero, welcoming Australia’s commitment to place Pacific voices at the centre of international climate discussions. Prime Minister Fiamē expressed support for Australia’s bid to host COP31 in partnership with the Pacific. The Prime Ministers acknowledged their support and co-sponsorship of Vanuatu’s request for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on climate change.

The Prime Ministers discussed how Australia and Samoa could work together to strengthen climate resilience in Samoa and the region, recognising the threat climate change poses to livelihoods, security and wellbeing of Pacific peoples. They reaffirmed Samoa and Australia’s close security partnership, which encompasses cooperation on maritime surveillance and ocean stewardship, policing, cyber and transnational crime.

The Prime Ministers reflected on the impacts on COVID-19 on our economies and how Australia could support Samoa on its journey and reforms towards economic recovery and resilience. They discussed how the Pacific-Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) program could best operate to ensure mutual benefit, including ensuring the program delivers for all Samoans. Prime Minister Albanese welcomed the work underway to refine Samoa’s labour mobility policy settings, and outlined the steps Australia was taking to ensure the scheme provided further opportunities for skills development. The Prime Ministers agreed to reflect these developments in a Memorandum of Understanding that would guide the PALM partnership. The Prime Ministers welcomed continued cooperation on Samoa’s human development priorities, including health, education, social inclusion and tertiary scholarships. They also welcomed progress towards support for Samoa’s infrastructure priorities through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific.

The Prime Ministers welcomed the strong people-to-people links between Australia and Samoa, with some 98,000 people of Samoan descent living in Australia. They recognised the important unifying role of sports in our relationship – promoting excellence, health, gender equality and social cohesion. They celebrated the achievement of Australia and Samoa’s national teams in reaching the Rugby League World Cup final in November 2022. The Prime Ministers acknowledged the other ways in which people-to-people linkages bring Samoans and Australians together – in faith, business and community. The Prime Ministers discussed Australia’s new Pacific Engagement Visa and its possibilities to further deepen people-to-people, business and educational linkages.

The Prime Ministers expressed their support for the Pacific Islands Forum’s efforts to revitalise the Pacific Leaders’ Gender Equality Declaration to advance gender equality and inclusion in the Blue Pacific.

Formalising this commitment to boost Australia-Samoa links, the Prime Ministers signed a Bilateral Partnership Arrangement, Ole fala folasia i lo ta va (‘’the map that guides us’). The Prime Ministers warmly welcomed the closer cooperation the Partnership Arrangement will engender across the pillars of climate and disaster resilience, security cooperation, economic growth, human and socio-economic development and people-to-people linkages. The Prime Ministers reiterated that the partnership between Australia and Samoa is based on transparency and respect for sovereignty.

The Prime Ministers agreed to continue to work closely together to further strengthen the partnership between Australia and Samoa and cooperation in support of a stable, prosperous and resilient Blue Pacific.

The Australian Government is imposing Magnitsky-style targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on a further 14 individuals and targeted financial sanctions on 14 Iranian entities responsible for egregious human rights abuses and violations in Iran.

Among those subject to Magnitsky-style human rights sanctions are four members of the Morality Police who were responsible for the arrest, detention and ill-treatment of Mahsa ‘Jina’ Amini.

Sanctioned targets also include senior law enforcement, political and military figures, including within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, involved in the violent crackdown on protests following the death of Ms Amini and the continued oppression of the people of Iran.

Australia is also joining partners to impose additional targeted financial sanctions and travel bans on 13 Iranian individuals and targeted financial sanctions on one entity involved in the production and supply of drones to Russia.

Iranian-made drones have been used by Russia to target Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure.

This listing demonstrates that there will be consequences for those who provide material support to Russia.

Australia stands with the people of Iran and with the people of Ukraine.

For further information on Australia’s sanctions frameworks, please visit: Sanctions regimes.

Stephen Bates MP for Brisbane and Australian Greens’ Spokesperson for LGBTQIA+ wrote to Immigration Minister Andrew Giles on 19 January, calling on him to revoke the visa of a notorious anti-trans campaigner travelling to Australia to conduct a speaking tour. In this letter, he specifically referenced their proximity to far-right figures and their followers’ involvement in violent rallies that endanger the trans community.

This weekend, anti-trans campaigners at the individual’s speaking engagement in Melbourne were joined and provided ‘protection’ by neo-nazis who were photographed and videoed performing Nazi salutes. 

Stephen Bates MP for Brisbane and Greens spokesperson for LGBTQIA+ said:

“The individual who spoke at the anti-trans rally in Melbourne on Saturday has a history of openly aligning themself with neo-Nazi and far-right extremists – to see neo-Nazis defending their event comes as no surprise.

“I wrote to the Immigration Minister in January informing him that this speaker attracts neo-Nazis and other far-right extremists to their events, and that their visa should not be granted in the interest of community safety. My letter amplified the concerns of thousands of community members who signed a petition against the individual’s entry into the country. 

“While it is good to see members of the federal parliament condemn the actions witnessed yesterday in Melbourne, these events would not have occurred if the Immigration Minister listened to the community and my calls to cancel the speaker’s visa. 

“The defence of neo-Nazis by police sends a message to extremists that these violent displays will be tolerated, and risks the safety of trans people across the country.

“I’m calling on Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to take action and protect the trans community from the vilification and violence they experienced on Saturday in Melbourne. This should include cancelling the speaker’s visa now before more of their speaking engagements are due to take place in the coming week.

“I will always stand with the LGBTQIA+ community against hate speech – trans rights are non-negotiable.

“There is no place in society for neo-Nazis and far-right extremism.”

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council in Montreal has upheld the Council’s jurisdiction to hear Australia and the Netherlands’ case against Russia for the downing of Flight MH17.

This decision is an important step in our collective efforts to hold to account those responsible for this horrific act of violence which claimed the lives of 298 people, 38 of whom called Australia home.

We have maintained since May 2018 that the Russian Federation is responsible under international law for the downing of Flight MH17. We now look forward to presenting our legal arguments and evidence to the ICAO Council as we continue to seek to hold Russia to account.

Australia remains steadfast in our commitment to seek truth, justice, and accountability for the victims of the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17.

Our thoughts remain with those who lost their lives, their families and loved ones.

A Victorian medical receptionist has been sentenced today to 2 years imprisonment, with a minimum term of 12 months by the Melbourne County Court after pleading guilty to charging more than $181,000 in fraudulent Medicare payments.

Following a successful referral to the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP) by the Department of Health and Aged Care’s Benefits Integrity Division, Ms Sarah Ward from Clyde North entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment after being charged with one count of obtaining a financial advantage under section 134.2(1) of the Criminal Code Act 1995. Ms Ward will be eligible for release after 12 months, subject to being of good behaviour for 12 months and payment of a pecuniary penalty to the Commonwealth of $1000.

During the period of 29 July 2017 and 27 March 2020, Ms Ward made false claims relating to 1,610 Medicare Benefits Schedule items. 783 of the claims were made in her name and 827 claims were made in the name of her husband.

As a result of the false claims, Ms Ward received $181,121.75 in Medicare benefits to which she was not entitled. All monies have been repaid in full.

This case highlights the consequences of committing Medicare fraud.

The Department of Health and Aged Care has a range of methods to identify, verify and investigate inaccurate Medicare claiming.

The department reviews all tip offs and where incorrectly or fraudulently claimed benefits are identified, will seek to recover those funds and refer matters to the CDPP where criminal prosecution is considered appropriate.

The department may work in partnership or request the assistance of law enforcement bodies like the Australian Federal Police (AFP) or State Police where appropriate.

Anyone with information about suspected non-compliance or fraud of Government health payments by health providers can make a report via the “Reporting Fraud” page on the Department of Health’s website at www.health.gov.au/fraud-tip-offs or by calling the Provider Benefits Integrity Hotline on 1800 314 808.

While much national attention has been on the corruption scandals invloving Daniel Andrew’s Victorian Labor Government, not as much attention has been given to the absolute chaos in Queensland under Annastacia Palaszczuk’s lack of sound governance.

Here are the top five scandals engulfing Australia’s most haphazard and incompetent leader:

1. Another Queensland Health Payroll disaster. In 2010 the Bligh government was partly brought down by a huge scandal that saw 100’s millions of taxpayer dollars being overpaid (and underpaid) to Queensland Health workers. Turns out the party hasn’t ended, with a recent audit showing Labor has learned nothing and continued for the last 8 YEARS overpaying staff throughout Queensland Health.
2. The Crime Wave is brutal. There has been a 50% jump in Queensland youth crime, the highest in the nation. While national attention is on the suffering citizens of Alice Springs, little attention is given to Mt Isa, Townsville or Cairns, where youth offending is out of the ballpark.
3. The Gabba Stadium’s 2032 Olympic overhaul was slated to cost $1billion. Turns out this initial amount, proposed on the back of a coaster, is nowhere near the real cost with new predictions showing costs north of $3 billion. That is a $2billon blunder, and that is staggering. 
4. The Cross River Tunnel which connects The Gabba in Brisbane’s south to various stops underground and the North/CBD has blow-up from $5 billion to at least $8 billion now. Astonishingly money has been spent of full-scale mock-ups of the stations, so commuters can ‘touch and feel’ the stations and see what they’re like.
5. Added taxes that were promised never to be introduced. The worst of these chaotic disasters is the GP tax, which has caused a raft of GPs to opt out of the bulk billing system.

Notice all the disasters (crime and payroll) adversely affect regional centres, and yet the infrastructure blowouts are for guided city projects that deliver little or no substance to infrastructure-poor regional areas? Queenslanders are unable to point to a single thing the Labor state government has gotten right. Disaster after disaster has plagued Labor, all the while our Premier struts red carpets up and down the state, desperate for social page attention.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome the Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa, the Hon Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa, to Australia from 20 – 25 March as a guest of the Australian Government.

Australia and Samoa are close partners with a longstanding relationship that is underpinned by mutual respect and trust.

The Prime Ministers will discuss ways to strengthen our partnership and regional cooperation in support of a peaceful, prosperous and resilient Blue Pacific.

Australia acknowledges the scale of the climate change challenge  facing the Pacific, and is committed to keep working with Samoa on climate resilience and on sustainable development.

This will be the first official visit to Australia by a Prime Minister of Samoa since 2019.

Prime Minister Albanese said:

“I am delighted to welcome Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa to Australia.

“As members of the Pacific family, Australia and Samoa share a special bond based on a long history of cooperation and kinship.

“Our countries enjoy strong personal links with nearly 98,000 people of Samoan descent calling Australia home.

“I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Fiamē to Australia and strengthening our cooperation in areas including economic development, labour mobility, climate and regional security.”

Submissions to a Senate inquiry into a bill introduced by Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Australian Greens Deputy Leader and Spokesperson for Education, which would freeze student debt and raise minimum repayment income thresholds, show overwhelming support for the measures. 

The Senate Inquiry hearing will be held in Sydney tomorrow.

Senator Faruqi said:

“The Inquiry has received submissions from a large number of  individuals about how inflation-driven indexation will impact them if the Government does not step in and scrap it.”

“Rising student debt is impacting people’s mental health, causing young people to re-think further study and making it harder for them to access personal loans for a car or their first home.”

“Rising student debt is making things worse for people already doing it tough.”

“Rising student debt will further entrench inequality, with women and young people who earn less than men bearing the brunt of soaring student debt”

“There is no time to waste. The Government needs to urgently take the first step in relieving this unfair economic burden by scrapping indexation and raising the minimum repayment income.”