Category: Australian News

Today in the Senate, Senator Mehreen Faruqi will introduce the Higher Education Support Amendment (Reverse Job-Ready Graduates Fee Hikes & End 50k Arts Degrees) Bill.

The Bill reverses the punitive fee hikes introduced by the Morrison government’s disastrous job-ready graduates (JRG) package. It undoes the fee hikes for units of study in law, accounting, administration, economics, commerce, society and culture, and communications, and reverts them to what those amounts would have been on 1 January 2026, taking into account indexation, if the job-ready graduates bill had not commenced.

The effect of this Bill would be to halve the cost of an arts degree, bringing the cost from $52,197 to $24,492 in 2026.

In opposition, Labor called job-ready graduates “inequitable, perverse, and punitive.” In government, they have now had over three years to remedy skyrocketing university fees that the entire sector knows is a disaster yet they have done nothing. The government’s own Universities Accord concluded that JRG required “urgent remediation” and even Labor backbenchers have been calling for action. Earlier this year, more than 100 well-known Australians — authors, academics, historians, and public figures — signed an open letter calling on Labor to abolish the JRG scheme.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Greens and spokesperson for Higher Education:

“Everyone knows JRG fee hikes need to go, and now Labor has an opportunity to support our bill and end the Morrison government’s policy disaster, which has punished students for too long.

“The reversal of the cruel, unfair, and downright absurd job-ready graduates fee hikes is long overdue.

“The quiet tragedy of Job-Ready Graduates is not just the people crushed by debt, but the people who never enrol at all.

“University staff, students and the wider community are unanimous in their calls to reverse the punitive JRG fee hikes, but Labor has continued to sit on their hands. Well, no more kicking the can down the road, Labor can support this bill and halve the cost of Arts degrees.

“It is getting harder and harder for young people to get an education, as they face the cascading impacts of the housing and cost of living crisis, on top of growing student debt. Students shouldn’t be buried under a mountain of debt and punished just to study what they love.

“At the end of the day, education is a public good that should be free, fully-funded, and accessible to all.”

A dramatic increase in calls to 1800 RESPECT from Australians seeking help with domestic violence shows the urgent need to raise rates of income support and lift Australians out of poverty.

Leaving a violent relationship requires financial security, and we cannot end violence against women without addressing poverty.

As Sex Discrimination Commissioner Anna Cody has said: “Raising JobSeeker and related payments to liveable levels in the federal budget would help lift about half a million women out of poverty. Bolstering women’s economic security is crucial to giving them the means to leave and remain free of violence.”

The Greens welcome the increase in funding to 1800 RESPECT and have called for more, noting that current federal funding calls from the women’s safety sector for $1 billion annually in funding are not being met, leaving frontline family and domestic violence services with no choice but to turn away victims and survivors.

Senator Penny Allman-Payne, Greens Spokesperson for Social Services:

“It’s no coincidence that demand for domestic violence services is rising at the same time as rates of poverty in this country. It’s very difficult to leave a violent relationship, to support young children, and to recover and rebuild your life if you don’t have economic security.”

“One in seven Australians are now living in poverty, up from one in eight just four years ago.”

“We will never end violence against women while dismal rates of JobSeeker, Youth Allowance and other payments are trapping people in poverty and denying women the power to leave violent relationships.”

“Is it any wonder many women feel trapped in abusive relationships when less than 1% of all rental properties are affordable for a person on income support?”

“Victims and survivors of domestic violence are being turned away from frontline services because demand for those services keeps growing.”

“At least 43 women have lost their lives already this year to family and domestic violence, and if Labor wants to stop that number from rising the first task is to make sure no woman is ever forced to choose between poverty and family violence.”

I want to thank Brad Battin for his tireless work for the Liberal Party in Victoria. Brad has always put his community first and is an important contributor to the team.

I also want to congratulate Jess Wilson on her election as Leader of the Victorian Liberal Party. Jess represents a fresh, next generation approach at a time when Victoria needs it most. After years of a tired and out of touch Labor Government, families are facing rising debt, growing crime and a health system that is stretched to breaking point.

Jess and I will work together to build a stronger Liberal team across the country and offer Victorians the real alternative they are looking for.

Pauline Hanson has made it clear she is not worried about her one-week suspension from the Senate, standing firm on her beliefs despite backlash from all sides of politics. The transcript shows Hanson completely unfazed, refusing to bow to political pressure or attempts to silence her.

Hanson was suspended for seven sitting days after entering Parliament wearing a burqa  a move she says highlights serious concerns about women’s rights and national security. While Labor, Liberal, and Greens senators condemned her and voted for a censure motion, Hanson didn’t flinch.

Her comments reflect a broader sentiment across the country: Australians are tired of politicians who refuse to confront tough issues. Hanson’s defiance — even in the face of suspension shows exactly why One Nation continues to gain support.

The transcript also notes Hanson’s strategic engagement with Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce, fuelling speculation he could defect to One Nation another sign that the major parties may be losing control of their own ranks.

For Pauline Hanson, the suspension is meaningless compared to the responsibility she feels to speak for everyday Australians. She has made it clear that no ban, censure, or criticism will silence her fight for transparency, security, and the rights of all Australians.

One Nation’s message is stronger than ever:
When Parliament tries to silence Pauline Hanson, she speaks even louder  and Australians are listening.

Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd AO, together with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), has issued a joint statement reaffirming the safety and effectiveness of vaccines used in Australia.

Vaccines remain one of the most effective ways to protect individuals and communities from serious illness. The statement confirms that all vaccines approved for use in Australia meet strict safety, quality and efficacy standards set by the TGA.

We encourage all Australians to stay up to date with their vaccinations and to seek advice from their healthcare provider if they have questions about vaccine safety.

Read the full joint statement on the TGA website

Today, the Albanese Government withdrew the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal Bill 2025, after sustained pressure from the community.

This Bill sought to make significant backward changes to Defence Honours cases before the Awards Appeals Tribunal. It would have seen a 20-year time limit for reviewing honours and a separate 6-month appeals period for challenging decisions. The Bill would also remove the rights of extended families and experts to appeal decisions or seek awards to recognise past bravery and service.

The Greens co-authored a motion in the Senate in the last sitting week seeking to remove this Bill from the notice paper, sending a clear message to the Government.

The government’s action today recognises the hard political reality that this Bill had zero support in the Parliament outside the Labor Party.

You can read the Greens’ full dissenting report on this Bill here.

Senator David Shoebridge, Greens Spokesperson on Defence and Veterans Affairs, said: “This is a victory for common sense against a Government that has been determined to ignore the Senate, and the entire veterans community.”

“We have seen routinely over the past year the Albanese Government treat opposing voices with disdain and hostility. This means even when the entire Parliament was pointing out that one of their Bills will hurt veterans, they didn’t want to listen.

“There have been positive and welcome developments concerning the treatment of veterans over recent years, however, this Bill represented a step back.

“We will continue to work with the Government to implement the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans Suicide, but we will not wave through bad laws.

“In recent history, we have seen rank-and-file Australian soldiers face horrible abuse in the military only to be abandoned by the higher-ups once they leave. This Bill represented a Defence leadership that gets what it wants with no pushback, until today.”

Australia’s rental market remains dire according to the latest data from SGS Economics and Planning’s Rental Affordability Index 2025.

In Sydney, full-time workers face severe rental stress and people receiving income support would need to put 131% of their income toward rent making stable housing unattainable without significant assistance.

The data finds that Adelaide is as unaffordable as Sydney, with many outer suburbs becoming inaccessible for average earners. Regional areas across the country have also become less affordable, many hitting the lowest affordability levels recorded by the Index.

The Greens say this is further proof of Australia’s housing crisis hitting renters and call on the government to stop prioritising wealthy property investors over renters.

Greens spokesperson for finance, housing and homelessness Senator Barbara Pocock:

“Australia is in a national housing crisis that is spiralling out of control and renters are paying the price. People on low and moderate incomes, who can’t afford to buy a home, are facing extreme rental stress. Essential workers – teachers, nurses and police – can’t afford to live near where they work.

“Across Australia, we’re seeing a rental market that is unaffordable. With vacancy rates at record lows, the rental market is so tight that landlords can hike prices leaving renters with nowhere else to go. That’s exactly why the Government needs to introduce rent caps – to stop profiteering and give people a fighting chance.

“The problem is that successive governments have created a housing system where rich property investors get billions in tax discounts to buy multiple properties, while millions of others can’t even find an affordable rental, let alone buy a house of their own. It’s no wonder 89 per cent of Australians agree we’re in a housing crisis.

“The Government’s $181 billion tax breaks for wealthy investors – via the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing – are locking out first home buyers and forcing rents to skyrocket.

“Without tackling the root causes of the housing crisis, Labor’s policies, such as their 5% deposit scheme, are pushing property prices up further – locking even more people out of affordable rentals and home ownership. That includes essential workers, such as nurses and teachers, who are already struggling to afford homes near their workplaces.

“This government needs to start treating housing as a human right instead of a game of monopoly. Rather than giving billions of tax breaks to wealthy property investors, the Government should be investing directly into building good quality homes and renting them to people who need them at prices they can actually afford.”

The Victorian Greens say that the rates of racial profiling revealed in a new report are shameful and lay bare systemic racism and discrimination. 

The Victorian Greens say that despite a ban on racial profiling since 2015, the latest search data shows it remains widespread – and the Allan Labor Government should be ashamed. 

Instead of urgently establishing the independent police oversight we need, the Allan Labor Government continues  to expand unchecked powers for police – which the Greens warn will only cause these already shocking rates to rise. 

New research from the Centre Against Racial Profiling, based on data obtained under FOI from Victoria Police, reveals that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were 15 times more likely to be searched than white people in 2024, despite being less likely to be found with prohibited items. They were also 10 times more likely to have force or the threat of force used against them, and 13 times more likely to have tasers drawn on them. 

African, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander communities were also disproportionately targeted, with African community members eight times more likely to be searched, seven times more likely to be subjected to force, and 24 times more likely to be pursued by police vehicles. 

Victorian Greens spokesperson for Anti-Racism and Multiculturalism: 

“These rates are shocking, but not surprising to any of these targeted communities including my own Pacific Island communities who live this reality every day.

“We know that Aboriginal, African, Middle Eastern and Pacific Islander communities have borne discriminatory policing practices for a long time. Without work like this report, we’d have no idea of the scale of the problem and the widespread harms inflicted on these communities. 

“Racial profiling doesn’t just discriminate, it creates a racially stratified community. It is shameful that Labor continues to expand unchecked police powers that will make this worse, when we should be tackling systemic racism in policing, investing in community-led safety, and finally establishing an independent police ombudsman.”

The Victorian Greens say that rent controls are needed to address the rental affordability crisis as new national data released today shows that the rental crisis is growing in Victoria, while the only place across the country where rental affordability is improving is the ACT – which is the only jurisdiction with rent controls. 

The Victorian Greens say this is yet more proof that rent controls work, and that Victoria should join the ACT and multiple countries across Europe, the US and Asia that are already using rent controls to urgently address the “dire” state of the rental market. 

The Rental Affordability Index shows regional Victoria has become even less affordable over the past year, while Melbourne remains at record-low levels of affordability. Thousands of Victorian renters are being pushed to breaking point by relentless rent hikes.

Meanwhile, the ACT – whose Greens-Labor Government introduced rent-increase caps in 2019 – recorded a 4 per cent improvement in affordability, the strongest in the country. Victoria currently has no limits on rent increases, allowing landlords to push rents up year on year as much as they like. 

Today’s data is consistent with the Department’s latest rental data that also shows the rental crisis deepening across Victoria with Melbourne’s median rent increase by $25 in the last reported quarter to $585 per week and regional Victoria’s median rent rising $10 to $460 per week and inner Melbourne recording the largest quarterly jump of 9.8%. 

As well as recent research from the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC) and Tenants Victoria finding that 4 in 5 renters had a rent increase in the past 2 years of an average of 17% – meaning the average renter is paying nearly $100 more every week. 

Victorian Greens spokesperson for Renters’ Rights, Gabrielle de Vietri: 

“It’s no surprise that the ACT is the only place in the country where rental affordability is improving when it’s the only place with rent controls. If the Allan Labor Government were serious about supporting renters, they should be taking notes. 

“Renters in every corner of the state are being smashed by soaring rents while the Allan Labor Government refuses to put any limit whatsoever on rent hikes. 

“Rent controls are a proven tool for stabilising rents and giving people certainty, and right now we’re in a dire affordability crisis in Victoria – they work, there’s no reason Labor can’t do this here.”

The Minns Labor Government has today launched the $20 million Aquaculture Industry Development Program to strengthen and expand the NSW seafood industry’s economic contribution to NSW.

The program is designed to boost productivity and increase sustainability across farming operations for oysters, mussels, kelp, and algae, plus freshwater and marine fish hatcheries and bioproducts.

By investing in sustainability and productivity, the Minns Government is helping future-proof the industry, attract investment, and ensure regional communities continue to benefit from a strong, resilient seafood sector.

This grant program enables further action for implementing the Minns Government’s Aquaculture Vision Statement released last year.

The vision was developed by the NSW Government with close input from industry and experts to deliver a strategic pathway to achieve the goal of doubling the state’s aquacultural farmgate production to $300 million by 2030.

Under the program, the aquaculture and commercial fishing industries will have access to two targeted funding streams, offering grants from $500,000 to $2 million, for the following:

• Stream One – Projects focused on infrastructure upgrades to support growth and productivity, such as equipment upgrades, supply chain improvements and new product development.
• Stream Two – Projects that reduce carbon emissions and promote reuse and regeneration of materials, such as converting equipment to lower emissions or creating bioproducts and utilising waste streams such as processing of oyster shells.

The Aquaculture Industry Development Program is part of the NSW Government’s broader commitment to support local manufacturing, food security, net zero goals, and economic development in regional communities.

This $20 million investment will help the sector address opportunities and challenges facing the industry such as:

• incoming mandatory Country-of-Origin Labelling requirements for seafood served in hospitality venues from 2026
• managing environmental and biosecurity risks in fisheries and hatcheries
• supply chain challenges of getting produce to state, national and international markets.

Aboriginal businesses and organisations, including Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations, are strongly encouraged to apply.

The NSW Government’s Aquaculture Vision Statement supports industry growth through enhancing productivity, streamlining legislation, and supporting innovative research.

The Aquaculture Industry Development Program is part of the NSW Government’s Regional Development Trust that is delivering strategic investments to drive economic development and better outcomes for our regional communities.

Business and organisations are encouraged to apply and submit projects by the end of Sunday 18 January 2026. Program details can be found at:  nsw.gov.au/aidp

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“This program will deliver real economic benefits and jobs to regional and coastal communities by helping seafood businesses grow and become more efficient.

“This is a great opportunity for regional aquaculture and commercial fishing businesses to tap into the growing national and global appetite for high-quality protein.

“It means the industry can innovate and look at growing the exciting new developments in seaweed, algae and freshwater and marine bioproducts.

“Ultimately it’s about boosting jobs, strengthening our seafood and emerging bioproducts sectors, and making sure we can keep enjoying the great seafood New South Wales is known for.”

President NSW Farmers, Xavier Martin said:

“The NSW aquaculture industry has set a target to double its farmgate production value to $300 million by 2030, and this initiative will help achieve this through industry innovation, climate change adaptation and the diversification of products.

“As the sector recovers, this program will help ensure industry can manage the risks and take advantage of opportunities in the coming years and decades, through the sustainable development of our natural resources and support for innovation.”

OceanWatch CEO, Lowri Pryce said:

“The Aquaculture Industry Development Program will benefit development and innovation across the seafood sector, including supply chain innovation, carbon net zero and seafood traceability initiatives.

“We know these grants will be well-received by commercial fishers in NSW who are looking for new opportunities to develop and innovate, to ensure a sustainable future for their industry.”