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The Australian Government has confirmed that China’s suspension of five meat processing establishments has been lifted with immediate effect.

Eight beef processing facilities have now had suspensions lifted, while two facilities remain suspended.

We continue to press China to remove the remaining trade impediments, including for Australia’s rock lobster industry.

The progress so far affirms the calm and consistent approach taken by the Albanese Labor Government.

Trade impediments imposed by China prior to the May 2022 election resulted in a $20.6 billion reduction in exports.

China’s progressive removal of impediments since then, including today’s announcement, means less than $1 billion worth of exports remain impeded.

The lifting of impediments has already had a real-world impact – to the tune of more than $11.5 billion – for Australian barley, cotton, oaten hay, wine, coal, copper ores and timber logs.

The Australian Government’s approach is to cooperate with China where we can, disagree where we must and engage in our national interest.

Trade diversification is a key element of the Government’s trade policy strategy. The Government will continue to support Australian businesses to sell their world-class products on the global stage.

We are deeply concerned by the verdicts handed down today for some members of the NSL47, including a guilty verdict for Australian citizen Mr Gordon Ng.

The Australian Government raises consular and human rights concerns directly with the Hong Kong and Chinese governments regularly and at the highest levels. We will continue to do so, including in the case of Mr Ng.

We also continue to request consular access to Mr Ng from Hong Kong authorities. Noting Mr Ng has avenues of appeal available to him, I will not comment further on his case.

Australia has expressed our strong objections to the Hong Kong authorities on the continuing broad application of national security legislation to arrest and pressure pro-democracy figures, opposition groups, media, trade unions and civil society. We know that the application of these laws also has implications for individuals outside of Hong Kong, including in Australia.

The systemic erosion of Hong Kong’s rights, freedoms, autonomy and democratic processes has been consistently raised with China and Hong Kong. We have called on Hong Kong authorities to uphold those elements which have been so crucial to Hong Kong’s success, including its high degree of autonomy and the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Basic Law and Sino-British Joint Declaration.

During China’s Universal Periodic Review in January, we recommended China to cease suppression of freedoms of expression, assembly, media and civil society, consistent with Human Rights Committee and Special Procedure recommendations, including the repeal of the National Security Law in Hong Kong.

Today in Question Time the Prime Minister rejected media reports that he had given an ironclad guarantee to big corporations to not allow a climate trigger to stop more coal and gas in environment laws.

The Greens are in balance of power on the new laws, and the Greens will push for a climate trigger and the protection for native forests to be included in the laws as a condition of our support.

Australian Greens Environment spokesperson, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young:
“We welcome the PM’s rejection of reports that he gave big corporations a guarantee a climate trigger won’t be in new environment laws,” Senator Hanson-Young said.

“This shows that a climate trigger is still on the table in this parliament. The nation’s big polluters are on notice – the era of dirty coal and gas is almost over.

“The Greens will push for a climate trigger in new environment laws to stop more coal and gas mines, as well as an end to native forest logging.

“Any new environment laws that allow more fossil fuels and the destruction of our forests are not worth the paper they’re printed on. The Greens won’t be rubber-stamping any new laws that simply pander to the fossil fuel lobby, fail to protect nature, and do little to cut pollution.

The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) has confirmed Labor’s promise to reduce household electricity prices by $275 is officially broken with Australians paying among the most expensive power bills in the world.

In just two years, the Albanese Labor Government’s all-eggs-in-one-basket ‘renewables only’ approach has driven power prices up by $1,000 more than Labor promised for some Australian households.

The AER decision will set what’s known as the ‘reference price’ for electricity beginning on July 1 this year and has revealed increases of up to 38% over the past two years, sending bills soaring to just under $3,000 a year in some jurisdictions.

This is forcing many families to make tough decisions as energy bills take an increasing toll on household budgets.

Small businesses have also been hit hard by Labor’s spiralling energy crisis, with bills soaring by up to $2,000.

After just two years of ‘hard Labor’ there are now 43,210 new households on hardship payments with their energy provider, and nearly 24,000 households and business in energy debt.

It’s no wonder business energy bills are continually cited as the cost item that is causing them the most problems.

Energy prices have contributed to 16,000 businesses around the country going insolvent since 1 July 2022.

Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Ted O’Brien MP, said the announcement signalled the death knell of Labor’s fatal energy price promise.

“Despite promising a $275 reduction in household electricity bills, Australians are paying some of the most expensive power bills in the world and there is no reprieve in sight.”

“Labor’s energy crisis has pushed many Australians to the brink with 550 households plunging into hardship arrangement due to their energy bills every single week under the Albanese Government.”

“This is a direct consequence of Labor’s ideological, all-eggs-in-one-basket ‘renewables only’ approach which is ripping out 90% of Australia’s reliable 24/7 baseload energy over the next decade without a replacement.”

The Shadow Minister for Energy Affordability, Melissa McIntosh MP, said the biggest pressures people are facing right now are cost of living, and they are suffering most because of high energy costs.

“It is an incredible disappointment that Labor takes everyday Australians for fools and expects them to be grateful for $300 off a household electricity bill leading up to the election, when they are paying up to $1,000 more than they were promised by the Prime Minister,” said Mrs McIntosh.

“Small businesses are also doing it tough. A Penrith gym’s energy bills have increased from $13,000 to $27,500. An Emu Plains steel manufacturer is now paying 30 to 40 per cent more for their energy. These increases are extraordinary and are impacting many small businesses and manufacturers who are just trying to get by.

“In Western Sydney, high energy bills remain the number one reason that Labor’s cost of living crisis is hitting them so hard. We are seeing double income families lining up at food charities for the first time.

“We used to be the lucky country. The Albanese Labor Government is putting this at risk.”

News of crippling energy prices follows a dire warning from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) earlier this week which warned of blackouts as soon as this Summer due to energy shortfalls.

The energy market operator revealed reliability gaps have deteriorated in New South Wales and Victoria and South Australia. This has resulted in AEMO seeking out businesses willing to power down over Summer to help the government stave off blackouts.

The faltering cracks of Labor’s energy transition are turning into a vast chasm of consequences for Australia’s energy security and affordability, with the Albanese Labor Government failing to get new gas approvals put in place all while they race to the exit for baseload power stations.

Left with nowhere to hide, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Treasurer Jim Chalmers used the 2024-25 Budget to entice voters, handing out a $300 energy bill rebate to households in a cash-splash leading up to an election.

The Australian Electoral Commissioner, Tom Rogers, has revealed to Senate Estimates that the cost of Anthony Albanese’s failed Referendum is in the order of the $522 million spent on holding the 2022 Federal Election.

Commissioner Rogers specifically stated, “roughly it will be in the order of whatever the cost of the last election”.

AEC records show that the 2022 House of Representatives and half Senate elections cost $522,390,716.

Shadow Assistant Minister for Government Waste Reduction, James Stevens, said “despite the divisive nature of this public debate and the obvious indications that the referendum would fail, Anthony Albanese stubbornly refused to budge.

“The Prime Minister continued with the failed Referendum, dividing the nation, and torching more than $500 million dollars in the process.

“There are enormous challenges facing indigenous communities, and $500 million could have had a meaningful impact in areas like housing, health care and childhood development.”

During a cost-of-living crisis, the Labor Government chose to focus on the Prime Minister’s personal vanity project, instead of addressing the serious financial pressures facing families and businesses.

Australians deserve better than a federal government that is distracted from the real issues.

Despite people struggling with soaring mortgages, rents and power bills, Labor are wasting our money on the wrong priorities.

The Albanese government’s failure to oppose protest encampments and adopt a zero-tolerance of antisemitism at universities has fuelled further capitulation to protestors, this time at the University of Sydney.

In the wake of Education Minister Jason Clare’s silence over Melbourne University’s agreement with protestors, vice-chancellor Mark Scott has now set a very dangerous precedent.

The capitulation by the University of Sydney is a shocking decision and will only strengthen the resolve of the activists.

Not only has Mr Scott caved in to activists’ demands to review the university’s defence and security research work, he has agreed the university senate will discuss “divestment”, raising expectations it will cut all ties with Israel.

For weeks and months, Mr Scott has refused to take appropriate action against students and staff for antisemitic hate and vilification which has turned the University of Sydney into a cesspit of activism.

Rather than take disciplinary proceedings against those who established an unauthorised encampment, Mr Scott has rewarded the activists for effectively holding the university to ransom.

This agreement with protestors must not proceed. I call on the Albanese Government to intervene over this abrogation of responsibility by the university.

If Mr Scott can’t do his job and ensure the university is a safe place for everyone, he should resign.

A Coalition government will ensure that university codes of conduct are properly enforced so that every tertiary institution is a safe place to study and learn.

Today’s monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI) data shows Labor’s cost of living crisis is hurting hardworking Australians.

Core inflation – the RBA’s preferred measure – rose to 4.1%, well above the RBA’s target.

Concerningly just over the past year, domestic inflation has risen 5%, while imported inflation has risen by 1%.

Australians continue to face one of the highest and most persistent rates of inflation of any advanced economy because Labor has failed to tackle the source of the problem.

And with Labor’s big spending, big government third budget, Australian households and businesses face higher prices, higher interest rates and higher taxes for longer.

Under the nearly two years of Labor’s homegrown inflation, the price of everyday essentials have gone up by:

• Food 11%
• Housing 14%
• Rents 13%
• Electricity 20%
• Gas 25%
• Health 11%
• Education 11%
• Financial and insurance 15%

Consumer confidence and retail trade data all show that households are struggling to keep their heads above water.

Meanwhile, nearly 17,000 businesses have become insolvent since the Albanese government came to power.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said Australians deserve better than a weak Labor government that fails to provide economic leadership.

“This is the consequence of the Albanese Labor Government’s confused economic priorities.

“Under Labor, we’ve seen a collapse in Australians’ standard of living and productivity. Australian households are in a recession.

“But instead of reining in spending and getting government out of the way, the Albanese Labor Government has been doing the opposite.

“Our economy is suffering from a weak Prime Minister and weak Treasurer who have no vision for Australia’s future.

“Hardworking Australian families and businesses are sick of the government’s excuses. It’s time for Anthony Albanese and Jim Chalmers to take responsibility for their economic failures.

“This is Labor’s homegrown inflation.”