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Revelations that NSW faced rolling blackouts because of Liberal and Labor’s planned early closure of the Eraring coal-fired power station are a cruel joke, Family First NSW Upper House candidate Lyle Shelton said today.
 
 “The major parties’ reckless obsession with net zero is putting pressure on families and businesses are being left dangerously exposed,” Mr Shelton said.
 
“While the federal Liberals may have dumped net zero, State Liberals who if in government actually decide if reliable power sources are shut, are still in love with next zero and won’t drop it despite the pain it causes families and business.”
 
Reporting by The Australian shows that the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) forecast a rising risk of rolling blackouts in NSW in the absence of the Eraring Power Station — only to later advise there would be no reliability gap.
 
“It would be laughable if it wasn’t so serious,” Mr Shelton said.
 
“In what universe do politicians bring a state like NSW to the brink? Origin Energy’s decision to extend Eraring’s life, with the Minns’ Government’s quick agreement, was the only thing that averted a Liberal-induced disaster.
 
“Under former Liberal Energy Minister Matt Kean, the Coalition wanted to shut down Eraring early as part of its net zero crusade. Now Labor has inherited the mess and appears just as determined to press on with unreliable wind and solar factories across country NSW.”
 
Mr Shelton said families are rightly asking how Australia’s most populous state could face rolling blackouts in a country blessed with some of the world’s largest coal and gas reserves.
 
“The fact that NSW could have been plunged into blackouts if Eraring had closed shows how fragile the system has become under net zero ideology,” he said.
 
Centre for Independent Studies energy director Aidan Morrison has exposed the seriousness of the risk.
 
“It’s hard to understate how badly the public, and policymakers, have been misled,” Mr Morrison told The Australian. “The narrative that renewables are on track to replace coal power has been demolished by AEMO’s own analysis.
 
“The reality that NSW would have been plunged into rolling blackouts if Eraring closed in August 2027 has never dawned on the public. AEMO’s data shows expected unserved energy in November 2027 about a thousand times the regulated level the system’s meant to achieve … the equivalent of the whole state blacked out for about an hour each week.”
 
Mr Shelton said both major parties must abandon net zero before more damage is done.
 
“Family First will campaign for Labor and Liberal to dump net zero, halt the roll-out of industrial-scale wind and solar factories in regional NSW, and rebuild the state’s coal and gas generation capacity — with a clear pathway to zero-emissions nuclear energy in the future.
 
“Mums and dads struggling with the cost of living don’t need blackouts on top of soaring power bills. NSW deserves reliable, affordable electricity — not ideological experiments,” Mr Shelton said.
 
 

HMS Anson has arrived at Western Australia’s HMAS Stirling for the first‑ever maintenance activity on a United Kingdom nuclear‑powered submarine in Australia, marking a historic step in our nation’s readiness to operate and maintain conventionally‑armed, nuclear‑powered submarines.

Over the coming weeks, Australian personnel will work alongside partners from the United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US) on maintenance and familiarisation activities on the Astute-class submarine.

Around 100 personnel will contribute to the UK Submarine Maintenance Period (UK SMP) including members of the Royal Navy, the UK Submarine Delivery Agency, Royal Australian Navy, ASC Pty Ltd, and Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

This builds on previous work completed on US Virginia-class submarines USS Vermont in 2025 and USS Hawaii in 2024, and strengthens the skills, systems and supply chains required for routine maintenance of nuclear‑powered submarines.     

Participation in the UK SMP represents another significant milestone in the lead up to the establishment of Submarine Rotational Force–West at HMAS Stirling from 2027 and will further build Australia’s familiarity with UK-designed submarines as the nation prepares to begin construction of SSN-AUKUS in Adelaide by the end of the decade. 

Two Royal Australian Navy officers have been embedded aboard HMS Anson, gaining invaluable operational experience on a conventionally-armed, nuclear‑powered submarine.

More than 50 Australians are now embedded within the UK Defence Nuclear Enterprise, and the Royal Navy has provided offshore nuclear safety training to over 950 Australian Submarine Agency personnel.

The presence of HMS Anson also provides another opportunity to test and strengthen Australia’s nuclear stewardship systems, drawing on the world-leading safety practices of AUKUS partners. 

During the HMS Anson visit, AUKUS partners will also undertake a combined AUKUS Pillar I and Pillar II activity, testing the interoperability of the Australian Speartooth large uncrewed underwater vehicle (LUUV) with the UK SSN, and assessing and enhancing AUKUS Pillar II anti-submarine warfare AI algorithms fitted to the RAAF P-8A Poseidon.  

Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles:

“Australia’s acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine capability will create jobs, strengthen our local industry and help keep Australians safe. 

“This Submarine Maintenance Period is the latest demonstration of the continued momentum across all three partners to deliver AUKUS.

“Australia, the UK and the US will work together over the coming weeks on the maintenance of HMS Anson – developing our skills, systems and infrastructure as we prepare for Submarine Rotational Force–West to begin next year.”

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy:

“This is an important milestone that will build confidence in our strategic partners that we have the workforce able to deliver AUKUS submarines, and also lays ground for more jobs for locals.

“Alongside our AUKUS teammates, our workforce and industry partners are moving with purpose to accelerate Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarine capability.

“AUKUS partners are working together to achieve real operational benefits today, faster than we can working alone.”

New analysis today by ACOSS shows property investors are buying almost twice as many homes as first-home buyers, thanks to government tax breaks.

The analysis shows that the average property investor loan is around $100,000 larger than the average loan taken out by a first-home buyer, which guarantees investors a leg up at auctions.

The Greens say Labor’s tax breaks are directly responsible for investor advantage and have effectively created an investor playground that leaves first-home buyers behind.

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

“Australia’s housing market has become an investor’s playground. 

“Every time you crunch the numbers it gets worse and worse and that’s because of Labor.

“It’s no wonder that property investors bought twice as many homes as first-home buyers in the most recent December 2025 quarter.

“Labor’s tax breaks are directly responsible for investor advantage, giving first-home buyers no chance at auctions.

“It’s shameful that in the midst of a housing crisis, property investors get to treat the housing market like a game of monopoly, while first-home buyers and renters sigh in disbelief.

“The CGT discount and negative gearing are pushing up house prices, leaving renters and first-home buyers behind.

“Labor cares more about rewarding property investors with tax breaks than it does about building good quality homes at prices people can actually afford to rent or buy.

“The government must scrap the tax breaks for wealthy property investors. Labor has an opportunity to fix the housing crisis — but if they keep dodging real reform, they’ll lock a whole generation out of ever owning a home.”

Just a day after shutting down a bill to give anti-corruption watchdog more powers, it has been revealed that Jacinta Allan’s Labor Government failed to alert the Big Build police taskforce that a Swiss corporation was found to be stealing $6 million dollars from the Metro Tunnel project. 

The Greens say this latest scandal is more evidence that the anti-corruption watchdog, IBAC, needs more powers. 

Last night the Greens secured support from the opposition and crossbenchers to support the laws to strengthen IBAC – Labor promptly shut down any debate on the bill to avoid the Greens amendments even going to a vote. 

This latest revelation proves that Jacinta Allan’s Labor government can’t be trusted to ensure corruption is properly investigated and stamped out. 

Victorian Greens integrity spokesperson, Tim Read:

“This is seriously dodgy, Jacinta Allan’s Labor government did everything they could to block laws to give our independent anti- corruption watchdog more powers, and the very next day we find out they have concealed corruption on their Metro Tunnel project.

“After this week, Victorians will rightly be asking themselves – what else has Jacinta Allan’s Labor government got to hide?

“Victoria has some of the weakest anti-corruption laws in the country and Jacinta Allan’s Labor government wants to keep it this way.”

A Legislative Assembly inquiry that heard from Uber Eats, DoorDash, frontline services and industry bodies has today handed down its recommendations on a proposed liquor law change in the ACT. 

Greens Leader and spokesperson on health Shane Rattenbury MLA was a member of the inquiry committee and says stories from victim survivors of alcohol-related violence were particularly powerful.

“Convenience shouldn’t come at a cost to people’s health and safety,” Mr Rattenbury said.

“One of the key recommendations of the committee was that protecting people from alcohol-related harm should be the most important aim of the ACT’s liquor legislation.”

The committee has made further recommendations, including:

• Same-day delivery of alcohol should be limited to between 10am and 10pm (based on evidence from NSW that when deliveries were extended from 10pm to 11pm, there was a statistical increase in rates of family, domestic and sexual violence reported to police)
• There should be a two-hour pause between online order and delivery of alcohol
• Same-day delivery providers should allow customers to opt out of marketing and advertising of alcohol.

“During the inquiry we heard that alcohol is estimated to be involved in 23 to 65 percent of all family violence reported to police,” Mr Rattenbury said.

“Advocacy body FARE cited evidence that there was one person dying every 90 minutes and one person being hospitalised every three minutes because of alcohol.

“Since alcohol is such a key contributor to domestic and family violence, adopting these evidence-based recommendations around same-day delivery of alcohol will be an important way of reducing these harms for people in the ACT.”

Northern Beaches companion animals, long-nosed bandicoots, kookaburras, powerful owls, and all wildlife will now be safe from 1080 poisoning thanks to Northern Beaches Council voting (11–3) to ban the use of 1080 poison on council land.

The motion to ban the cruel poison was led by Greens Councillor Ethan Hrnjak with the support of many stakeholders from animal welfare, dogwalking and environmental groups and strongly supported by the Northern Beaches local community. A dog named ‘Bo’ was the most recent victim to 1080 poison in the Northern Beaches in January this year. Hopefully he will be the last animal to die a cruel and painful death in this LGA.

This decision will see Northern Beaches Council become the third council in NSW to ban 1080 poison from council operations, joining Campbelltown and the Blue Mountains councils.

Ethan Hrnjak, Greens Northern Beaches Councillor:

“Thanks to the combined efforts of local residents, support from the Coalition against 1080 and the Northern Beaches Animal Justice Branch, I was thrilled that a majority of Councillors agreed on Tuesday night that toxic, outdated 1080 poison has no place on the Northern Beaches.

“Sodium fluoroacetate—1080—is not a targeted control method. It does not distinguish between a fox, a bandicoot, a goanna, a companion animal, or a raptor that scavenges a poisoned carcass. It is an indiscriminate, broad-spectrum toxin that causes convulsions, vomiting, cardiac distress and hours of prolonged suffering before death.

“In this day and age, we cannot continue to allow the use of a chemical that is banned in most of the world and recognised as inhumane by leading vet and animal welfare bodies.

“This effort was initiated by a report I requested in August last year into humane alternatives. The report came back confirming that staff already use and prefer more accurate, effective and humane alternatives to 1080 such as shooting, trapping and den fumigation. I’m thrilled this ban means companion animals, wildlife and our community on the Northern Beaches don’t have to fear the terrible outcomes of accidental or secondary 1080 poisoning in our council reserves again.”

Kristyn Glanville, Greens Northern Beaches Councillor:

“The Greens are committed to leading sustainable management of invasive species by council, pushing for humane and evidence based approaches, rather than reactively waiting for other regulators to finally take action.

“This achievement builds on ongoing work by the Greens on Northern Beaches Council in 2022 and 2023, where I led a phase out of use of Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs), an audit on Council’s use of chemicals, and discontinuing use of Thiamethoxan.”

Abigail Boyd, Greens NSW MLC and Spokesperson for Animal Welfare:

“This is a fantastic win for the Northern Beaches native wildlife, as well as great news for all of the pets of the Northern Beaches, and their families, who can now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that going off-leash at a park won’t end up being a painful death sentence.

“The use of 1080 poison is a cruel, ineffective and antiquated method of managing non-native species, and is wreaking havoc on ecosystems across our state, killing native wildlife indiscriminately.

“Death by 1080 poison is slow, painful and uncontrollable, and it is simply impossible for this highly toxic poison to discriminate between pests and native animals. The result? Countless native quolls, dingoes, birds, possums, and even unsuspecting pet dogs who come across the poison, end up being killed by accident.

“What we urgently need is a statewide ban on the use of 1080 as well as other harmful pesticides like Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides (SGARs), paired with government investment in evidence-based, non-lethal pest management alternatives.”

We express grave concern over the continued deadly unlawful attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure and humanitarian operations as heavy fighting across the Kordofan and Darfur States continues. The recent severe escalation in drone and aerial attacks including those affecting displaced civilians, health facilities, food convoys and areas near humanitarian compounds have resulted in a significant number of civilian deaths and injuries and is further disrupting humanitarian access and supply lines.

In recent weeks alone, drone and rocket strikes on trucks and warehouses of the World Food Programme, as well as on health facilities, have resulted in the deaths and severe injuries of civilians and humanitarian personnel and the destruction of urgently needed humanitarian supplies and infrastructure. Intentional attacks against humanitarian personnel, vehicles, or supplies, as well as wilfully impeding relief supplies, are contrary to international humanitarian law and may amount to war crimes.

The Darfur and Kordofan States remain at the epicenter of the world’s largest humanitarian and protection crisis. Sexual and gender-based violence is rampant, famine is confirmed and severe hunger continues to spread. Up to 100.000 people have been displaced in recent months in the Kordofan states alone. According to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, violations and abuses committed by the RSF and its allied militias in and around El Fasher last October risk being repeated in the Kordofan region. We urgently repeat our call to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their allied militias to immediately cease hostilities.

We condemn the abhorrent violence against civilians, particularly women and children and all serious violations of international humanitarian law in the strongest terms. These violations may amount to war crimes or crimes against humanity and must be promptly and impartially investigated, with those responsible for international crimes brought to justice.

All parties must respect international humanitarian law which includes an obligation to allow and facilitate the rapid, safe and unimpeded access of food, medicine, and other essential supplies to civilians in need. Civilians including humanitarian personnel must be protected at all times, particularly women and girls, who remain at risk of sexual and gender-based violence. Those fleeing must be granted safe passage.

We stand with the people of Sudan and humanitarian organisations – local and international – who are working tirelessly and under extremely challenging conditions to assist them.

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The Statement has been signed by

Johann Wadephul, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany

Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada

Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy

Baiba Braže, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia

Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of Austria

Constantinos Kombos, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus

David van Weel, Minister of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands

Dr. Ian Borg, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Tourism of Malta

Elina Valtonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Finland

Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Norway

Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management

Helen McEntee TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland

Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France

Jose Manuel Albares Bueno, Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of the Kingdom of Spain

Juraj Blanár, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic

Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark

Margus Tsahkna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Estonia

Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden

Maxime Prévot, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Affairs and Development Cooperation of Belgium

Oana Țoiu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Romania

Rt Hon Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand

Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom

Senator the Hon Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia

Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia

Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland

Xavier Bettel, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Minster for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of Luxembourg

Ana Isabel Xavier, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Portugal

Dominik Stillhart, Head of Swiss Humanitarian Aid, Deputy Director General of Swiss Development Cooperation

Jiri Brodsky, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

Nikolay Berievski, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria

Péter Sztáray, State Secretary for Security Policy and Energy Security of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary

Croatia

Poland

Minister for Defence Industry and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, Pat Conroy MP, will travel to the United Kingdom this week. 

The United Kingdom is one of our closest friends and oldest defence partner.

Minister Conroy will attend the Australia-United Kingdom Defence Industry Dialogue (AUKDID) alongside UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP. 

This will be the first iteration of AUKDID since 2018 and follows agreement between ministers at the 2025 Australia-UK Ministerial Consultations to reinvigorate the dialogue.

Minister Conroy will visit several key sites to observe progress in the delivery of the SSN-AUKUS program. He will engage with UK Government counterparts and industry partners critical to building Australia’s skilled nuclear-capable workforce and delivering more opportunities for Australian companies to tap into the UK submarine industrial base. 

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy MP:

“The Australia-United Kingdom Defence Industry Dialogue is an opportunity to discuss deeper defence industry collaboration and ways we can collectively strengthen our defence capability.

“The tyranny of distance, which has long been a challenge to closer cooperation, is now a strength. It gives us a chance to share lessons from opposite ends of the world and it allows us to achieve global strategic effects.”