Category: Australian News

The Albanese Government’s landmark environmental law reforms will pass the Parliament this week, heralding a new era for the environment and productivity in Australia.

More than five years after Professor Graeme Samuel handed down his independent review into the nation’s 25-year-old environmental laws, the Government’s Environment Protection Reform Bill will be passed with the support of the Greens in the Senate.

The Bill will amend the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, providing a balanced set of reforms that not only protect the environment for future generations but also deliver for business and the community by helping speed up decision-making for projects in key areas of national priority like housing, renewable energy and critical minerals.

Key environmental measures in the Government’s amended Bill:

• For the first time, Australia will have a National Environment Protection Agency (EPA) – a strong, independent regulator with a clear focus on ensuring better compliance with and stronger enforcement of Australia’s new environmental laws.
• In another first, Australia will have National Environmental Standards, to ensure clear, strong guidelines to protect the environment.
• Higher penalties for the most significant breaches of environmental law, as well as environment protection orders for use in urgent circumstances to prevent and respond to major contraventions of the law.
• Removing and sunsetting the exemption from the EPBC Act for high-risk land clearing and regional forest agreements, so that they comply with the same rules and standards as other industries.
• Requiring proponents of large emitting projects to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and their emission reduction plans.
• Maintaining federal approval of “water trigger” coal and gas projects.

Key measures to speed up decision-making for business and the community:

• A new Streamlined Assessment Pathway, to significantly reduce the timeframe for proponents who provide sufficient information upfront, providing incentive to meet the standards upfront. This will deliver faster decisions, saving businesses time and money.
• New and improved bilateral agreements with states to remove duplication for the assessment and approval of projects.
• Regional planning, to deliver ‘go’ and ‘no go’ zones, delivering greater certainty to business, and future planning at a landscape scale, rather than project-by-project assessment.
• Clarifying definitions of “unacceptable impacts” and “net gain” for the environment and restraining the operation of Environmental Protection Orders.

Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese

“Everyone agrees that the laws as they stand are broken and need to be reformed.

“Getting these laws passed is vital to protect our environment and to boost productivity in our economy.

“These reforms will help us meet our national priorities of building more homes, rolling out more renewables and accessing more critical minerals. They are also crucial to our Future Made in Australia agenda.”

Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt

“This is a landmark day for the environment in our country.

“These reforms will deliver tangible benefits for the environment and protect what is precious.

“But these reforms will also be a power surge of productivity for our economy, cutting approval times for key projects and injecting up to $7 billion into the economy.”

The Australian Government will invest a further $25 million over five years to strengthen frontline services in the Pacific as part our ongoing commitment to end gender-based violence.

Gender-based violence impacts two out of three Pacific women – more than double the global average, with lasting effects including injuries, disability, unwanted pregnancies, disease and lost productivity.

Pacific Strong: Amplifying Action to End Violence Against Women and Girls (PAVE) is a five-year initiative to expand and strengthen essential response services to support survivors of gender-based violence.

PAVE will partner with 11 crisis centres across 9 Pacific island countries in the Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong:

“Today, on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we reaffirm that every woman and girl in our region has the right to live free from fear and violence.

“Violence against women and girls undermines communities, economies and long-term security. By strengthening frontline services through PAVE, Australia is helping build safer families and more resilient societies across our region.

“This investment reflects our commitment to Pacific-led solutions and shows that supporting women’s safety is not only the right thing to do, but in Australia’s national interest.”

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Pat Conroy:

“The additional investment from Australia will provide support to survivors of violence and reflects our commitment to end gender-based violence and create safer environments for all.

“Australia stands firmly with the Pacific in efforts to prevent violence against women and girls and we will continue to join Pacific voices on the issues that matter most to our region.

International Development Minister Anne Aly:

“All women and girls, no matter where they live, should be able to live life free from gender-based violence.”

“No one should live in fear or in violence, which is why we’re investing in Pacific-led programs to strengthen response services that support survivors of gender-based violence.”

Assistant Pacific Island Affairs Minister Nita Green:

“Australia’s increased investment in survivor services and prevention underpins our commitment to safer, healthier communities at home and across the Pacific – changing lives for the better.

“Addressing the disproportionately high rates of gender-based violence requires a concerted, comprehensive and long-term effort and investment”.

The Victorian Greens are calling on the government to urgently intervene after the Cotality report shows that housing is more unaffordable than ever. 
The report found it will take 11.7 years to save for a house in Melbourne. While median households are spending over 30% on rent which puts them into housing stress. 

It comes just a day after the Rental Affordability Index reported regional Victoria has become even less affordable over the past year, while Melbourne remains at record-low levels of affordability.

The Victorian Greens warn without urgent intervention to control how much rents can go up, this will only get worse. 

Victorian Greens Renting and Housing spokesperson, Gabrielle de Vietri:

“The Allan Labor Government has their head in the sand as renters and aspiring first home buyers suffer.

“Yesterday’s Rental Affordability index proves that rent controls work, ACT is the only place with rent controls in the country, and it’s the only place with rent controls. If the Allan Labor Government were serious about supporting renters, they should be taking notes.

“How can renters even start to put together a savings plan when they are being smashed by rents across the state with no reprieve in sight – it’s time the Allan Labor Government comes to the table when it comes to rent controls.” 

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.”