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The Albanese Labor Government has secured approximately 90,000 tonnes of agricultural grade urea for Australian farmers, producers, and our agriculture industry to keep Australia’s food supply chain moving.

Through Export Finance Australia (EFA), the Government has partnered with CSBP and Incitec Pivot to support the purchase of these first three shipments of additional fertiliser.

These are the first shipments of fertiliser secured under the Albanese Labor Government’s new Strategic Reserve powers, as part of the Government’s work to help Australia’s agriculture industry manage the impacts of the conflict in the Middle East.

More shipments are expected to be secured in the coming weeks.

This additional supply builds on the 250,000 tonnes of new fertiliser supply locked in with Indonesia through PT Pupuk, secured by the Albanese Labor Government in partnership with Incitec Pivot.

This extra fertiliser gives greater certainty for farmers as they make planting and growing decisions, ensuring domestic and export food supply.

Under the new Strategic Reserve powers, EFA is also progressing discussions with other businesses in order to help them secure, ship and distribute fertiliser into our domestic market.

In addition to these new fertiliser shipments, the Albanese Government has also announced: 

• $7.5 billion for the establishment of a Fuel and Fertiliser Security Facility to increase supply and storage of fuel and fertiliser by providing financial support including loans and price support.
• A Joint Leaders’ Statement with Brunei Darussalam committing to cooperation on food security and resilient supply chains for food production.
• Establishing a Fertiliser Supply Working Group between Government and industry.
• Streamlining border processes for imported fertiliser.

So far, the Albanese Government has secured over 450 million litres of additional diesel and 100 million litres of additional aviation fuel under new financing to keep Australia moving.

the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“We’re backing Australian farmers and producers during this time of global uncertainty.

“We know how critical fertiliser is for the sector, which is why we’re securing important additional shipments like this.”

Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell

“This is another example of the Albanese Government providing practical and timely assistance to Australian farmers at a time of intense global supply disruptions.

“Our hard-working farming communities can be assured that we will leave no stone unturned to help secure the inputs needed to keep them moving and produce the best food and fibre in the world”

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins

“Underwriting additional shipments of fertiliser is about ensuring our farmers can continue producing the food we all love and rely on.

“This is positive news for our farmers and means they can continue planting with confidence during this current season and know that additional supply is on the way for the future.

“Having access to critical inputs like fertiliser underpins the food security of Australia and the countries we export to, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region, which is why we’ve been working day and night with industry to get fertiliser to our farmers.”

Minister for Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science, Tim Ayres

“This is the Albanese Government building Australia’s resilience – through timely, practical and responsive action to secure vital agricultural fertilisers and keep Australia’s food supply chain moving.”

I am pleased to announce the Governor-General has appointed Ms Jacqui Curtis PSM as the Australian Public Service Commissioner.

Ms Curtis is a senior leader in the Australian Public Service and brings extensive experience to the role. Ms Curtis is currently the Chief Operating Officer of the Australian Taxation Office, having held the role since 2016. 

She previously held senior roles at the ATO and the former Department of Human Services.

Ms Curtis also holds the whole-of-APS role of APS Head of Profession for Human Resources, with responsibility for lifting professionalism, capability and ethical standards at system scale.

Ms Curtis was awarded a Public Service Medal in 2022 for outstanding public service in driving change and building capability in the APS as inaugural Head of the APS Human Resources Profession. 

Ms Curtis’ term will commence on 9 June 2026 for a five-year period.

We would like to thank Dr Gordon de Brouwer PSM for his service and leadership as Commissioner. We would also like to thank Dr Subho Banerjee for acting as Commissioner since February 2026.

The 2026-27 Budget delivers on the Albanese Labor Government’s recently released 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program outlining an additional $14 billion over the next four years and $53 billion over the decade that the government has invested in Defence in recognition of Australia’s strategic environment. 

As the Government has made clear, we identify the capabilities we need to keep Australians safe and we fund them appropriately.

The 2026 National Defence Strategy builds on the Government’s strong track record in Defence investments. Together with the additional investments in 2024, the Albanese Government is investing a record additional $30 billion over the forward estimates and $117 billion over the decade.

This brings total funding in the portfolio to $887 billion to 2035-36 including for the Australian Signals Directorate, the Australian Submarine Agency and the Australian Naval Nuclear Power Regulator.

Of this, the Government is investing $425 billion over the decade to deliver accelerated capability for the integrated, focused force – to increase the ADF’s self-reliance and contribute to regional deterrence.

This additional investment from the Albanese Government through the 2024 NDS and the 2026 NDS is the largest peacetime increase in defence spending in our nation’s history, and delivers critical Defence projects that underpin Australia’s maritime capability and defence industrial strategy, including the Henderson Defence Precinct, the Nuclear-Powered Submarine Program and General Purpose Frigates.

The Government has identified around $5 billion over the forward estimates and $15 billion over the decade in projects for which Defence will prioritise developing alternative financing options as part of the additional investment in the 2026 National Defence Strategy. 

This includes projects in the Defence estate, the Henderson Defence Precinct and the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance enterprise.

Appropriately funding Defence to keep Australians safe is also creating tens of thousands of well-paid local jobs right across Australia and across the supply chain. It also means a growing ADF with recruitment surging to the highest in more than a decade.

We’re continuing to deliver on the Albanese Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide with an allocation of more than $770 million in additional funding to deliver on Royal Commission recommendations. 

This funding includes $169.7 million funding over five years to increase fees for allied health providers from 1 July 2027, the largest investment in allied health fees for veterans in over 20 years. 

This Budget will provide $29.8 million to support the establishment of a National Veterans’ Data Asset, and $16.6 million for the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commission to conduct an independent Inquiry into Military Sexual Violence in the Australian Defence Force from the middle of 2026. 

The record investment in Defence is also matched by historic reforms to ensure there is a renewed focus on value for money and greater speed to capability, including through the establishment of the Defence Delivery Agency on 1 July 2027.

The Albanese Labor Government continues to make historic investments in Defence, to keep Australians safe.

Staff at Bathurst, Orange and Bloomfield hospitals told an inquiry today about the failures of their profit-driven management model, including a staff member being repeatedly threatened with sexual assault by a patient and kept on the same ward by her supervisor until she quit, and medical and other inappropriately trained staff being relied on to respond to security incidents due to understaffing.

The NSW parliamentary inquiry into the issues at Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle heard from staff and union representatives about three hospitals operating under another public-private partnership.

Bathurst, Orange and Bloomfields hospitals are public hospitals where non-clinical services like cleaning and security are managed by ASX-listed firm, Downer Group.

Greens spokesperson for Health and Chair of the inquiry Dr Amanda Cohn said:

“We heard even more evidence that profit motives in public health care are compromising staff and patient safety.”

The committee heard serious allegations about patient and worker safety, including bullying and harassment, and “the absolutely disgusting” state of the wards, including mould in an area serving immunocompromised patients.

Karl Banham told the hearing he worked for NSW Health for 16 years as a plumber and now as a health security assistant at Orange Hospital.

“Mould has been found on roof, panels and walls, resulting in the closure and air around the renal dialysis area,” he said. “How can we be letting this happen in a public health area?”

Robert Danelon is employed by NSW Health as a wardsperson at Bathurst Hospital. He described how the hospital’s 18-year-old beds moved “more like dodgy shopping trolleys and less like modern, specialised beds designed to carry patients” causing him two separate injuries.

“Why are taxpayers paying Downer to manage our hospital if they can’t even replace faulty ward beds?” he said. “I love my job, but I do not love the working environment that Downer has created.”

Staff and union representatives described widespread bullying, intimidation and micro-management by Downer staff. Formal complaints are handled by Downer internally, with workers describing outcomes as dismissive and inadequate.

Health Services Union Assistant Secretary Lauren Hutchins told the committee that two thirds of HSU members managed by Downer have not reported a workplace issue due to fear of management retaliation.

Donna Stedman, a hospital assistant at Bloomfield Hospital in Orange, spoke of her experiences being bullied. “I was belittled, yelled at, accused of stealing, had my job threatened… my supervisor remained silent.”

“The culture of arse-covering within Downer is scary,” she said.

Dr Cohn said the evidence shared by the hospital staff and union assistant secretary raised serious alarm bells.

“The tragic and preventable death of toddler Joe Massa prompted the NSW government to bring the Northern Beaches Hospital back into public hands,” Dr Cohn said.

“This time, the government shouldn’t wait for a tragedy. The Greens are ready to support the Minns Labor government to walk the talk on privatisation and bring the Calvary Mater Hospital back into public hands, and the Orange, Bathurst and Bloomfield hospitals back into fully public management.”

The hearing coincides with Premier Chris Minns posting on Facebook today about Labor successfully bringing Northern Beaches Hospital back into public hands. He wrote: “When something isn’t working, you fix it… The community deserves certainty, accountability and world-class healthcare.”

In their first budget of the term, Labor has chosen corporate profits over people, by delivering real cuts to services while allowing corporate profits to grow unchecked.

Labor’s fifth budget fails to include a tax on gas exports, which would have been worth at least $17b in revenue to the bottom line. Instead, Labor has chosen to gut critical services including the NDIS, climate, clean energy manufacturing, and to keep people on poverty level income support.

The changes to tax breaks for wealthy property investors tinker at the margins, when the housing crisis is compounding in urgency and requires significant reform. The Labor government has quarantined all of the tax handouts for existing property investments. This is a capitulation to the 1% and a missed opportunity that is unlikely to ease the housing crisis.

Labor’s self-proclaimed biggest cost of living relief measure in this budget, the Working Australians Tax Offset, equates to $4.81 a week and won’t hit people’s pockets until 2028.

While people are bearing the cost of inflation they didn’t cause, big corporations push up the cost of living and get special treatment from Labor.

People will be set back by Labor’s budget by:

• The “biggest cost of living relief measure in this budget”, the $250 WATO, equates to $4.81 a week and people won’t see a cent of this until 2028
• $37.8 billion in cuts to the NDIS, which will see at least 160,000 people lose critical disability supports
• Nothing for renters or people experiencing homelessness
• No new money to actually build housing, except for $110m for defence housing for US and UK troops under AUKUS
• $4 billion in deep cuts to climate transition – the biggest rollback since the Morrison government, including:
  • $1.7b from electric vehicles
  • $2.2b of cuts to climate and the environment:
    • $255m cut from ARENA
    • Cuts to the domestic manufacturing of solar, batteries and hydrogen
• No increase to any income support payments – Jobseeker, Youth Allowance, Age Pension or any other payment
• No funding for the National Anti Racism Framework

Whereas Labor has backed big corporations and the 1% by:

• Refusing to tax the exports of gas corporations, forgoing at least $17 billion in revenue
• Over the last decade, corporate profits in Australia have grown at almost double the rate of wages
• Leaving intact tens of billions in existing tax handouts for wealthy property investors through grandfathering, and including tax minimisation loopholes for property investment going forward
• $53 billion in additional defence spending, a significant amount of which will go to AUKUS
• $46 billion over the forwards for fossil fuel subsidies and $5 million this year to support new gas projects
• Almost $1b on offshore processing last year, nearly $400m than previously budgeted, and a further $600m budgeted for the coming year, all to brutalise around 100 people

Senator Larissa Waters, Australian Greens Leader said:
“Tinkering around the edges of a broken system and spending billions for corporations and the 1%: that will be the legacy of the Albanese-Labor government.

“Labor should have used this budget to claw back the obscene profits of big corporations to pay for the things we all need. Instead they’re leaving $17 billion a year in the pockets of big gas corporations.

“This budget contains nothing for renters, no new money to build housing except for US and UK troops, and their biggest cost of living measure will add up to $4.81 a week that you’ll see in 2028.

“And because Labor blinked on taxing big corporations and the wealthiest 1%, at least 160,000 people will lose access to critical, lifesaving disability support through the NDIS.

“This budget should have taxed gas exports. Instead they’ve cut $4 billion from the climate transition, and allocated $46 billion to fossil fuel subsidies.

“The government’s planned changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax discount look like little more than tinkering around the edges of a broken system. These changes will still give tens of billions of dollars in handouts to wealthy property investors to outbid renters at auctions around the country every weekend. This should have been a significant reform but instead it’s a damp squib.

“With this Budget, Labor have made their priorities clear. Instead of delivering for people, Labor has been captured by big corporations and the wealthiest 1%.

“Only the Greens are fighting for people over profits. Only the Greens will put the interests of renters, first homebuyers and mortgage holders, disabled people and people on income support, and the climate first, while Labor continues to deliver for the profits of their corporate donors and the wealthiest 1%.”

Senator Nick McKim, Greens Economic Justice spokesperson said:
“Labor has chosen to back big corporations and the 1% over everyday Australians and young people who are being ripped off by the tax system.

“Jim Chalmers clearly has a different definition of ‘ambitious’ than millions of Australians.

“In the face of a generational opportunity to respond to inequality and the housing crisis, Labor’s changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount are abjectly lacking in courage and ambition.

“This budget betrays the overwhelming majority of Australians. By refusing to impose a gas export tax to fund essential services, Labor will fuel people’s anger at a system that isn’t working for them.

“We had a rare political opportunity to fix property investor tax breaks, capture massive gas export profits and rebuild a fairer country, but Labor’s corporate donors have won out once again.

“It’s getting harder to get ahead in Australia, but if you’re one of Australia’s 161 billionaires who are making $29 million a day, you’re having a great time.

“While most of us work harder trying to get ahead, the ultra-wealthy buy up assets, and their wealth grows in their sleep. This budget keeps on growing the gap between the 1% and the 99%.”

Senator Barbara Pocock, Greens Finance, Housing and Homelessness spokesperson said:
“This budget does nothing for ordinary people – renters, first-home buyers and mortgage holders – who are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. It does nothing for the homeless.

“The housing tax changes grandfather inequality. They protect the unfair wealth hoarding of wealthy multi-property investors and the 1%.

“Once again, Labor has over-promised and under-delivered on housing for young people, for renters, and for first-home buyers.

“This budget contains nothing for people on income support, and no new money to build housing except $110m for defence housing for US and UK troops under AUKUS.

“In this budget, Labor’s chosen to make ordinary people bear the brunt of the economic and housing crisis.

“Corporate profits are driving up inflation and the cost of living, but Labor hasn’t taxed them – instead, they’re giving corporations tax breaks if their profits go backwards.

“This budget reveals Labor’s mindset. Protect wealthy property investors, even if that leaves everyone else worse off.

“The Greens will fight against Labor’s cuts to essential services, public service jobs and the NDIS – people shouldn’t have to pay for inflation while big corporations continue to make obscene profits.”