Plenty to talk about tomorrow, not least who the Nationals will choose to replace David Littleproud as leader.

I’ll leave you with a few snaps from Mike Bowers from Question Time, including a lovely tribute to our Winter Olympians.

See you tomorrow.

It is a tribute to our self-effacing pusillanimity and general lack of self-confidence that we continue to creep around the world calling ourselves a “middle power”, hiding in the pack and unprepared to take the lead.

There are over 200 nations in the world.

Do you know who the middle powers are: in terms of GDP where Australia ranks 14^th, they are Georgia (107^th) and Iceland (108^th). Both are preceded and followed by more than 100 countries.

Australia is 6^th in terms of land area, after Russia, Canada, China, US and Brazil.

On various measures, Australia boasts 4 of its cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane) in the world’s top 100 in terms of amenity and quality of life.

Canberra, the city that Australians, especially politicians, love to hate, ranks 1^st in the world in terms of quality of life.

Nine of Australia’s universities rank in the world’s top 100.

In a truly key indicator, sport, Australia ranked 5^th on the 2024 Paris Olympics medals table, and 10^th in terms of total medals ever won. Australia was 14^th at the recent Winter Olympics.

In terms of population, however, Australia ranks 55^th, which may explain our diffidence in carrying ourselves with more panache.

But it is interesting that countries like the mid-sized ASEAN members including Malaysia and Singapore, New Zealand and the Scandinavian nations do not bother to dismiss themselves as middle powers. They all think that they have more to offer. So do we.

Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister:

Prior to Question Time today, David Littleproud did me the courtesy of informing me that he would be stepping down as Leader of the Nationals.

As has always been the case, we were able to have that genuine and personal conversation with total confidence. I have always valued that and I thank him for it.

David and I come from very different political traditions and backgrounds but we share a mutual respect for the great honour of serving in the Parliament of Australia and have been able to work together on many issues affecting his community, the regions and our national interest.

It is a significant achievement to be chosen to lead your party and David can look back on his four years as Leader of Nationals and ten years as Member for Maranoa knowing he has given his utmost.

I wish him well and I am sure he will continue to make a contribution on the backbench in the service of his regional Queensland electorate.

This afternoon I notified The Nationals Chief Whip of my intention to resign as Leader of The Nationals and requested a party room meeting later this week to choose a new Leader.

Leading this great party has been an enormous honour and privilege, but I have concluded that I am no longer the best person to lead The Nationals.

The Leader must be able to give everything they have, but after the last few months, I have come to realise that I no longer have the energy required to do this job to the best of my ability.

I love The Nationals and regional Australia too much not to give it everything.

My colleagues trusted me with their support three times when choosing who should lead The Nationals, and I will be forever grateful.

My concern is for the ongoing success and strength of The Nationals.

With two years until the next election, and the Coalition relationship now restored and strong, it is the right time to refresh the leadership of The Nationals.

Equal to my love of the party, is my love for the people of Maranoa and I am dedicated to continuing to keep fighting for them every day.

I look forward to spending more time back in Queensland, helping locals deal with the challenges they face.

Leading a political party takes a toll and there is a price paid by those closest to you. I could not have been Leader of The Nationals without the love and support of my family, close friends and staff.

Our new Leader will have my support, and I am passionate about working with that person to see The Nationals succeed.

During my leadership over the past four years, our party has faced some of the most difficult challenges since John ‘Blackjack’ McEwen was Leader.

We have fought some tough battles and achieved great outcomes for regional Australia. 

We led the fight against the Voice to Parliament, led the scrapping of the Coalition’s commitment to Net Zero by developing our Cheaper Better Fairer Energy and Climate Plan, we have secured a commitment for the Regional Australia Future Fund which will deliver up to $1 billion a year in additional funding for regional communities under a Coalition government and secured big stick divestiture powers to crack down on big supermarkets as Coalition policy.

In the face of the most devastating election loss in modern times, The Nationals held our incumbent House of Representatives seats, including the most expensive Teal campaign in the country, in Cowper, and achieved a swing of almost 10 per cent to The Nationals, nearly winning the safe Labor seat of Bendigo.

I have great faith in Angus Taylor’s ability to lead the Coalition and believe that he is the right person to reconnect the Coalition with the Australian people, with the right plan to restore our standard of living and protect our way of life.

I look forward to continuing to work alongside my National Party colleagues with Angus Taylor’s Liberal Party in a strong Coalition opposition.

Angus Taylor, Opposition leader:

A wise person said to me many years ago it’s not how you get on the horse remember you but how you get off. And I think David is a man of great dignity who has led his party great energy and commitment. I know he will support continue to support the National Party, the Coalition and this great country and I thank him for his extraordinary service.

So, where to now for the Nats?

Barnaby Joyce is gone. Senate leader Bridget McKenzie just gave up the chance to move to the lower house by refusing to throw her hat into the ring for Farrer.

The obvious place to look is the current deputy, Kevin Hogan. Then there’s former leader Michael McCormack, who has openly spoken of his ambition to return to the leadership.

Canavan, McDonald, Chester? The Nats are hardly packed with talent at a time when conservative parties in Australia are under unprecedented pressure from both sides of politics.

Question: If you’ve got the leader in place for the Liberal Party now that is easier to work with, why quit now? Haven’t you got what you wanted?

David Littleproud:

I’m buggered, mate. I’m out on my feet. You’ve to be honest with yourself.

I had the greatest and the most fun I’ve ever had before the last election and during the last election. I had a passion pride in what I was representing. 

And I just buggered. And you get buggered in this, that’s the nature of the business but I’d rather be in it, a kid from western Queensland with a Year 11 education.

Every day I walk that chamber I put my hand on the leather I get to sit on in because not too many people get to do … and you should, that’s why you’re here.

If I don’t have the fire and passion to do it then I’m holding back my people, those people, that I care for.

Where the National Party came out in November 2023, you or told me I was going to be on the wrong side of history and you are probably right at that. By the end of it, over 60% agreed with us. That is how you stand for something and that is how we lost Andrew Gee.

Jacinta Price wanted to be Prime Minister. 

Barnaby Joyce wanted to do less than three months. Good luck to him.

How you conduct yourself in these moments and afterwards is how your legacy is maintained or lost and so my loyalty is to the party and I am did not lose a seat at the federal election.

I am out and done. I am proud of us recapturing our identity, for who we are stand for, for the 30% of Australians who don’t live in a capital city and do not get a voice. I did it with a voice, with universal service obligations, the Regional Australia Future Fund, net zero, done more is the shaping public policy and the Coalition policy probably since Jack McEwan, John McEwen.

I love the people of my electorate and it would not be right to continue as Nationals leader because I do not have would be wrong for me to represent them improperly. What gets me up, I went into politics to get those young people I have seen in western Queensland go over the range and not come back.

The legacy I want to leave and all the policy I’ve talked about is to bring them home and keep them what drives me and I want someone to take that baton up from now and I have been fortunate and loved every moment, but you have there is someone better.

I am proud of all that I have done, proud of all I have achieved, but it is time for the baton to be passed on. The legacy I leave is the one someone can take on an build from. That is leadership and I want to judged not just on what achieved, but now, our I leader is a member of the National Party, as a team member. That is what be a national, to believe in green and gold, believe in your cause. My position has changed but my passion hasn’t.

MORE TO FOLLOW

Australia’s share market is rebounding from Monday’s bloodbath, as oil prices eased on assurances from US president Donald Trump the war in Iran won’t last long.

The S&P/ASX200 gained 119.5 points by midday Tuesday, up 1.39 per cent, to 8,716.4, as the broader All Ordinaries jumped 118.5 points, or 1.34 per cent, to 8,9421.

The move in the top-500 adds about $40 billion to its combined $2.99 trillion market cap, after roughly $90 billion was wiped from the index on Monday.

Oil prices eased overnight and equities staged a relief rally, after US President Donald Trump said the war in Iran was “going to be finished pretty quickly”, despite demanding Iran’s unconditional surrender a few days earlier.

Markets had been watching closely for signs Mr Trump would change tack, Capital.com senior market analyst Kyle Rodda said.

“The argument is President Trump wouldn’t be able to stomach higher oil prices and a cost-of-living crisis going into mid-term elections,” Mr Rodda said.

“But the critical issue will be substantial evidence that oil is flowing through the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf nations are returning output to normal, and critical energy infrastructure is safe, and there’s minimal risk of being attacked again.”

Finance ministers from G7 nations also floated the idea to release fuel from strategic reserves to stabilise supply, further calming crude price pressures.

Energy stocks made up the only sector trading lower by lunchtime, tumbling 3.4 per cent as Brent crude eased to $US88 a barrel after spiking as high as $US115 on Monday.

Woodside and Santos sunk 4.5 per cent and three per cent respectively, while coal producers also sold off and uranium stocks bounced higher.

Basic materials stocks rebounded 1.9 per cent in a broad-based rally, with BHP up 2.6 per cent to $51.22, as iron ore futures rose to five-week highs near $US104 a tonne.

Fortescue shares traded flat as the company announced the completion of its Alta Copper acquisition.

Gold miners bounced despite the precious metal’s price coiling tightly to trade at $US5,130 ($A7,258) an ounce, as the All Ordinaries gold sub-industry rose 1.9 per cent.

Critical minerals producers came back strong, with Lynas, PLS and Liontown each up more than three per cent.

Liontown’s move came ahead of the lithium miner’s interim results due on Wednesday.

Mining chemicals and explosives group Orica shrunk by 2.5 per cent after flagging modest first-half earnings growth.

The heavyweight financials sector jumped 1.8 per cent, tracking with even greater gains from the big four banks.

ASX-listed IT stocks soared 2.8 per cent, following a strong lead from Wall Street’s technology-led Nasdaq index overnight.

Health care stocks advanced 2.2 per cent, as CSL jumped on plans to expand its manufacturing operations in the United States.

Telix Pharmaceuticals jumped more than seven per cent on the back of positive test results for a prostate cancer treatment.

Turning to the industrials sector, Air New Zealand suspended its full-year 2026 guidance due to the ongoing Middle East conflict’s impact on jet fuel price volatility.

Its shares rebounded 1.2 per cent after dropping almost 15 per cent the previous week.

Shares in local carrier Qantas bounced 1.5 per cent to $8.65, but are still down more than 13 per cent since the US and Israel began bombing Iran.

The ongoing conflict was making it a tough environment for investors, eToro market analyst Josh Gilbert said.

“Volatility is the price of entry right now, and investors who understand that will be far better positioned than those who try to time their way around it,” he said.

“This is a market being driven by headlines, those headlines can turn on a dime.”

The Australian dollar was buying 70.69 US cents, up from 70.09 US cents on Monday at 5pm, supported by improving risk sentiment.

Well, that was all a bit dull.

Obviously it was important to understand what’s causing fuel shortages in some regional areas and what to expect if the war in the Middle East drags on … but, once again, the coalition only asked about one subject … over and over and over again.

After early questions to the PM, it was one way traffic all directed at Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who batted them away like Don Bradman playing in a suburban league game.

After the federal government granted asylum to five Iranian football players who protested the Islamic Republic of Iran, Nationals leader David Littleproud has said the government must ensure they don’t bring values of “tyranny”.

The footballers, who are in Australia to compete in the 2026 Asian Cup, were labelled “wartime traitors” by Iranian state TV after they did not sing the national anthem before their match against South Korea last week.

This was widely interpreted to be an act of resistance against the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the team was seemingly forced to sing along to the national anthem in their game against Australia days later.

After their final group-stage match against the Philippines on Sunday, protestors concerned for their safety surrounded the team bus, and one player appeared to make an SOS hand signal in an explicit call for aid.

It was in that context that Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke granted asylum to five players early this morning, and said the same offer was available to the rest of the team.

Littleproud, commenting on Sky News, said:

“We hope that normal process has taken course, that proper checks,”

“Obviously they’re coming from a region where there was tyranny and we want to make sure that they don’t bring any of those values to Australia, but if they are genuine then obviously we welcome this decision by the government”.

These players staged a brave protest against their government, and have been competing in the Asian Cup while attacks by Israel and the US devastate their home country. In what must be one of the hardest moments of their lives, with both a tyrannical government and a bombing campaign threatening their loved ones at home, they deserve better than Littleproud’s comments.

The Coalition floated a tougher values test for prospective migrants to Australia last year, a move that Greens immigration spokesperson Mehreen Faruqi labelled “the ultimate dogwhistle” that was “feeding the rising racism in this country”.

Littleproud’s concerns show a clear hypocrisy at the heart of this policy proposal.

The idea that footballers who need asylum because they protested the tyranny of their government would bring tyrannical values to Australia is laughable. The only way to jump to such a conclusion is to assume that their nationality, their culture, or their religion somehow inclines them to tyranny.

Instead, “values” are a convenient proxy to express concern about immigrants or refugees in a way that sounds palatable, even without any evidence that their values are suspect.

The Opposition held a quick press conference just before Question Time, where Angus Taylor, Ted O’Brien, James Paterson and Jonathon Duniam answered questions about the Middle East war, Iranian asylum seekers and fuel security.

Kate Chaney, Independent MP for Curtin:

My constituents are deeply concerned about how artificial intelligence is reshaping our economy and society. Our national AI plan adopts a largely hands off posture … comparable nations are moving faster to set clear standards support innovation and manage risks. Will the upcoming budget include further investment in AI opportunities and safety to ensure Australians, rather than overseas tech companies, shape our future?

Treasurer, Jim Chalmers:

Obviously, AI is a transformational technology, but we have a responsibility which we embrace, not just to maximize the economic upside of AI, but to also minimise the risks, and some of those risks and some of those concerns, I think, are accurately captured in the question that the member has asked. While I agree that there is a level of concern in the community about AI, about our ability to manage and minimiae those risks, I don’t accept that the government’s AI plan has been silent or unnecessarily focused on the challenges that the Honorable Member raises.

We have made a commitment to robust legal, regulatory and ethical frameworks. We are engaging internationally to protect rights and build trust so that we can deal with some of the issues that the member has raised.

This cabinet, this government, this side of the house, is very focused on the risks of AI. Now when it comes to budget commitments, we haven’t finalised the budget yet. You wouldn’t have expected us to in the middle of March or early in March. We finalised the budget in the first half of May. But what the Honorable Member can always expect from this government, is to be very attentive to the concerns that people raise with us, so that we can do whatever we can to capture the opportunities and spread the benefits but also keep Australians safe.

Chris Bowen gets another one on fuel security. He adds some additional detail to his previous FOUR answers.

The difficulties you are experiencing are not currently as a result of a lack of fuel coming to our country, not as a result of a lack of fuel coming to our country. We have received supplies in recent days, as we would expect to and the obviously, we keep a close eye with the industry on what ships are on their way to Australia, and those ships are continuing to arrive. That’s the point we are making. Fundamentally, Australia’s fuel security is strong.

Speaker Milton Dick is getting sick of “frivolous” points of order from the opposition, saying he’ll simply stop taking them if it keeps up.

Member for Monash, Mary Aldred:

Today, it’s reported that fuel prices are up 40 cents a litre. Can the Minister advise the house where there are fuel supply shortages in Australia and what he is doing to fix it?

Chris Bowen:

I think I’ve outlined to the house that there are diesel shortages being faced in rural and regional Australia in particular, in the face of massive spikes in demand now that desire by people to get diesel is understandable, particularly when there’s some misinformation out there about Australia’s fuel supplies. It is understandable, but it is very important that we all communicate that the biggest risk to fuel availability in Australia right now is panic buying.

Treasurer, Jim Chalmers

The escalation of the conflict in the Middle East has been dramatic, and so has its impact on the global economy, we are seeing a great deal of volatility play out on markets for equities, commodities, currencies and bonds, and also in risk indexes. Markets were especially pessimistic over the last couple of days, but they’ve rebounded substantially so far today in reaction to some comments from President Trump. The most significant impacts have been on energy prices, including oil. Oil was trading just under $90 before question time, but it got up to almost $120 a barrel. Yesterday, it was about $60 at the start of the year and $73 at the start of this conflict, to give people a sense of the scale of the increase.

This sort of volatility, and especially on energy markets, puts upward pressure on global inflation at the same time as the conflict weighs on global growth. The longer this drags out, the more serious the economic consequences, Mr. Speaker, we did have an inflation challenge before these developments risk making it worse. We will update our inflation forecasts in the budget in the usual way, but we also need to remember that we have very substantial advantages and very solid economic foundations in this country. We are not immune from what’s happening around the world, and we are not complacent, but we are very well placed as a country and as an economy and that’s my main message today.

New data released today from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows that the number of dwellings in Australia increased by 54,100 in the December quarter 2025. This is the fifth largest quarterly increase since the ABS started releasing the data in 2011. It confirms that the supply of dwellings is growing strongly.

It also shows that the number of dwellings is growing faster than the population. Over the almost 15 years since 2011, the population has grown 24%, but the number of dwellings has increased at a faster rate, 27%.

This highlights that Australia’s housing affordability has not been caused by a lack of supply. Rather it has been the increase in investor demand, attracted by the introduction of the capital gains tax discount, that has driven up house prices.

This is not to say that increasing the number of dwellings won’t help to solve the housing crisis. But scrapping the CGT discount will drive out the speculators, making room for first home buyers to own a home of their own.

Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey asks about fuel shortages in his electorate.

Chris Bowen:

As I outlined in my previous answer, yes, in regional Australia, there are real pressures on supply chain, so I am sure that the facts that the facts that the Honorable Member has put are correct, and I am sure that that is something that other companies in a similar situation are experiencing. That’s why we have convened three meetings of the National Oil Emergency Supply Committee, which is an important committee which every state and territory is represented on. In addition the relevant ministers and I have convened all the key stakeholders, including the National Farmers Federation.

And I did say to every single person on that call, is there any government action that you would like to ask us four ministers for today, because if you ask for it we will take it if we can. And the most common response to that, Mr. Speaker, was this … please ensure Australians understand there is no need for panic buying, because it is that which is causing the pressure.

Independent Member for Bradfield Nicolette Boele asks the Energy Minister about policies which keep the nation “hooked” on dirty diesel, through the fuel rebate scheme.

Chris Bowen:

Mr. Speaker, our policy in relation to the diesel fuel rebate hasn’t changed. It does provide support for farmers, in particular in relation to their farm operations. But what we will do is continue with the sorts of policies that we are implementing, like the $1.1 billion Cleaner Fuel Fund, and the transition to our of our energy system, to more renewables, which is the cheapest form of energy, is not dependent on global supply chains. And Vladimir Putin cannot interrupt the supply of sun to Australia and the International circumstance in the Middle East. Cannot interrupt the flow of wind in Australia. So that is a reliable form of energy. We on this side of the house get it. I think many in the cross bench get it.

The first two Dixers have been to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles about support for Australians in the Middle east and for Australia’s Gulf allies.

Both gave the PM and Deputy PM a chance to repeat what they said, at length, this morning.

And, while we’re effectively on housekeeping matters, there are several members of Australia’s Winter Olympics team in the gallery.

The Greens have agreed to pass the government’s superannuation tax changes, which will raise taxes on super balances above $3 million. These changes were unfortunately watered down from better changes, but are still a step in the right direction of fixing Australia’s expensive and unequal super tax system.

In passing the changes, the Greens have indicated they are willing to support further tax increases. If Labor takes them up on this offer, we’re likely to see a lot of articles describing the budget as “high taxing” and even evocative language like “tax hikes” and “tax grabs”. The AFR is already running the headline “Greens to pass super tax, give the go-ahead for a high-taxing budget”.

When you see these terms, keep in mind that Australia is a low-tax country and we have a long way to go before we even become average. When compared among the 38 OECD countries, Australia usually ranks with about the 10th lowest in taxes. Australia would need to raise more than $100 billion extra in tax each year just to get to the OECD average, a level similar to that collected by Canada or New Zealand.

Meanwhile, Australia is in desperate need of additional funding for things like public housing, raising the welfare benefits above the poverty line and preparing for the inevitable impacts of locked-in climate change.

Raising more revenue

Australia needs to raise more revenue to pay for these things; the super changes are a start but a small one. There are plenty more options supported by Australia Institute research, including:

• increasing taxes on the gas industry, particularly through a 25% tax on gas exports;
• a climate disaster levy on carbon emissions from fossil fuel exports;
• reducing or removing tax concessions for property investors, such as the Capital Gains Tax Discount and negative gearing;
• further reforming tax concessions for superannuation, which currently predominantly benefit the wealthy; and
• taxes on wealth and inheritances.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen:

There are real pressures in rural and regional Australia. For example, the Minister for Agriculture, Transport and Minister for Industry and I just convened a very important with key stakeholders. An agency informed us they have seen demand increase in Mildura, for example, by 100% at their service stations. In the Adelaide 280%. Now, Mr Speaker, I think when huge pressure on supply chains. But it can also be the case that fundamentally Australia’s fuel security is good because of the minimum stock obligations that we have put in place.

Opposition Leader, Angus Taylor:

Can the Prime Minister inform the House whether there are fuel supply shortages in Australia?

Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese:

As the Leader of the National Party has said just yesterday – and a very good interview – the … suppliers are there. We have a role to play in to our normal daily operations and schedules, and don’t think to always keep topping up. Not to be outdone, Senator Jonathon Duniam said today when asked about refinery issues and energy security, he said, “I will say I do accept that governments have let Australians down. It hasn’t just happened over the last four years. This is decades in the making.” And, indeed, were six refineries when government changed in 2013. When they left office, there were two.

Shadow Defence Minister, Senator James Paterson:

This morning I was briefed by Defence on the government ‘s decision to deploy the E-7A Wedgetail and 85 personnel and a number of missiles in support of our friends and allies in the region that made requests for assistance. Based on the assurances I received in that briefing, the Coalition is in an position to offer a bipartisan support for the government decision.

Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins, Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Industry Minister Tim Ayres are about to have a phone hookup with key industry and agriculture bodies to discuss the nation’s fuel security amid the worsening crisis in the Middle East.

Reform of the capital gains tax discount looks likely. It will probably be announced at the Budget in May.

The effect the CGT discount has on housing is now widely understood. It has encouraged investors to speculate on house prices, pushing them up and locking first home buyers out of the market.

Currently the CGT discount is set at 50%. That means someone earning a capital gain (profit) that qualifies for the discount gets half that capital gain tax free (hence the 50% discount) and the other half gets added to their taxable income. This means that the maximum rate of tax they will pay on the capital gain is 23.5%. This is half their marginal rate of 47%.

Compare a marginal rate of 23.5% from a capital gain to the 32% marginal rate for someone on the full-time minimum wage (about $50,000).

You read that right. Someone earning hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, who just made hundreds of thousands more selling an investment property, pays a lower marginal rate of tax on that capital gain, than someone on the minimum wage.

This is why investors are so keen to earn their income from rising property prices and why they have rushed into the property market and pushed up house prices.

There are rumours that the government is considering a few different reforms. The first is reducing the discount from 50% to 33%. That would increase the maximum marginal rate of those earning a capital gain from the current 23.5% to 31.5%.

This is still lower than the marginal rate faced by people on the full-time minimum wage of 32%. It is also still a lot less than the maximum marginal rate of 47%.

So, what impact will it have on housing affordability? It will probably have some effect, but likely only a small one. This is because there is still a big difference between the amount of tax paid on income from capital gains versus income in any other form.

The other rumoured reform that the government is considering is taxing capital gains separately at a flat rate. This could be a good idea, but it would depend on what the flat rate was.

If the flat rate was set at say 40%, then this would bring the tax on capital gains much closer to the maximum marginal tax rate on other forms of income.

But there might also be a push to tax it at the same rate as the company tax rate for big business, which is 30%. Or even the company tax rate for small and medium businesses, which is 25%.

This would be slightly higher marginal rate than the current 50% discount but less than the 33%. This would be a wasted opportunity for real reform.

The best outcome would be to scrap the CGT discount completely. This would get rid of the distortion that means that capital gains are taxed differently to other incomes. By getting rid of the discount, capital gains would be taxed in exactly the same way as all other forms of income, including wages.

Why should someone earning a profit from watching an asset go up in price pay less tax than someone earning the same amount of money by working for a living?

Greens Defence spokesman David Shoebridge has been doorstopped at Parliament House, expressing his frustration at the decision to send a RAAF plane to the Middle East.

David Shoebridge:

This is not a “boys home by Christmas”, this is a potentially lengthy deployment. And this is likely just the start of it. We start by deploying this military personnel, then when Donald Trump puts the heat on, we deploy more military personnel. What on Earth is Australia doing sending our military personnel into a hot war zone?

The Bureau of Statistics has released the latest figures on Dwelling Prices.

As was expected, the last three months of 2025 saw a pretty sizeable jump in house and apartment prices off the back of the government’s 5% deposit guarantee.

The average dwelling price rose 2.7% across the country in the December quarter – the biggest quarterly increase for 5 years back to December 2021:

But the real news was in the jump in the median prices of apartments.

In almost every capital city the quarterly increase in apartment prices was well above the long-term average.

In Perth the median price of apartments rose 11.8% in the quarter was the biggest one quarter jump since the mining boom days of 2006. In Brisbane, the 7.2% increase was the biggest since December 2003:

Across the nation the median price for a house in Sydney is now firmly above $1.5m, which in both Brisbane and Canberra the median is above $1m. In Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane and Sydney the median for an apartment is now above $700,000

These figures highlight yet again that the May Budget desperately needs a change in the capital gains tax and an end to housing policies that just stoke demand, as did the 5% deposit guarantee.

We have called for an end to the Capital Gains Tax Discount, and this data confirms that urgent and significant action is needed.

On this day in 1959, thousands of Tibetans took to the streets of the capital, Lhasa, to resist China’s invasion.

It led to a brutal crackdown which saw thousands slaughtered and forced more than 80,000 Tibetans into exile – including their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

Many remain in exile.

3000 Tibetan refugees still call Australia home.

Each year, on this day, March 10, they gather at Parliament House and March to the Chinese Embassy.

Mike Bowers was among the Tibetan community and send these photos a short time ago:

On ABC radio Melbourne, Foreign Minister Penny Wong got a few straight questions on Australia’s military deployment to the Middle East … and delivered a few wobbly answers.

Raf Epstein, ABC Melbourne:

Does it mean Australia is at war?

Foreign Minister Penny Wong:

What Australia is participating is collective self-defence with the countries of the Gulf.

Raf Epstein:

Would you call it being at war?

Penny Wong:

I’ve used my words and what I’ve also said, and you would have seen me say this, and the Prime Minister also said this, we are not taking offensive action against Iran and we’ve been very clear we are not deploying Australian troops on the ground in Iran.

Raf Epstein:

Yeah, you all as a Cabinet repeatedly used the words defensive, not offensive this morning. Is that because you’re worried the offensive part of the war is not legal?

Penny Wong:

It’s because we are making sure that we focus very clearly on our national interest, which is how we protect Australians at home and abroad. And our judgement on that front is that we would provide these two capabilities to the United Arab Emirates. One is a Wedgetail, which is a plane which enables reconnaissance, it is a defensive capability, and also a defensive missile capability which is about intercepting missiles and drones.

Clive Palmer has today announced his decision to back a 25% tax on gas exports.

This is a significant development that shows the idea of Australians getting a fair return for our resources is rapidly moving across the political spectrum.

Support for the policy now stretches from the union movement to crossbench and minor party MPs of all political persuasions.

Independent ACT Senator David Pocock has already thrown his support behind a 25 per cent gas export tax, famously arguing that Australia earns less from taxing gas multinationals than it does from taxing beer, and calling for a Senate inquiry into “the great gas giveaway”.

The Senate will be voting on whether to hold Senator Pocock’s inquiry later today, so that will be worth keeping an eye on. Will anyone oppose such a broadly popular and common-sense idea?

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan says anti-price gouging laws come into effect today to stop “Victorians getting ripped off at the (petrol) pump”.

How it works

• Retailers have until 2pm to set their fuel price for the following day
• The capped price is published on Servo Saver at 4pm
• The price will apply for 24 hours from 6am the following day
• Retailers can reduce the price during a 24-hour period, but they cannot increase it

How often do you see a cheap price in the morning, only for it to jump by the afternoon? We’re stopping families from getting ripped off at the servo and helping them save hundreds a year.

The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth, gets to debate Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson with Karl Stefanovic on the Today Show.

What did she do to deserve that?

Wilson (who, last week, wrongly claimed the war would deliver Australia a windfall in fuel excise revenue) likes to be negative.

This morning, he tried to be negative about the decision to offer asylum to the Iranian footballers facing persecution (or worse) if they’re sent home after the AFC Asian Cup, currently underway in Australia.

Each case should be assessed on its individual merits, but they bypassed security assessments when they brought people from Gaza.

I want to be confident that people who are seeking asylum go through the full processes, no matter their origin, no matter their circumstances.

Stay classy, Tim.

If the markets are correct, Australians will soon have Dondald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu to thank for higher interest rates.

Prior to the War on Iran the prospect of rate rises was pretty stable – there was going to be another in May and that might have been it – an outside chance of another one, but kind of 50:50.

Now the likelihood of a rate rise next week is around 22%:

That’s still pretty unlikely, but the big change in the market has been on what comes later. Now the market is fully pricing in 2 rate rises this year and 50:50 chance of three:

The problem for us all is that no one has any clue where this is going. Trump says things that are contradicted by himself an hour later. Is it going to be a short or long war? Who knows.

One indicator of all of this in the US Uncertainty Index which hit 900 relative the 1990s baseline of 100 – that’s only happened on 6 days in the past 40 years:

We all know that oil prices are rising. That of course will impact inflation – but it is a supply shock. Nothing the RBA does with interest rates will affect the prices of oil, fertiliser, or any imports.

But we seem locked into this insanity where interest rates are seen as the solution to any type of inflation. The RBA needs to “look tough” on inflation, therefore interest rates must rise.

What is worrying is that – as we saw in 2022, in the aftermath of the COVID lockdowns and the Russia invasion of Ukraine – companies will use this as an excuse to raise prices across the board – regardless of cost impacts of oil.

As our recent research showed, profit-driven inflation was already happening in the last part of last year. If the RBA raises rates to punish households for companies raising prices, it will again be another failure by the RBA to grasp the reality of what is happening.

Greens Defence spokesman Senator David Shoebridge has criticised the decision to send a RAAF plane to the Middle East, saying in a social media post in the past hour:

Australia has been fully dragged into another US forever war.

Speaking to ABC Canberra, Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain was asked about the deployment of a RAAF plane to support Gulf states.

Kristy McBain:

The UAE has provided accommodation, support for a range of Australians that were stuck who may have been transiting through the area. And so, I think it’s important that, you know, we see what we can do in terms of protecting those Australians. But it’s been made very clear that we won’t be taking an active stance in any of the aggression that’s happening in the Middle East.

Ross Solly, ABC Canberra:

Do you think, Kristy McBain, this puts a bigger target on our back, though. I mean, one granting humanitarian visas for these players but also now sending equipment to the Middle East. Does it put a bigger target on us?

Kristy McBain:

Well, none of those things had previously taken place and unfortunately we saw Iran sponsor attacks already that happened in Australia last year in terms of a firebombing of a synagogue and of a small business. It’s one of the reasons we took the extraordinary step to expel the Iranian ambassador. So, there was nothing that Australia had done to initiate that type of interference in our own country. So, I can’t see why this would change things.

Polling conducted for The Australia Institute reveals One Nation narrowly leads Independent Michelle Milthorpe in Farrer on primary votes, but that may not be enough to secure the once-safe Liberal seat.

The poll, of more than 1000 Farrer voters, also reveals huge support for a 25% tax on gas exports, particularly among One Nation supporters.

9% of voters say they’d vote Labor. When asked who they’d vote for if Labor didn’t field a candidate, 40% say they’d vote for Independent Michelle Milthorpe, ahead of One Nation (5.6%).

Key points:

• Answering the question If this Federal by-election were held today, who would receive your first preference vote? 28.7% said One Nation, 23.3% said Independent Michelle Milthorpe, 19.1% said Liberal, 5.2% said the Nationals and 3.9% said the Greens.
• Of the 8.6% of undecided voters, 28.5% said they had a leaning towards Independent Michelle Milthorpe, 26.1% leaned towards One Nation, 18.2% Liberal, 16.2% Nationals and 11% Greens.
• 77.7% of voters strongly agreed (57.6%) or agreed (20.1%) Australia exports too much gas.
• 75% of voters strongly agreed (48.1%) or agreed (26.9%) with the statement Gas export corporations should pay a flat 25% tax on gas exports.

 “The Farrer by-election is shaping up as not just a big test for the Liberals, but for One Nation and the regional Independent movement as well,” said Dr Richard Denniss, co-CEO of The Australia Institute.

“While Farrer is literally the Liberals to lose, if One Nation can’t convert strong polling into parliamentary seats then it will be much harder for them to maintain momentum and voters interest.

“While Cathy McGowan and Helen Haines have made Indi safe terrain for independents, if Michelle Milthorpe can win the neighbouring electorate, then all of the conservative parties will have some hard thinking to do.

“While there are major differences between the political parties contesting the by-election, one issue that unites voters is how strongly they agree that Australia is failing to get a fair share of the revenue from its gas exports, with 48% of voters strongly agreeing that gas exporters should pay a flat 25% tax on their exports and a further 27% agreeing.

“Remarkably, given how divisive Australian politics has become, fewer than 10% of Farrer voters oppose the idea.

“The popularity of taxing gas exports raises a big problem for the Liberals and Nationals. If they aren’t willing to listen to voters and make sure that Australia gets more revenue from gas exports than it does from beer excise, they risk losing even more seats.

“And if they do listen to voters they risk a fight with the multinational gas industry.  Picking a side in such a fight wont be easy for them, but if they keep sitting on the fence it will likely become even more painful.”

Independent ACT Senator David Pocock‘s motion to establish an inquiry into why Big Gas pays less tax than Australian beer drinkers pay in excise has been listed on the Senate Order of Business for this afternoon.

Read the motion in full here.

Tony Burke, Minister for Home Affairs:

Last night I was able to tell five members of the Iranian women’s soccer team that they are welcome to stay in Australia, that they are safe here, and they should feel at home here.

There has been a lot of work that’s been going on in recent days to make sure that we had the maximum number of opportunities for these women to know that they could seek assistance if they wanted to, and to have the maximum number of opportunities to directly seek that assistance.

This is my second night here in Brisbane. I was here the night before as well and at that point, we had conversations happening with some of the women, but we didn’t know whether any would seek assistance.

In the very early hours of yesterday morning, the conversations started in earnest. Once that happened during the course of yesterday, it was made clear that there were five women who wanted to be able to stay in Australia. They were moved to a safe location by the Australian Federal Police, and last night, I met with them at that location. I signed off last night for their applications to go onto Humanitarian Visas, and a little bit after 1:30am this morning, the processing was completed by the Department of Home Affairs.

I say to the other members of the team, the same opportunity is there. Australia has taken the Iranian women’s soccer team into our hearts. These women are tremendously popular in Australia, but we realise they are in a terribly difficult situation with the decisions that they’re making. But the opportunity will continue to be there for them to talk to Australian officials if they wish to.

Can I just finally as well thank the Australian media. There have been many times during this period where we have had to ask the Australian media for restraint, where reporting different stories could have had an impact on the capacity of the women to be able to make requests. The Australian media has been incredibly responsible. I’m similarly grateful to my Caucus colleagues, and I also want to acknowledge the Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Senator Duniam, for making sure that we were keeping the handling of this issue in a way that preserved the best interests of these women.

Once everything had been signed off last night, there were lots of photos, lots of celebrating, and then a spontaneous outcry of ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi’. These women are great athletes, great people, and they’re going to feel very much at home in Australia.

Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy

Our diesel and petrol supplies remain at this point secure. We have as much diesel in Australia today as we had before this crisis began, and the stock obligation which the companies are legally required to meet remains at 32 days. We are seeing a big increase in demand, particularly for diesel, and I understand why Australians are concerned, but my key message is that every single expected arrival of diesel supply in recent days and expected incoming days and weeks has arrived on schedule as expected, so there is no need for panic buying.

Now, I do have a great deal of concern and empathy for those farmers in particular who, because of the situation with the supply chain in regional Australia are having difficulty getting diesel, but I do need to emphasise this is managing a huge spike in demand, not an impact on supply at this point.

Later today, Minister Julie Collins and I, together with Minister Tim Ayres, will convene a roundtable of the National Farmers Federation, the oil companies, the peak groups, Trucking Australia, to ensure that the flow of communication between those groups is as strong as it could be. We’ve been talking to them separately over the weekend. I’ve been in constant contact particularly with the refiners to make sure that everything that can be done is being done, but there’ll be, no doubt, a constructive and sensible conversation convened by ministers later today to ensure that all those necessary communication flows and actions are taken.

But the key message is, while there are challenges and uncertainties in all international supply chains at the moment, the preparations that the Government has put in place for the minimum stock obligation are working.

Richard Marles, Defence Minister:

We will be deploying an E-7 Wedgetail to the Gulf. This is one of the leading capabilities in the world in terms of airborne long range reconnaissance and command. And we are one of the leading nations in the use of the E-7. What this aircraft will be doing is very similar to the role that it has played in recent times from Poland in respect of the defence of Ukraine.

There will be in the order of 85 personnel who will go with this airframe and that’s the normal crew. The airframe will be leaving Australia today and the expectation is that it will be in the region in the middle of the week and operational by the end of the week.

We have also received a request from the UAE to supply advanced medium range Air-to-Air missiles, AMRAAMs, and we will be supplying a number of those to the UAE as well. These are defensive weapons and I want to make that clear. And that is in terms of the requests that we are meeting today and the announcements that we are making today, all of this is in the defence of the Gulf countries.

I want to be really clear about that. That is the basis upon which our personnel are being deployed and this equipment is being deployed. It is for the defence of the countries of the Gulf, in particular UAE, where there are significant numbers of Australians who reside. We are really pleased to be able to make this contribution and certainly in speaking with my counterpart in the UAE, they are also enormously grateful for the contribution that we are making.

As conflict escalates between Israel, the United States and Iran, global gas markets are reacting in a predictable way: prices are rising. 

No one knows how far the conflict will spread or how long it will last. But history suggests one thing is likely. When geopolitical conflict disrupts global fossil fuel markets, gas prices surge. 

For Australians, that usually means higher energy bills. 

But Australia is not a gas-poor country exposed to global shortages. It is one of the world’s largest exporters of LNG. 

The problem is not supply. The problem is that Australian gas is being sold into volatile global markets while Australians are left to pay the price. 

Analysis from the Australia Institute shows that LNG exporters ship far more gas overseas than Australians uses domestically. In fact, the gas exported from the east coast in recent years could supply the entire domestic market for decades at current consumption levels. 

Yet Australians are repeatedly told there is a looming gas shortage. 

The reality is that Australia allows gas companies to export enormous volumes while also selling excess “uncontracted” gas into the international spot market, where it goes to whoever pays the highest price. 

As outlined in the Australia Institute’s 3-Point plan for gas report, one of the simplest ways to help reduce energy prices is to divert uncontracted gas away from volatile export spot markets and towards Australian users.  Currently, the opposite happens. 

Instead of supplying Australians first, exporters are often allowed to use excess uncontracted gas to help fulfil export cargoes or sell it on the global spot market. 

As explained in this analysis on The Point, the Government is effectively letting big gas export uncontracted gas rather than supplying Australians, even when domestic shortages are forecast.  

According to reporting in the Australian Financial Review, gas companies have already begun locking in new LNG sales at more than double recent market rates, allowing companies to capture huge windfall profits from the global supply disruption. 

When global prices spike, companies sell more of that uncontracted gas overseas and make eyewatering profits. 

Domestic supply tightens. Prices rise. The demands for more gas approvals are repeated by fossil fuel corporations. 

Australians end up competing with international buyers for gas extracted in their own country. 

We have seen this before, and unless the Government takes some action, we will continue to see it 

After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, global LNG prices skyrocketed. In the following year, revenue from Australia’s LNG exports doubled from about $45 billion to roughly $90 billion. 

That meant around $45 billion in windfall revenue for LNG exporters in a single year –mostly tax free 

Meanwhile, domestic gas and electricity prices surged. 

If the current Middle East conflict drives another spike in LNG prices, the same dynamic could unfold again. Fossil fuel companies would sell more uncontracted gas into the global spot market, export revenues would surge, and Australians would face higher energy bills. 

Australia has a choice about how it responds. 

One option is to do nothing and watch multinational gas companies collect billions in windfall profits while Australian households pay more for electricity and gas. 

The other option is simple: divert uncontracted gas to the domestic market before it is exported, and put a 25% tax on the contracted export gas to bring some much needed revenue back to Australians – current estimates are $17 billion a year to national coffers. 

That policy would increase local supply, weaken the link between global spot prices and Australian energy bills, help stabilise prices for households and industry, and demonstrate we do not need any more gas project approvals. 

It would also reveal something the gas industry rarely acknowledges: Australia does not have a gas shortage problem. It has a gas export problem. 

Global Human Rights organisation Amnesty International has welcomed the government’s decision to offer humanitarian visas to members of the Iranian women’s football team.

Strategic Campaigner Zaki Haidari says the women face “significant risks” if they return to their homeland after being branded traitors for not singing the Iranian national anthem before one of their Asian Cup matches in Australia.

We welcome this development and Australia’s recognition of the risks faced by these brave players. We also welcome Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s indication this morning that the offer of humanitarian protection could be extended to the entire team. We thank the Australian public and international supporters who have shown solidarity with the Iranian Women’s Soccer Team, offering their support and advocating for them to be welcomed and allowed to remain in Australia.

We celebrate the courage of these women and commend their bravery in peacefully speaking out for their rights. Australia has clear obligations under the Refugee Convention to protect people who have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home country. We hope the government continues to uphold these obligations when considering protection for others fleeing persecution and conflict within the region.

Fresh from confirming at Senate Estimates that beer excise raises more revenue than petroleum resource rent tax, Independent ACT Senator David Pocock is expected to launch his motion to set up an inquiry today.

Here it is:

1. That a select committee, to be known as the Select Committee on Why Gas Companies Pay Less for offshore Liquefied Natural Gas than Australians Pay in Beer Excise, be established to inquire into and report on:

a. The amount of Petroleum Resource Rent Tax (PRRT) paid on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG);

b. Reasons for the low revenue generatedby PRRT paid on LNG;

c. Policies other jurisdictions such as Norway and Qatar have in place that has resulted in much higher revenue being generated through the sale of gas and oil in those jurisdictions;

d. The proposal from the Australian Council of Trade Unions for 25% tax on gas export revenue;

e. The impact on Australian businesses and households of the increase in gas prices since 2016;

f. What could be done with the additional revenue generated by effectively taxing the offshore LNG industry; and

g. Any other related matters.

2. That the committee present its final report by 11 May 2026.

3. That the committee consist of 6 senators, as follows:

a. Two nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate;

b. Two nominated by the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate;

c. One crossbench senator; and

d. Senator David Pocock.

4. That:

a. Participating members may be appointed to the committee on the nomination of the Leader of the Government in the Senate, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate or any minority party or endependent senator;

b. Participating members may participate in hearings of evidence and deliberations of the committee, and have all the rights of members of the committee, but may not vote on any questions before the committee; and
c. A participating member shall be taken to be a member of a committee for the purpose of forming a quorum of the committee if a majority of members of the committee is not present.

5. That the committee may proceed to the dispatch of business notwithstanding that all members have not been duly nominated and appointed and notwithstanding any vacancy.

6. That Senator David Pocock chair the committee, and the committee elect as deputy chair a member nominated by the Leader of the Government in the Senate.

7. That the deputy chair shall act as chair when the chair is absent from a meeting of the committee or the position of chair is temporarily vacant.

8. That the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, may appoint another member of the committee to act as chair during the temporary absence of both the chair and deputy chair at a meeting of the committee.

9. That, in the event of an equally divided vote, the chair, or the deputy chair when acting as chair, have a casting vote.

10. That the committee have power to send for and examine persons and documents, to move from place to place, to sit in public or in private, notwithstanding any prorogation of the Parliament or dissolution of the House of Representatives, and have leave to report from time to time its proceedings and the evidence taken and such interim recommendations as it may deem fit.

11. That the committee be provided with all necessary staff, facilities and resources and be empowered to appoint persons with specialist knowledge for the purposes of the committee with the approval of the President.

12. That the committee be empowered to print from day to day such papers and evidence as may be ordered by it, and a daily Hansard be published of such proceedings as take place in public.

Australia’s national security watchdog is weighing whether including the term ‘religion’ in the legal terrorism definition is doing more harm than good, with fears it gives false credibility to extremists.

Independent National Security Legislation Monitor Jake Blight is leaning toward recommending that ideology be defined as a system of beliefs or ideas that relate to how society is or should be and is intended to be shared with others. 

The definition of terrorism hasn’t changed since 2002 after being enacted post 9/11, with questions over whether it is still fit for purpose.

There was no doubt the definition of terrorism would still cover causes like Islamic State even if the religious motivation term was scrapped, Mr Blight said, as he reviews the definition of a terrorist act under the criminal code in hearings on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Part of the review is looking at whether the religious motivation is legally necessary. 

“I have received submissions arguing that by calling something ‘religiously motivated’ we inadvertently give false credibility and reinforce the narrative of those who say that they are doing ‘holy work’ which is above the law of the land,” he said. 

“This gives them authenticity they do not deserve and may push some young vulnerable people towards those views.”

Almost all prosecutions that used the terrorist act definition prior to 2020 were associated with Al-Qaeda, Islamic State and like-minded groups, however there has been a rise of nationalist and racist causes over the past five years, the watchdog said.

While the overall numbers were small, there were more convictions for those linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State, Mr Blight noted, saying terrorism laws had to be able to deal equally with all emerging threats.

A terrorist act is currently defined as having an intention to coerce or influence by intimidation an Australian or foreign government, or intimidate the public or a section of the public. 

There must be a motive, which is an intention to advance a political, religious or ideological cause, and specific harms must be applied.

Jewish groups are against carving out the religious motivation term, arguing it would weaken the laws, while ASIO warned changing the definition would make it harder to distinguish terrorism from other forms of politically motivated violence.

“Not clearly communicating such motivations risks introducing ambiguity and confusion,” ASIO said in its submission.

Continuously linking Islam and terrorism “has lent credibility to the false and dangerous notion that Islam itself is a source of violence”, a joint statement submitted by 15 Muslim groups said. 

In the MAGAverse, it’s white men who are born to rule – at home and abroad.

On this episode of After America, Elizabeth Pancotti from Washington DC-based think tank Groundwork Collaborative joins Dr Emma Shortis to discuss the State of the Union, Trump’s vile attack on Somali-Americans, and how tariffs are driving up prices in a deeply unequal American economy.

Pictures from Mike Bowers who was up early and photographed this morning’s 7:30am “four-headed” press conference in the Prime Minister’s courtyard at Parliament House.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says – at the request of Gulf nations – Australia will send a RAAF reconnaissance plane to the Middle East to “protect and defend Australians”.

Australia will deploy an E7 wedgetail to the Gulf to help protect and defend Australians and other civilians, the wedgetail will provide Long Range Reconnaissance capability, which will help to protect and secure the airspace above the wedgetail and supporting Australian Defence Force personnel will be deployed for an initial four weeks In support of the collective self defence of Gulf nations.

Defence Minister Richard Marles insists this is not an “offensive” operation, saying the plane will leave today.

The expectation is that it will be in the region in the middle of the week and operational by the end of the week. We have also received a request from the UAE to supply advanced, medium range air missiles and ramps, and we will be supplying a number of those to the UAE.

Speaking on radio earlier, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke spoke of the gratitude of the Iranian women’s soccer players granted asylum in Australia.

It was joy. It was relief, and people were very excited about embarking on your life in Australia. I made final confirmation with the Director General of ASIO Mike Burgess to make sure that he was completely comfortable in terms of security clearances for the people who I was about to make the offer to.

Eighteen-year-olds were first entitled to vote in Australian elections in 1974. If you were 18 in 1974, you are about 70 today.  

In your first election, you would have been part of an electorate of about 62,000 other voters.  

At last year’s election, you would have been one of about 121,000 voters in your electorate.  

Over a lifetime of voting, Australians have seen the strength of their vote halve. 

To put it another way, Australians now have to share their local member with twice as many people as they used to.  

Given this, it is not surprising that Australia Institute polling research finds most Australians cannot name their local member, have never called or written to them, and would not feel comfortable approaching them with a problem.  

Larger electorates make politicians more distant and less accountable. In 1974, it could take as little as 2,500 voters changing their minds to make a safe seat marginal. Last year, that number was 4,800.  

To a good candidate with a good campaign, there is no such thing as a safe seat – but larger electorates make it harder for candidates to reach and talk to a large number of voters.  

Luckily, the Albanese government is seriously considering expanding the Parliament. However, they are apparently only contemplating a small change – adding an additional 24 new electorates and an extra two senators per state (12 new senators total). 

Accounting for population growth, that means electorates would go from an average of 121,000 voters in 2025 to about 108,000 voters in 2028. That would leave Australians where they were in 2019 (109,000 voters per MP).  

Everyone benefits from a larger, more representative Parliament, where local members have more time to spend in their local communities and there’s more people to do committee work and interrogate the government.   

An increase in the size of Parliament is long overdue, but a modest increase would leave Australians no better represented than they were six years ago.  

In his early morning press conference, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the Iranian women’s soccer team was safe.

Their last match was on the Gold Coast. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has been in Queensland for the past two days.

Anthony Albanese:

They’re safe here, and they should feel at home here. The AFP have had plans in place with Commissioner Krissy Barrett directly involved, and once it was made clear that these women wanted assistance, the Australian police moved them to assist to a safe location where they remain.

Before Donald Trump decided to drag Anthony Albanese out of bed with an overnight phone call, naturally he posted on social media, accusing Australia of a “terrible humanitarian mistake” (and he knows all about those):

According to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, at the time Trump posted this, five of the players had already been granted asylum.

This morning, Burke revealed that offer had been extended to the entire team.

Welcome to another week of The Point Live.

We’re starting on Tuesday after a public holiday in several states and territories yesterday.

The main focus is once again on the Middle East.

The Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Foreign Minister and Energy Ministers spoke at a press conference in the Prime Minister’s courtyard just after 7:30am this morning.

This covered a range of topics, most notably that US President Donald Trump called Anthony Albanese at 2 o’clock this morning (after Trump accused Australia of making a mistake by sending the Iranian women’s soccer team home to Iran).

First of all, Australia has offered (in some cases already granted) asylum to the players.

The Prime Minister has also agreed to send a RAAF E7A Wedgetail plane to the Middle East to “protect and defend Australians”.

Back home, we have the first poll from Farrer, which points to a tight battle between One Nation and the Independent Michelle Milthorpe. One Nation leads on the primary vote, but the Independent is heavily favoured among Labor (which is unlikely to field a candidate) and undecided voters.

Let’s get into it.