The Point Live: Australia missing emissions targets, Nationals pretend to care Barnaby Joyce's has left the Nationals. As it happened.

And that is it. We are done for the parliamentary year.
And what a year it has been – an election, the demise of the Coalition, a new website and blog – but the same old Albanese government.

Will we see some bravery and reforms which work to address widening inequality, our emissions and the climate at large?

We have to hope so. It has been a rough year for a lot of people and there has been a lot of disappointment from people who were hoping for something better. That is completely fair and I think people should have as much space as they need to express that.

But there is a growing number of people – all over the place – who are turning that disappointment into action. The government can’t fool people like it might have once done. And it can’t count on having everyone who voted for it continue to vote for it. That doesn’t mean the Coalition will benefit, but there is room – and it seems, the determination – for a new politics to start emerging, where the two party stranglehold over policy is cracked.

Next year is the year Labor has to do anything it plans on doing – the year after that is election mode, and things rarely get done in election mode. So make sure you rest over the break because there is a big year coming – and you matter.

But that’s for next year. For right now – thank you. Thank you to the team at The Point and The Australia Institute – it’s a small team, but a mighty one. Thank you to our contributors and the researchers who take time out of their very busy days to explain the world a little better to you. Thank you to Mike Bowers – I could not do it without him. He is a super star and I am very lucky to have him walk the hallways with me.

But mostly, thank you to you dear reader. This little project was born out of a desire to see if we could do political journalism a little better, and a little bolder. To call a lie a lie, and reflect what was actually happening and not pretend facts don’t matter, or objectivity means running bullshit.

We want to explain what is behind the policies, and what isn’t being talked about, as well as what is and why – and have a bit of fun doing it. And that so many of you have joined us is honestly incredible. We don’t take your trust for granted and we will continue to build this blog with you in mind. You are all wonderful.

So have a break this summer. Have some fun. We’ll still be here when you get back. And the work continues even while the blog rests.

I hope you all have a loved filled holiday season and get some time to do what brings you joy.

Until February 3 when parliament, and The Point Live team returns – take care of you Ax

Fantastic. Great move. Well done Glenn!

Jim Chalmers has responded to the increase in investment Grog’s reported on a little earlier (the AI boom is here).

Chalmers:

This big increase in business investment is much stronger than expected and very welcome.

These figures show not only is investment in priority areas like data centres and cleaner and cheaper energy growing, it’s growing even faster than anticipated.

Business investment was going backwards when we came to government, under Labor it’s growing again.

This investment will help make our economy stronger, more resilient and more productive over time.

In a (thankfully) brief reply, Sussan Ley has also said her goodbyes.

She’s survived “killing season” (for now) but February 3, 2026 is a long way away.

Now, throwing back to Amy, who has emerged from the studio feeling appropriately festive now both leaders have placed their Parliamentary cues into the rack for 2025.

Anthony Albanese has just delivered his long goodbye to the 2025 Parliamentary year.

He made special mention of the Deputy PM, Leader of the House, Senate team, caucus, personal staff, security detail, wife-to-be, Jodie, and son, Nathan.

He made reference to Christmas being a particularly significant time for people of faith.

It is an important time where people can rekindle their faith, think about their place in the world, and remind ourselves that in the arc of history, we’re small.

He wrapped up with a reference to The Ashes.

I look forward to continuing to watch Australia humiliate the English cricket team, starting on Saturday with the PMs 11, sorting out, sorting out the English team at Manuka Oval

Lovely tributes are being delivered in the House for retiring Channel 7 cameraman, Steve Quick.

I worked for several years at Channel 7 and can personally attest to the fact that Quicky is one of the loveliest blokes in the Parliamentary Press Gallery.

He’s filmed and travelled with 9 different Prime Ministers in his 40 years during which, remarkably, he only served one employer – the Seven Network.

Steve is universally respected along the red carpet of Level 2, Senate building 2 … and right through Parliament.

Go well, Quicky.

Glenn Connley is going to guide you through the afternoon so I can run and speak to 7AM for a podcast. But I will be back to say goodbye because I love you all!

This is a wider dixer, so if he doesn’t end on this, we will burn the house down. (Figuratively ASIO and parliament jail people. Don’t come for me)

What have we learned?

Nothing. Maybe that the Coalition is worse than it was even after the election, but that is about it. No new ideas, no direction. Just bitching and moaning.

And that allows the government to get away with whatever they want.

That’s not good for any of us.

Spender:

Many constituents complain to me that Question Time is Question Time and not Answer Time and that’s driven by the standing orders that don’t actually force real answers from the government. They say to me that it means that we don’t hold the government to account in the same way that they expect us to in this House. I ask the Prime Minister have you considered reforming Question Time to give a greater expectation of answers and in narrowing of relevance so we can better answers in this house?

Albanese: (No, is the short version)

I’ll see if the Leader of the House, that was a job I used to have, might want to add to the answer. But one of the things that has improved I think, the reforms that have been placed in the parliament, while I was leader of the House, is a limit on time.

That wasn’t always the case. In asking the question, and a time in answering the question as well. One of the things you might notice as the member for Wentworth, I draw your attention to the time on the clock, one of the things I have done is not shut down Question Time after an hour, and in deed, and indeed if those opposite want me to shut it down in an hour, I’ll take it onboard.

But what I have done is make on average questions every single day I’m here. Every single day all my ministers are here. And we are actually the most accountable parliament, we are the most accountable parliament in the world. In the world.

Most parliaments in the G20, President Prabowo has not answered a question. Prime Minister Modi has not answered a question. In the UK, the Westminster system upon which we’re based, there is Prime Minister’s Question Time for one hour once a week. And the questions are taken on notice

There’s no parliament in the world in which a government is more accountable than this government*. And Australian governments of both persuasions. That is just a fact. Just a fact across the board. And one of the things that we do as to make sure as well that we have ensured that standing orders have been amended so that the crossbenchers get a fair crack. That’s something that we have done and this question is an example of that.

*Well that is misleading the house.

Ugh. He is still going. WHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYY