Australia Institute Live: David Pocock to introduce legislation to end fossil fuel exploration in Australia, calls for politicians to show 'moral courage'. As it happened.

And on that note, we are going to close the blog for the evening and pick up again early tomorrow morning.

Go, be free – LIVE YOUR LIFE – before the last sitting day of this sitting. And the last one before the unicorn budget set down for the end of March (although we will also be whirring this thing up at times for estimates at the end of the month)

And of course there could be an election called anytime, so there is that as well.

Until then, you have us back early tomorrow morning – and I’ll be asking for more of your feedback on the blog and what you would like, other than comments (we are working on it, I promise).

Until then, do good and take care of you. Amy x

Over in the senate, David Pocock has moved a motion to suspend standing orders and bring on the electoral changes legislation, but that has been knocked back by the major parties who look like they are going to then ram through the bill in a guillotine debate (which has a strict end time to speeches/debate and a vote must be called).

So the majors have come to an agreement to have an agreement to get the bill done.

Remember how there was that whole ‘calm your farm on the culture wars until after the election’ dictate from Peter Dutton to the Coalition (particularly the Victorian branches)?

Well looks like it is going really well.

As Guardian Australia reports:

The Coalition frontbencher Bridget McKenzie and the Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming, along with key figures from News Corp, are to attend a UK conference led by Jordan Peterson which aims to “re-lay the foundations of our civilisation”.

A list of attenders seen by Guardian Australia showed more than 50 Australians, including figures from rightwing thinktanks and churches, attending gathering staged by the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (Arc), which is associated with the Canadian psychologist and self-help book author.

Deeming will miss a sitting week of state parliament to attend the event just weeks after returning to the Liberal party room.

Sky News contributor and bathroom police Chris Uhlmann, who once went viral when he appeared on his then-employer’s Nine network breakfast show that Sky (his current employer, NewsCorp and Sydney radio 2GB were “waging a war” against Malcolm Turnbull is also listed as a contributor to the event, along with Tony Abbott.

Sounds like a roaring great time.

We covered this off earlier, but it is worth repeating; Dave Richardson and Greg Jericho have crunched the numbers on where housing affordability is going if no one does anything.

First, let’s look at where we have come from:

In March 2002, the cost of an average dwelling in Sydney was 8.3 times the average annual full-time wage. That of course is expensive, but alas now it looks incredibly cheap. In June 2024, the price of that average dwelling in Sydney is now equivalent 14.4 years earning the average wage in New South Wales.

In dollar terms, the difference is quite shocking. The current average dwelling price in Sydney is $1.45m, but if the price was the same 8.3 times as it was in 2002 that average price would be just $835,000.

In effect, people in Sydney need to pay $615,000 more in today’s dollars for a home than did Sydneysiders 20 years ago.

And where they could go without intervention:

Sydney is clearly the worst place at the moment to buy a house as is well known. However, on recent trends all cities will catch up and pass where Sydney is now. Sydney itself will still be worse than the other capital cities if present trends continue. If the current trend of the past 20 years continues, the average price of a dwelling in Sydney in 2044 would be 23.7 times the average salary – or equivalent in today’s dollars to $2.4m.

The average home loan in NSW has just cracked the $800,000 mark for the first time. That’s the average. So, yeah. Yikes.

Clare O’Neil says:

This is something the government’s obviously incredibly worried about. And when we say we’re tackling the housing crisis the number one problem we’re focused on is housing affordability. If I can step back, a couple of things about that quarterly data that was released today. It showed us some quite positive things that are happening in the market. One thing is we’re seeing an increasing number of first home buyers be able to get into housing and that is without doubt a reflection of some of the work Labor’s been doing with young people. The home guarantee scheme is something we have expanded significantly since we’ve been in office. If you’re watching at home and buying a house is on the agenda in 2025 talk to your bank about that. It’s a really important scheme that helps young people get in. But we are seeing – I think the increase I saw was something in the order of 1.4% over the quarter. I lie awake at night worrying about the situation young people are in.

What does Clare O’Neil think is the positive of the bill?

Two really important changes. One of them is we’re setting caps on how much a candidate could be given money by an external provider so this is really important. Effectively before there were no limits on this. You could have Clive Palmer or other people coming in and giving essentially as much as money they wanted to a candidate. That’s not a healthy thing for your democracy. The other thing is improving disclosure laws. Those watching at home will notice after an election tit takes a very long time for there to be some transparency around who is giving money to who and we’re going to fix that problem as well. It’s a really important reform and part of our ongoing work to make sure we protect our Australian democracy.

Among the problems Bill Browne and Josh Black have identified:

Among the concerns with the bill are:

• The extreme haste shown by the government in introducing and trying to pass the bill. Four in five Australians (81%) agree that major changes to electoral law should be reviewed by a multi-party committee, which has not happened.
• The caps on political donations are per “party” (or per independent candidate) but what Australians think of as political parties – like the Liberal, Labor, Greens and National parties – are actually groups of parties, each party in the group being able to receive donations up to the cap. This would limit the ability of independent candidates, new political parties, and political campaigners to fundraise, while leaving established parties much less constrained.
• The nominated entity exception to donation caps intended for the major parties may in practice allow a billionaire-funded minor party to escape spending limits.
• In exchange for having their fundraising limited, established parties and incumbent MPs would receive tens of millions of dollars more in public funding; in some cases, far more than the political donations that they are missing out on. Independent candidates, new parties, their candidates and political campaigners would receive nothing to compensate them for lost revenue.
• The bill would also limit spending on election campaigns. In practice, independent candidates will be far more limited in their spending than party candidates.

Labor minister Clare O’Neil is speaking to the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing host and she is asked about the electoral bill deal between the two major parties:

This is driven by the Labor Party’s long-standing commitment to try to get big money out of politics. What we don’t want is to live in a democracy where effectively billionaires can buy themselves or their proxies, seats in the Parliament. So this is a reform we’ve been working on for a long time. I know there’s been a lot of conversations not just with the Opposition but with other parties and Independents. This deal’s been struck with the Coalition and we’ll see what the Independents and others have to say about it.

Stepping outside of parliament again and Community Leader Antonia Burke is addressing the Climate Integrity Summit about what she and her community is doing to protect her home of Tiwi Islands.

She is speaking about how First Nations peoples are reshaping the battle against fossil fuel expansion, giving a heartfelt and emotional address about the devastating impact fossil fuels are having on her and other communities – not to mention the oceans and wildlife.

Her address is directed at those who have ever felt powerless in the face of environmental destruction – and offers hope from First Nations’ leadership in the global movement for climate justice.

“We changed the regulations of this country and gained the right of all Australians to be consulted on these [offshore gas projects],” Ms Burke said.

“But we do not have a right to veto. The only ones who can veto are our governments.”

Who wants an update on the electoral change bill shenanigans in the senate? I know you do!

It looks like the senate is having its own version of a bottle episode (a bottle episode is when budgets get a bit tight on sitcoms, so they have to have an episode where the entire cast remain on one set location – locked in a room, an elevator, you get the idea (the guy who created the 1960s show the Outer Limits came up with it, as a way of explaining how you could pull the cost genie out of the bottle)

So we are all stuck in the senate, where Labor is going through its own worse timeline as the Coalition continue to screw it over on the electoral reform bill.

There is an in-principle agreement between the two major parties. But the Coalition doesn’t seem to be in support of the hours motion Labor wants to put up to deal with the bill (which would change the senate’s sitting time to have the debate and vote by a certain time) one – because it seems it wants more, two – it enjoys toying with Labor by making it seem like it is across the line and then yelling SIKE at the last moment, three – it has done this before when Tony Abbott was leader and he backed out of a deal at the last moment to increase taxpayer funding for political parties at elections and four, because it wants to screw with the legislative agenda Labor has agreed to with the Greens and independents (you extend this one out and then you run out of time to do the other stuff).

All of this means WE HAVE A BOTTLE EPISODE.

For now. Things in the senate change quicker than my food fixations and let’s not forget that the Coalition doesn’t actually want the crossbench involved in any serious negotiations with Labor on this bill.

Along with making announcements about new bills and highlighting why decision makers need to take ethical responsibility when making decisions that impact future decisions, Independent Senator for the ACT David Pocock has given some insight as to how strident the fossil fuel industry can be when lobbying.

The fossil fuel industry has a very big stick and they’re not afraid to use it and as soon as they get what they want, that’s okay, ad this is the next thing and this is the next thing,” he said.

Whereas the climate environmental movement has been so focused on ‘okay, we’re going to try and influence this minister and there’s not that hard price to pay publicly’.

I don’t know, maybe people are just too nice, but it is a stark contrast now.”

A call on environment groups to up the pressure perhaps?

I have no direct insight into the politics of Western Australia (my allegiances lay with the greatest nation on earth, Queensland) but I can tell you that contrary to some reporting, the Labor vote in WA has been holding up.

‘Surprisingly so’ according to some Liberal strategists who have also seen that Anthony Albanese’s personal popularity in the state is holding up.

WA will go to the polls next month, which both major parties are looking at. But at this point in the election cycle, the WA Liberals aren’t seeing the vote correction they thought they would.

(Continued from previous post)

Under a lengthy grilling, he remained steadfast this direction had been passed on to the casual radio host through former head of capital city networks Steve Ahern.

He denied that emails and meeting notes saying Lattouf had received “advice” or “suggestions” not to post on certain topics or to keep a low profile online were inconsistent with his view that a direction had been given.

“Were you confident because you felt (the order) had been carried out?” asked Justice Rangiah.

“With my dealings with Mr Ahern, I believed he listened to my words and my words were very clear,” Mr Latimer replied.

Lattouf’s direct supervisor Elizabeth Green earlier took the stand, saying she learned from Mr Ahern during a meeting on December 20 that the casual host would not be required for her final two shifts because of the Human Rights Watch post.

“You also expressed the view that you did not see anything wrong with Ms Lattouf’s post?” asked the journalist’s barrister Philip Boncardo.

“I did say that,” Ms Green replied.

After Lattouf was let go, Ms Green said she had a private conversation with the crying journalist in an ABC boardroom.

She told Lattouf she tried hard to stop her being dismissed but believed the call had been made from “higher up”.

“I said there was pressure for her to be removed from the Monday,” Ms Green told the court.

Ms Green said she heard from Mr Ahern that the decision had been made from Mr Anderson’s office.

One of the key issues in the case is who made the decision to dismiss Lattouf, with fingers pointed at both the managing director and Mr Oliver-Taylor.

Lattouf claims she was fired because of her political opinion and race after the ABC bowed to pressure from pro-Israeli lobbyists co-ordinating a campaign of complaints.

In its defence, the ABC says that Lattouf was taken off air because she breached the direction not to post anything in the Israel-Gaza conflict during her five-day employment.

The hearing continues.

Let’s check in on what’s been happening at the Federal Court.

As AAP reports:

Despite several senior ABC figures claiming a casual radio host breached impartiality guidelines in personal posts about the war in Gaza, a judge has heard no such rule existed at the broadcaster.

Antoinette Lattouf was recruited to host the Mornings show on ABC Radio Sydney for five days from Monday to Friday in December 2023

However, the 41-year-old was let go following three days on air after sharing an Instagram post by Human Rights Watch saying Israel used starvation as a “weapon of war” in Gaza.

As an unlawful dismissal case continued in the Federal Court on Wednesday, Lattouf’s barrister Oshie Fagir argued the ABC’s claims her Human Rights Watch post breached impartiality guidelines had no foundation in any policy, procedure or legislation.

“What we propose to submit is that the rule as it has been articulated is utterly incoherent,” he told Justice Darryl Rangiah.

It was “plain as day” there was no such obligation because ABC broadcasters often made public statements without being taken off air or being subject to other sanctions, Mr Fagir argued.

The submission came as he cross-examined ABC audio director Ben Latimer, who said Lattouf expressed a partisan view that was sympathetic to Palestinians in the Gaza conflict when she shared the post.

Former ABC chair Ita Buttrose, outgoing managing director David Anderson and then-content chief Chris Oliver-Taylor all previously raised concerns in court about Lattouf appearing impartial because of her prior statements about the conflict.

Mr Latimer said he had been given a direction by Mr Oliver-Taylor, his superior, to order Lattouf not to post anything on social media about the war.

(Continued in next post)

Independent Senator for the ACT David Pocock is addressing the Climate Integrity Summit – and he has given the summit an exclusive.

Tomorrow he will introduce a new bill aimed at ending fossil fuel exploration.

It will make for some uncomfortable debating for politicians tomorrow, given how clear the climate science is.

His address was also about the urgency of creating a fair and sustainable future for young Australians.

He is one of the few politicians in parliament who is consistently talking about the ethical responsibility of current leaders and policymakers to prioritise long-term decisions.  

He is not the only person at the summit to make the point that short-term thinking is undermining meaningful climate action.

“I lot of this comes down to moral courage and it is something I keep trying to remind my colleagues about,” he said.

Courage in politics. What a concept.

Again, not a lot.

The Coalition still seem rudderless in what it is it actually wants to hit the government with. Cost of living is the easy one, but that is made difficult when you opposed practically all the major cost of living relief measures put up by the government.

So it is hard to be WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT ENERGY when your party voted down the energy rebates which ended up shaving some points of CPI and inflation.

It is a common issue this Coalition have – unless it is the news and is something it can react to, there is no plan. But that shouldn’t be a surprise, because there is no policies either.

This is not an opposition that can say, as the last Labor opposition did, ‘will you support XY policy to make Australian lives better’ because it doesn’t have those policies.

If it isn’t something Dutton can react to, or stir up into an issue, then the Coalition just sort of float around question times, like shivers in search of a spine.

There is one last dixer given to Tony Burke so he can talk about how terrible Peter Dutton was as the minister overseeing Australia’s immigration system, and then question time, mercifully, ends.

Independent MP Kylea Tink asks Chris Bowen:

For too long Australians were at the bottom of the list in terms of priority access to low-emissions vehicles and without intervention, transport will be the largest source of emissions in Australia by 2030. The people of North Sydney who are surrounded by major freeways and roads are living with the consequences of that in terms of pair air quality. We fought for and welcomed new vehicle efficiency standards but with misinformation regarding the impacts rife, could you provide an update on them, including the expected impact on the uptake and price of vehicles?

Bowen is VERY happy to take this question:

I thank the member for North Sydney of her question and genuinely thank her for her leadership and engagement on this issue and other issues across this Parliament.

Now, as the member for North Sydney knows and the House will recall, Australia and Russia were the only two major economies without new vehicles efficiency standards. The key word is “were”. On 1 January, that changed with new standards coming into force to give Australians better choices of motor vehicles. It was in the too hard basked for too long.

We got it on the to do list and it was done. Opposed by the Liberal Party and National Party despite them trying to do it when they were in office and this builds on what we’ve already done. We’re seeing it having an impact even though it only came into force on 1 January. The range of choices of EVs in Australia has tripled since May of 2022. When we came to office, there were no electric vehicles available in Australia for under $45,000. There are now eight. Eight models are available under $45,000. There are now utes available, the BYD electric hybrid ute has sold well at a cost of $60,000 when it was introduced just before Christmas. These are the sorts of options and choices we want to give Australians and, of course, this leads to lower running costs for motorists.

To be fair and with respect to the member for North Sydney – and she did advocate it and I’m sure her constituents benefit from it – but actually the people who really benefit are people in the outer suburbs and regions who drive for longer distances. For example, an average motorist in the electorate of Mitchell would benefit compared to a motorist in the electtorate of North Sydney, $90 billion in overall benefit between now and 2050 in terms of petrol costs.

(he then goes through the electorates with the biggest take up – most of them outer-suburban)

Dr Emma Shortis has commented on the Australian government non-response to Trump and his horrific plans for Gaza:

Stealing from Mike Bowers social media to bring you what the chamber looks like right now (it’s fine, I’ll buy him a coffee)

Andrew Willcox, the LNP MP for Dawson has a new crisis to add to the Coalition’s list of crises – a CRIME CRISIS.

(Is the crime crisis with us now? Can you point to it in the room?)

The Albanese Labor Government has created a cost-of-living crisis. A gas crisis, a crime crisis, a rent cries, an energy crisis and a housing crisis. New motor trades association analysis confirms that Labor’s family car and ute tax will slug Australians thousands of dollars more for a family car and ute. When Australians are paying more for everything, why is this Government imposing thousands of dollars of additional costs on Australians and its Labor-created cost-of-living crisis.

Someone get the smelling salts! Seems Willcox needs a trip to the seaside and the calming waters STAT! Must be EXHAUSTING lurching from crisis to crisis like that. Goodness, it sounds like he can barely leave his house!

Earlier today, the charities sector flagged their serious concerns with the Electoral Reform Bill at a press conference this morning.

A deal has been done with the Coalition and Labor to pass this bill without the independents getting a look-in.

Bill Browne has some thoughts – he points out that we have seen this happen before, when the then Labor opposition bitch and folded on the Morrison government’s campaigners’ bill

There are exemptions for the major parties, the Minerals Council, the Business Council and the Cormack Foundation (a major Liberal party fundraising machine) but not charities. Tells you where the priorities are with the bill, huh.

There is still time for the deal to fall apart – the Coalition could change its mind. It probably won’t, but it could.

Anthony Albanese gets to add to his answer and does so:

They don’t want people to know about the three policies they’ve got! I’m just trying to help them out, Mr Speaker. I’m just trying to help them out.

Make no mistake – if this bloke [Peter Dutton] becomes prime minister over here, he’ll be sending Australians the bill. That is the fact. He’ll make you pay. He will make you pay. You won’t get lunch, but you will pay the bill when the lunch bill comes for those three your taxes that you will pay for. You won’t get any electricity from nuclear reactors either, but you’ll pay the bill. You’ll pay the bill. And that is all you get from those opposite just complaint, talking Australia down, yesterday he was out there cheering for higher interest rates, this Leader of the Opposition as well, because they don’t want Australians to succeed, because they see that as a way through for them.

It is Ted O’Brien time! It is very rare for O’Brien to ever see his presence greeted with anything approximating an exclamation mark, but here at Australia Institute Live we like to see dreams come true.

Super Ted has dragged himself from 100 Acre Woods to ask:

My question goes to the Prime Minister. The Albanese Labor Government has created a cost-of-living crisis, a gas crisis, a crime crisis, a rent crisis, an energy crisis and a housing crisis. The Prime Minister promised on nearly 100 occasions that he would cut power bills by $275 a year. With families now paying up to $1,000 more than Labor promised, can the Prime Minister point to a single Australian paying less for energy now than they were three years ago?

Anthony Albanese:

We have faced serious global challenges over the past three years and Australians have done the hard work. Australians have done the hard work to turn things around and we are seeing results. The fact is that inflation is coming down. Down to 2.4% from the 6%-plus that we inherited.

Wages are rising, making a standings difference as well. Taxes have been lowered as a result of the Government’s changes that we made, legislated through this Parliament that those opposite said we should call an election over they hated it so much and of course we have had a range of cost-of-living measures that I’m asked about.

All of them have something in common. They were opposed by those opposite, including the member for Fairfax. The member for Fairfax was one of the people who opposed the $300 rebate on energy bills for every single Australian household.

Now, that has made a difference, opposed by those opposite like they opposed cheaper medicines that benefited Australians to the tune of $3 billion.

They opposed cheaper childcare that deliver cheaper costs on average of $3,700. They opposed measures put in place but they’ve come up with some policies, including the member for Fairfax. They came up with three policies in total.

So to give the member for Fairfax credit, he is one-third of the brains trust of those opposite. They came up with a $600 billion nuclear plan. $600 billion. $600 billion then they came up with, of course, another plan $10 billion for long lunches for business. They had that and then of course they’ve come up with a third plan announced on the Insiders program that they’re going to cut everything to pay for it.

Super Ted has a point of order. On relevance. As if anything in that place is relevant.

“The Albanese Labor Government has created a cost-of-living crisis, a gas crisis a crime crisis, an energy cries us and a housing crisis. Living standards have suffered the biggest collapse in the developed world. Australian households have been in recession for more than… Household recession for more than 700 days,the longest on record. Prime Minister, why are Australians paying the price for Labor’s economic incompetence?”

I do love a precise question. Ok let’s go through this.

Created a cost-of-living crisis? Err no. Prices rose as a result of the end of the pandemic, supply chain blockages and companies taking advantage of this to put up prices. Inflation here in Australia has gone up and down at pretty much the same pace as in the USA and Canada – places which the govt’s policies don’t have a lot of impact.

Gas crisis? What already? The “gas crisis” is a confected outrage that come around every 6 months or so mostly driven by gas companies trying to demand the opening of more gas fields. Ther eis not gas crisis in Australia, no gas shortage. We export around than 80% of our gas. More gas is used to convert gas to LNP than us issued by the entire Australian manufacturing industry.

Energy crisis? Errr not sure what Angus is talking about here…. But while energy prices have risen, it is worth noting that the government’s energy subsidy has dropped energy prices by about 21% since June 2023 and if it was not for the subsidy energy people would be paying about 47% more for electricity than they are now.  

Housing crisis? Angus might like to ponder that in the last 3 years of the Morrison govt, Sydney median house prices rose 50%. Housing affordability has been in crisis since the introduction of the 50% Capital Gains tax discount. It is not the fault of the Labor govt, although it is fair to say the govt’s policies are (as Matt Grudnoff put it when her appeared before the Senate committee on the matter) at best, not making anything worse.

Living standards have certainly fallen – one understated issue about the fall is that the previous decade before 2022 (ie the period of the LNP govt) living standards grow at an historically slow pace. It meant that the fall during the period of inflation was enough to wipe away that 10 years of growth. Angus might likwe to ponder that the only way to improve living standards is to have incomes grow faster than prices, and yet the LNP has consistently voted against legislation with has given workers more power to bargain for those higher incomes.

Michael Sukkar has the next question.

Now that he can’t get kicked out under 94A anymore because he has a serious chamber job (he was the reigning 2024 champion for being booted from the house) he has to ask the joke questions to get some sort of rush and remind himself he likes his job.

Sukkar:

“Will the Prime Minister rule out a appointing his close friend Alan Joyce as CEO of the new Albo Air?“

Tony Burke says the question is out of order, but Albanese is happy to answer it because of course he is, because the Coalition has just handed him the reins to his high horse:

Having seen the mess that the previous people who were operating REX Airlines who have close links with a political party – not ours – in having dilutions of grandeur, being given by the former government $150 million, untied, of taxpayers’ money during the pandemic, on top of JobKeeper, who chose, rather than fix up the Saab aircraft, who chose, who with dilutions of grandeur to buy or lease big aircraft to try and compete on Sydney-to-Melbourne route and drove an airline into the ground, following the following airlines that were grounded under the former government – Pacific Air Express, Jet Go, Brindabella, Tiger and Virgin and others all went into either administration or fell apart – they then… we fix the problems that they created and they come up with that sort of childishness, childishness, for – as we have said before, the only time Alan Joyce got to a Prime Minister’s residence was under the former Government, Scott Morrison.

That shows how seriously they take regional Australia. Let me name these towns – Ceduna, Moruya, Narendra, Parkes, Coober Pedy, Esperance, can are von, Winton and Mornington Island. You know what they have in common? They would all be isolated from being able to get health care. They’d be isolated from being able to get freight.

They’d all be isolated from those small businesses being able to operate properly. And every one of them, every one of them are being represented by those people over there, but they have this contempt for them that this clown asks a question like that, Mr Speaker. Well, here’s what a serious member of the National Party had to say. Had to say. “If not for REX, they wouldn’t be able to get doctors, nurses, vaccines and most importantly medication. People in those towns would also then notable able to make it to their capital city medical appointments. But it’s more than just health and we all know that. It’s business. It’s tourism. It’s so many aspects of modern living,” that is why he went on to say, “I’ve raised the possibility of the Federal Government having an equity stake in REX to ensure the airline’s future.” That’s a real leader sitting down the end over there for the National Party. And you, Sir, are not fit to represent a serious job in this Parliament.

The Greens MP for Brisbane, Stephen Bates (who is facing a big fight to hang on to his seat against Labor and Liberal challenges – Labor could pick this seat up with Green preferences) asks Anthony Albanese:

Currently, billionaires are making out like bandits, while everyone else is being squeezed. Yesterday, the Greens announced a plan for Australia’s 150 billionaires to pay an annual 10% billionaire tax on net wealth, raising $50 billion over the decade. Prime Minister, do you agree it is time billionaires paid their fair share to ensure everyone can get access to the services they need such as seeing the GP for free?

(This comes after the Greens released costings showing if the billionaires were taxed, then GP visits, dental and heavily subsidised public transport could be paid for under their policy settings)

Anthony Albanese, who at one point in his political career would have been screaming Eat the Rich as well says:

I thank the member for Brisbane for his question and I’m surprised that he stopped at 10%. Why not 20%? 30%? 40%? 50%? Because that’s the difference between a political party that seeks to form government and a party of protest that can say whatever they like. Things don’t have to add up as long as it sounds good.

Hmmmm, mature. Really reading the room there (the room being the electorate)

Albanese continues:

The reason why there are Queensland Greens in this House is because the Queensland LNP chose to target Jackie Trad and put a Queensland Green in the Queensland Parliament*. That is why they sit up there in the corner, Mr Speaker. That is precisely why that occurred.

So when we come to the question that’s been asked, I certainly believe in a fair taxation system and I believe that people should pay their fair share and I understand certainly that there is concern, particularly amongst young Australians that they aren’t getting a fair crack, which is why we have a range of measures be it the measures that the Housing Minister just indicated, to deal with affordability of housing going forward.

That is why, as well, we, upon being elected, will cut student debt by 20%, by 20%, following up from the $3 billion that we cancelled already. We, when we weigh up a budget and a fiscal position, we always look for what is fair, but what we do as well is make sure that things are responsible and that they do add up, that they do add up, and the sort of gestures I understand are populism of either the left or the right is a bit of a fashion these days, but we do what we do as a responsible party of Australia’s centre-left**, is to put forward responsible policies that add up, that seek to keep an economy growing, that seek to have ongoing investment in the creation of jobs and growth in our economy, that seek to make sure that no-one is left behind by making sure that we have an appropriate welfare system and an appropriate social services, be it in education or health, but also that we make sure no-one else held back. We are the party of opportunity, so we look for opportunity at every attempt and that is why we are the party of progress, not the party of protest.

*This is true. While the Greens had been growing support in Jackie Trad’s seat (campaigns headed up by Max Chandler-Mather) it was the LNP decision to preference the Greens over Trad which ended Labor’s hold on the West End seat. The election before Trad lost, Tim Nicholls (then leading the LNP) came under fire for preferencing Trad over the Greens, thereby saving her seat, with Nicholls saying it made more sense to him as the LNP leader to have a Labor MP, rather than a Green in the parliament. But in the next election, that decision was reversed and the rest is history.)

**Is the responsible party of the centre-left in the room with us now?

In the meantime, here is what Anthony Albanese has to say:

“I’ll try to go through some of the items, Well, our economy, of course, is growing, unlike, unlike most of the advanced economies in the world… We haven’t had a single Order. quarter of negative growth. We’ve continued to have positive growth. Inflation is down, down to 2.4%. Down from the 6% that we inherited. Wages are up, inflation down, wages up.

As a result, indeed, pay packets are growing at the fastest pace since 2012. That’s very important and, of course, at the same time, we have delivered tax cuts for every single taxpayer, opposed by those opposite because we want people to earn more and we want more people to keep more of what they earn. Earn more and keep more of what they earn. Those opposite want people to work longer for less. Longer for less. Unemployment is, of course, low.

We have had the fastest employment growth, faster than any of the G7 nations, and we’re really proud of that. 1.1 million jobs created on our watch, more than any government since federation.

So you would think, at a time where we have had global economic difficulties, global inflation have had an impact around the world, that when you piece all that together – economy growing, inflation down, unemployment low, wages up – you would think that there would be… You’d think that there would be some support from those opposite… The Shadow Treasurer has asked his question. But in fact it’s happened in spite of their opposition, because all of our cost-of-living measures, whether it was energy bill relief, cheaper childcare, cheaper medicines, extra bulk billed GP appointments, free TAFE, the largest rent assistance incede in 30 years, student debt relief for 3 million families – they’ve opposed every single one of those measures and indeed, if they had their way, Australians would be $7,200 worse off on average*.

And if they get their way, if they get their way, Australians are in great risk from this mob. It’s $350 billion in cuts that they’ve said they will make but they won’t tell you what they will be and that’s before they make room for $600 billion nuclear fantasy. I thank the Shadow Treasurer very much for his question.“

*This is based on treasury analysis Chalmers asked for, if the cost of living measures the Coalition opposed never happened. It also includes the changes to the stage three tax cuts not going through – the Coalition did support that, but originally opposed it (a classic Bitch and Fold) and then said it would reinstate the original stage three, but hasn’t said much more about that lately. But also, you don’t get a cookie for this kind of stuff, no matter how much the government wishes voters would think about what they would have been through, if it wasn’t for certain measures being put in place. Just because it may have been tougher doesn’t mean it is not tough now.

Angus Taylor is up! And he is back to asking Anthony Albanese questions (there is a running joke that he is afraid of asking Jim Chalmers questions because the only time Chalmers gets to pretend to be Paul Keating is when he is fronting up to Taylor in QT)

The Albanese Labor Government has created a cost-of-living crisis, a gas crisis a crime crisis, an energy cries us and a housing crisis. Living standards have suffered the biggest collapse in the developed world. Australian households have been in recession for more than… Household recession for more than 700 days, the longest on record. Prime Minister, why are Australians paying the price for Labor’s economic incompetence?

Greg Jericho is back in the office today following his bike crash last week, which means I can now just yell at him to answer these questions for me. The yelling has been done and he is putting something together for you.

We mentioned this a little earlier today – but it should surprise no one that Labor voted against re-establishing the Medevac laws it supported in 2019 when Scott Morrison was prime minister.

It’s a dixer, so let’s check in with the climate integrity summit, where Fiji’s former Reserve Bank Governor said Australia’s credibility being questioned in the Pacific;

During his address to the Climate Integrity Summit, Unity Fiji Party Leader and former Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Savenaca Narube, questioned whether Australia has made good on what it says on the global stage.

Here’s a reminder of what Penny Wong said back in 2022 in a speech in Fiji:

“This is a different Australian government and a different Australia, and we will stand shoulder to shoulder with you, our Pacific family, in response to this crisis.”

He has pointed out the perception of pacific people towards people is not great, saying it can be summed up in one word: credibility.

“Australia’s actions clearly does not match its words,” Mr Narube said.

Mr Narube said leaders from the Pacific can’t understand why Australia is subsidising fossil fuels.

“Even from an Australian perspective, the fossil fuel subsidy makes little economic sense.”

He said Australia needs to work on closing the “credibility gap”.

The condolence motion ends and the questions begin.

I think as we could all have predicted, the Coalition opens questioning over the social media clip of two Bankstown Hospital nurses which was uploaded by an Israeli content creator.

The creator was on an app which connects you to random people across the globe for conversations. When he tells the two people in the video he is Israeli, they react with disgust and say they would not treat an Isreali person. The pair reference Israel’s military actions in Palestine as the reason for their attitude.

The two nurses have been suspended by NSW Health pending an investigation and as you would expect there has been widespread political condemnation.

But Julian Leeser now asks:

Prime Minister, for the last 15 months, Jewish Australians have been subjected to harassment, doxxing, firebombing, death threats and terror plots. Today, we’ve seen revelations of New South Wales health workers calling for Israeli patients to be refused treatment and claiming to have murdered Israelis under their care. Prime Minister, the Australian Jewish community is living in fear. How did the country get to this point?

Anthony Albanese:

I have seen this anti-Semitic video. It’s driven by hate and it’s disgusting. The comments are vile, the footage is sickening and it is shameful. (Labor caucus; hear hear) Anti-Semitic comments have no place certainly in our health system but no place anywhere else in Australia either. Overwhelmingly, people in our health system, our nurses, our doctors, our orderlies, they go into the health system because they care about their fellow Australians, their fellow humans.

The idea that people would perpetrate the language and hate and bile that is there in this video…they’re talking – I’m not sure of the format, it’s apparently some format where people can talk to each other in different countries – the person they’re talking to is speaking about peace.

And is someone who is being very respectful back in amongst this extraordinary provocation. These individuals – the New South Wales Government has acted, the New South Wales Health Minister. They’ve been stood down by the New South Wales authorities. They’ve rightly been referred to the New South Wales Police for criminal investigation. I’ve had a discussion with the AFP Commissioner, Commissioner Kershaw, about these matters and they have offered whatever assistance is required at this stage. That has not been requested and I make this point – it is very clear to me that these people have commited what are crimes and they should face the full force of the law.

Lucy and Malcolm Turnbull are in the chamber for these condolence motions – Tom Hughes was Lucy’s father.

Anthony Albanese recognises this at the end of his speech:

I welcome all of Tom’s loved ones who have joined us here today, his beloved wife Christine Hughes, his daughter and son-in-law, Lucy and Malcolm Turnbull, who I was able to welcome into my office earlier today, and, in the gallery, his son Tom Hughes as well as Greg Hughes, Henry Wright and Georgina Arthur. You are all very welcome guests here. Even in Tom’s absence, may his presence always loom large in your lives. As Tom himself once put it – “It’s been a long life, but I’ve been very, very lucky.” Australia was certainly lucky to have him. May he rest in peace.

Excuse that slight delay in posts there – I was just pulled away for a scheduled interview.

The press club event ended with Ed Husic giving a rousing defence of research and development and then the chamber was filled with MPs for question time.

But before the questions there is a condolence motion for Thomas Hughes, a Liberal MP who was the last surviving member of the Gorton and McMahon governments.

Dr Yuki Tanabe, the Sustainable Development and Aid Program Coordinator, Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society, is addressing the Climate Integrity Summit.

He has exposed the myth that Japan’s energy security depends on Australia LNG imports, pointing out that narrative serves commercial interests rather than reflecting genuine energy vulnerability or regional instability.

He’s provided three reasons why Japan does not need any more of Australia’s gas:

• LNG projects in Japan, proposed and new, are not in line with the Paris agreement
• Japan’s new gas deal are not for ‘energy security’ and Japan’s LNG re-selling is larger than what it is importing from Australia
• Hydrogen and Ammonia co-firing is not economically viable (and not in line with the Paris agreement)

Have we gone too far in politicising science and research?

Ed Husic:

I would like to think in an environment on the cusp of a Federal election, being politicised is going to come with the territory as well. I can’t avoid that.

What I would say is I think there are a lot of the elements of the Coalition – I haven’t been a fan of their treatment of science in times passed. I can only go by some of the things that have been said since. I think the fact they have main tanned a presence of science in their shadow cabinet is an important sign. We always want to work with them on these issues.

We have welcomed the fact that they have embraced some of the things we have done through the national science and research priorities. We will have differences of opinion on things. They have made the wrong call, they have focused on our investment in Psi Quantum and politicised that.

Long term, let’s see how it plays outside but I don’t think the mud they have thrown will stick and it will be an important investment in long term capability in this country, just like their investment in Moderna was. When it comes to science, there has been more to celebrate than to shake a fist at when it comes to this arena with respect to the intersection of politics and science. I hope that will be the case into the future because this is one realm where we don’t need the political fighting, we need to be all on board, recognising our people, Australian scientists and researchers, can do phenomenal things. If we back it, it will mean a great deal to our community but sustain the economy well into the future.”

Former professional footballer turned human rights activist Craig Foster has made some thought-provoking comments at the Climate Integrity Summit about the role sports and athletes.

Politicians are using them (athletes) and their brand,” he said.

But he makes the point that all the responsibility to drive change cannot fall to athletes – sports themselves must act.

If we can turn major sporting organisations around to authentically do something, then we can certainly create much faster progress,” he said.

The governing bodies have the power.”

On a side note, he is also hoping that the news out of the United States will spring people into action. 

My hope is that what Trump is doing, his retreat into climate madness, is that it will bring people together into action,” he said.

Back to the national press club and Ed Husic is still being asked about tariffs and Australian exports. Is he confident Australia will get the exemption?

Husic:

It is important to recognise the breadth of work that has been done across government through different ministers and through the arms of government to make the case to the Americans. I wouldn’t underestimate the impact of that and all the other factors I have said earlier.

In the last 24/48 hours it has been a massive issue here in Australia but I am actively engaged with the aluminium sector. We announced our $2 billion plan to see aluminium manufacture well into the future. Which sustains jobs in regional blue collar communities across the country. I have a deep personal interest in that as a son of a metal worker myself.

I am proud going to Portland seeing Alcoa’s operations and seeing loaded up lines and lines of aluminium and where countries are paying a premium price for that and 100% of that product that is made in Portland in Victoria is being exported, defying the people who say we can’t compete in manufacturing and people know we make a quality product.

The world has a high demand for our aluminium. We need it as part of the transition to net zero and there is a healthy future for Australian aluminium and the question is for our American friends “do you want to pay more for that product that you have got a big demand for?”

We will work through all those issues.

Meanwhile at the Climate Integrity Summit, there are some silver linings being found amongst the world’s muck:

Dave Richardson and Greg Jericho have taken a look at what exactly no action on housing affordability would look like: spoiler – it is not good.

If housing affordability keeps going the way it has over the past 20 years, an average dwelling in Sydney will be worth 24 years of an average salary.

The latest figures from the Bureau of Statistics today reveal that the size of the average home loan over just the past 5 years has increased by more than $198,000 in Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales.

Everyone knows Australian house prices are high and putting home ownership out of reach for many new home buyers. These most recent mortgage figures only serve to remind people just how expensive it is to buy a home.

While often the media commentary is about Sydney house prices, the home loan figures show all states are affected. For example, the average new home loan in South Australia in just five years has gone from $372,000 to $580,000 – a 56% increase at a time when the average full-time earnings in South Australia have increased only around 18%.

But while the current situation is dire, if the pace of the past 20 years continues, owning a home will not so much be the Australian dream, but a ludicrous fantasy unavailable to everyone except to the very richest.

You can read more, here.

The Australia Institute’s International and Security Affairs Director, Dr Emma Shortis is addressing the Climate Integrity Summit.

Dr Shortis did not mince her words when highlighting how our unwavering allegiance to the United States leaves us vulnerable and risks aligning climate and security strategies with a partner that is failing to lead on the most pressing issue of our time – climate change.

“The Trump administration is an active direct threat to our security and the security of the world,” Dr Shortis said.

“The America we thought we knew is gone and never coming back.”

But she points out that hope is not lost, but it requires bravery, understanding and imagination.

“We and the rest of the world have choices… what Australia does matter, our choices matter,” she said.

You can hear more from Emma Shortis on her podcast, After America.

The parliament is continuing to tick over, so we are have turned our attention to the National Press Club, where Ed Husic is delivering an address.

So far it is off to a rollicking start, with his mobile phone sounding almost as soon as he got to the podium.

“I think I am getting another email,” he joked.

We’ll check in on the speech and also the Q and A and bring you anything of interest.

AAP has an update on the Antoinette Lattouf case:

The former supervisor of a fill-in ABC radio host did not see anything wrong with an anti-Israel social media post that led to the presenter’s dismissal, adding that decision was made due to pressure from higher up.

Antoinette Lattouf was recruited to host the Mornings show on ABC Radio Sydney for five days from Monday to Friday in December 2023

However, the 41-year-old was let go following three days on air after sharing an Instagram post by Human Rights Watch saying Israel used starvation as a “weapon of war” in Gaza.

Her direct supervisor Elizabeth Green, now executive producer of ABC Radio’s Sydney Drive show, took the witness box in Lattouf’s unlawful dismissal case in the Federal Court on Wednesday.

She said she learned from former head of capital city networks Steve Ahern during a meeting on December 20 that Lattouf would not be required for her final two shifts because of the Human Rights Watch post.

“You also expressed the view that you did not see anything wrong with Ms Lattouf’s post?” asked the journalist’s barrister Philip Boncardo.

“I did say that,” Ms Green replied.

After Lattouf was let go, Ms Green said she had a private conversation with the crying journalist in an ABC boardroom.

She told Lattouf she tried hard to stop her being dismissed but believed the call had been made from “higher up”.

“I said there was pressure for her to be removed from the Monday,” Ms Green told the court.

“I understood it had been referred up because she asked if it was (Mr Ahern’s) decision.”

Ms Green heard from Mr Ahern that the decision had been made from the office of now outgoing ABC managing director David Anderson.

One of the key issues in the case is who made the decision to dismiss Lattouf, with fingers being pointed at both Mr Anderson and then-ABC content chief Chris Oliver-Taylor.

Lattouf alleges she was fired because of her political opinion and race after the ABC bowed to pressure from pro-Israeli lobbyists co-ordinating a campaign of complaints.

She is seeking compensation and penalties against the broadcaster.

In its defence, the ABC says that Lattouf was taken off air because she breached a direction not to post anything in the Israel-Gaza conflict during her five-day employment.

Ms Green said she had told the freelance journalist about the complaints during a phone call on December 18.

She said she explicitly told Lattouf it would be best if she refrained from posting on anything relating to Israel or Palestine while she was working for the ABC.

However, she also agreed the 41-year-old could post on topics which were fact-based or from verified sources or reputable organisations.

The hearing continues.

Fortescue’s Chief Climate Scientist, Dr Shanta Barley, says “the trust has failed” and stressed the importance of setting ‘real zero’ targets which set clear deadlines to phase out fossil fuels.

Speaking at the Climate Integrity Summit, Dr Barley has warned that economic losses await businesses and governments that fail to set these deadlines.

She also points out that offsets are a distraction, and don’t lower emissions.

“We are being duped,” Dr Barley said.

“Even if they worked they only neutralise emissions – not reduce them”.

Yesterday the private sector and business leaders urged the federal government to adopt ‘real zero’ emissions in an open letter, highlighting that net zero frameworks allow accounting tricks and increased fossil fuels.

Those signatories included Fortescue Chair Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, Simon Sheikh CEO, Future Super, Dino Otranto CEO, Fortescue Metals, Nick J. Fairfax Managing Director and Co-CIO, Marinya Capital, Ian Melrose Co-Owner, Optical Superstore, Mark Barnaba Chairman, Greatland Gold PLC, Former Board Member of the Reserve Bank of Australia.

The battle for Labor to hold on the Tasmanian seat of Lyons is heating up, with former state Labor leader Rebecca White announcing she is retiring from state politics to focus on the federal election.

White has been preselected as the Labor candidate after Brian Mitchell announced he would not contest the next election. White led Labor across three election campaigns in Tasmania, but Labor fell short each time.

AAP reports White said she needed to concentrate her energies on the federal contest:

The time has come for me to step aside and focus my energy on the upcoming federal election campaign, where I hope to continue my service to our community of Lyons in the Australian parliament,” she said in a statement.

“It is with great excitement that I now dedicate myself to the task of winning the support of my community to represent them in the federal parliament.”

Labor is battling to hold on to Lyons, but White is seen as their best chance to retain the seat.

Given the Coalition and Labor have come to a deal to get the electoral donation and spending changes passed without pesky transparency and fairness from the crossbench, the Institute’s Josh Black and Bill Browne have taken a look at some of the justifications for the legislation:

.The government says the electoral laws changes are about limiting big spending by independents, but community independents spent less per seat than the major parties at the 2022 federal election.

The supposedly large campaigns run by community independents have been used to justify the Albanese Government’s rushed changes to electoral laws. Labor Special Minister of State Don Farrell explicitly linked the laws to an attempt to limit funding for community independents, saying “if you can’t get your message across after spending $800,000, then maybe you shouldn’t be in politics”.

Liberal MP Paul Fletcher claimed that “[t]hese amounts being spent on campaigns in individual electorates are without precedent in the Australian political system”.
Since these claims are being used to justify sweeping changes to Australian electoral law, they warrant close scrutiny.

The data reveals that the line being pushed by the two major parties does not stack up.

Despite what the Labor and Liberal parties might wish to suggest, million-dollar campaigns were not uncommon before the 2022 election.

Former Senator Kim Carr claimed that Labor spent $1 million on the 2018 Batman by-election campaign in the hope of preventing a once-safe seat from falling to the Greens and the same year, the Liberal Party reportedly spent $1 million on its Wentworth by-election campaign, which was won by independent Dr Kerryn Phelps. Her campaign cost $145,265.

Even since the 2022 election, both Labor and the Liberal Party have had a million-dollar seat campaign. The Labor Party spent $1 million on its campaign for the competitive Dunkley by-election in March 2024, and national secretary Paul Erikson predicted the Coalition had ‘easily matched this’.

However, the key issue is that while each independent candidate discloses their expenditure separately, parties report only aggregate expenditure for the year. Labor or Liberal for example do not have to disclose how much each spent trying to win a specific marginal seat. But we can calculate how much is spent, on average, per electorate.

For example, the Labor Party spent just under $116 million for 151 House of Representatives candidates in 2022, compared to $131 million for 155 candidates from the Liberal and National parties. The 22 community independents spent a combined $14.4m.

On this measure, Labor and the Coalition spent on average $112,000 and $189,000 respectively more per candidate than the community independents.

You can read the whole off the charts report, here

Here are some more comments from the Chair of Alliance of Small Island States and Ambassador and Permanent Representative for the Republic of Palau to the United Nations, who spoke at the Climate Integrity Summit.

Her Excellency Ilana Seid said Pacific Island nations are relying on Australia to be as a strong partner advocating for the needs of Pacific Island nations on the international stage and providing crucial support for our adaptation and mitigation efforts.

When Australia comes in and says we have to do it, it speaks volumes for the rest of the world to follow,” she said.

She also makes the point that:

• Australia can drive economic transformation by creating new industries, thousands of jobs and long term prosperity.
• Australia can become a leader in renewable energy exports, providing clean power not just to your people but to nations across the region.
• Australia has the resources, the technology and the opportunity to be a beacon for others.
• Australia’s rich cultural heritage and the deep ancestral connections of our indigenous peoples to the land and sea offer a pair of a powerful narrative.
• “We urge Australia to announce bold initiatives ahead of COP 31:
• Accelerated timelines for phasing out coal
• New investments in renewable infrastructure
• Elimination of fossil fuel subsidies
• Expanded support for vulnerable nations
  

Tony Burke and Mark Butler have released a joint statement in response to a video circulating on social media by an Israeli content creator speaking to two health workers from Bankstown Hospital. The creator uses the app Chatruletka which connects random people from across the world for ‘chats’ (and if you have been on it, you know what else is on there)

When the creator says he is from Israel, the two people he is speaking to respond they are upset he is Israeli and that they hope he dies, adding that they refuse to treat Israelis. The clip was then cut up and sent out across social media, leading to two Bankstown Hospital healthcare workers being stood down.

Burke and Butler:

The Albanese Government utterly condemns the appalling video that has circulated on social media of two health workers from Bankstown Hospital.

This video is as chilling as it is vile.

The comments made in this video are sickening and totally unacceptable.

We welcome the news that those responsible for the video have been stood down from their jobs and the incident has been referred to police. We fully endorse the swift and decisive action taken by the NSW Government.

Australians have a right to feel safe wherever they go and nowhere should be safer than a hospital.

Health workers have a solemn duty to treat and heal everyone who comes before them needing help. The vast majority hold to that oath.

The idea that you would single out a particular group in our community and indicate you wouldn’t care for them runs against every single principle in our health care system.

These sort of comments – and the hatred that underpins them – have no place in our health system and no place anywhere in Australia.

There is no evidence that anyone has been refused treatment. All hatred is vile and should be called out, which includes the threats and abuse Palestinians and other Arabs have received on the app when they have been connected with people from Israel.

All hatred should be addressed.

And if you want to add your voice to those already expressing their discontent at the government over its electoral donation changes that will entrench the two-party system even further, the Director of the Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program Bill Browne has a way:

There are just days left in what may be the final sitting week before the federal election. It’s an extremely busy time in Parliament House, but here’s what you need to know:

The Government is trying to strike a deal with the Coalition to rush sweeping changes to Australia’s electoral laws though the Parliament, without proper scrutiny or accountability.

They’ve tried this once before. Late last year, the government wanted to pass these changes to the fundamental operation of our democracy with little scrutiny and no parliamentary inquiry. It was only public pressure that stopped it.

Now, they’re trying to do the same thing again.

Will you add your name to our petition so that, together, we can stand up to protect Australian elections?

Let’s revisit the Commonwealth Bank’s latest profit announcement with Dave Richardson:

Based on their interim report:

Commonwealth Bank pre-tax profit for the half year to 31 December was $7,406 million.

That means on average, every Australian resident is contributing an annual equivalent of $544 to CBA’s profit.

The average Australian is paying an annualised $2,257 in interest payments to the CBA.

People with a CBA mortgage are some of the hardest hit but even those who do not bank with the CBA most likely contribute through CBA fees charged to merchants who pass that on to customers.

Stepping outside the parliament again and former Labor Senator for New South Wales Doug Cameron is addressing the Climate Integrity Summit, talking about trade, and securing Australia’s future in the context of the climate crisis.

“It is important to consider to the crisis in the context of how we improve society and create jobs,” Mr Cameron said.

He said short-term thinking is a “fundamental” problem in Australia and points out that fossil fuels are cheap because they are not held accountable.

“Fossil fuels remain cheap because they have never paid for the damage they have done,” he said.

“The has to be a shift away from coal.”

The Greens, the government and the climate have had a win in the parliament, with the Greens winning support for its amendment to the Electricity Infrastructure Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 to protect the Capacity Investment Scheme from a future Coalition government.

Adam Bandt is calling it ‘Dutton proofing” which is not unfair, given that even if Dutton loses this coming election he is likely to remain leader, because let’s face it, who is taking over? Angus Taylor? Sussan Ley? Luke Howarth? Come on.

The Capacity Investment Scheme is basically a way government can encourage renewables investment by underwriting it.

The Greens amendment means any changes to the underwriting scheme will have to go through the parliament. Because remember: it is a rare for a government to also control the senate. In that sense, Australia is always in minority government.

Bandt:

“Peter Dutton’s dangerous nuclear fantasy is a ploy to keep coal and gas in the system for longer, threatening investment in renewables. Locking support for renewables and storage into law will give the industry certainty that the transition is unstoppable.

“The Greens want to keep Peter Dutton out and get Labor to act in a minority government, but if somehow Peter Dutton ever makes his way to the Lodge, these amendments will keep his hands off the Capacity Investment Scheme and keep renewables and storage on track.

“If the Parliament works together like this we can get real action on the climate crisis.”
 

Still at the Climate Integrity Summit. and the Chair of Alliance of Small Island States and Ambassador and Permanent Representative for the Republic of Palau to the United Nations is speaking.

Her Excellency Ilana Seid is talking about the advancement of global climate justice and action, and the important role of small island nations in doing so.

She also spoke about how important Australia’s role truly is as a leader in this space.

Australia can be a leader in renewable energy exports, you have the resources the technology and the opportunity to be a beacon for others,” she said.

“This is not a distant crisis – it is here.”

There’s a theme here…. politicians and policy makers – take notes.

Back at the Climate and Energy Director at the Australia Institute, Dr Polly Hemming, is addressing the Climate Integrity Summit, making some pointed comments about Australia needing to act with integrity – and that even small players can wield great power and create change.

We have been conditioned to believe that we are powerless, that our voice is too small, our influence too limited – as individuals and as a nation,” Ms Hemming said.

“The question is not whether Australia has the capacity to lead with integrity, the question is whether the people in this building have the courage to do it.

“Australia is not small, we are just told that it is when our leaders want to avoid international responsibility for something.”

She has also highlighted how important it is for Australia to be a leader when it comes to progressive climate policy.  

“The stability of our democracy, the fairness of our tax system, the strength of our public institutions— all of it shapes how well we can respond to climate breakdown,” she said.

“Everything comes back to climate and climate affects everything.”

And on Trump and Israel’s threats that the ceasefire in Gaza will not move on to its second stage unless Hamas releases all the hostages (Hamas officials had said they would stop with the hostage exchange after accusing Israel of breaking the terms of the ceasefire by continuing to kill Palestinians, and have called on Israel to uphold its end of the bargain.)

This of course all comes after Trump announced the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians through the forced removal to surrounding states and the US ‘take over’ of Gaza. Trump is in Jordan trying to convince it of his plan’s ‘merits’.

Albanese says:

I want to see those terms continue. I want to see the ceasefire continue. I want to see hostages released as well. I think Australians overwhelmingly want to see an end to conflict there. They want to see as well, hostages released and they want to see an end to the involvement of terrorist organisations like Hamas. I think that overwhelmingly is what Australians want and they want in the longer term, Australia’s position remains exactly the same as it has been on a bipartisan level for a long period of time, which is a two-state solution with Israelis and Palestinians living in peace and security side by side, which John Howard, almost 20 years ago now made it very clear that the Palestinian question needs to be settled and that that was a key. Without that, it’s difficult to see there being peace in the Middle East. I want Israelis to be able to live in peace and security and prosperity, but I also want a peaceful region which includes the right of Palestinians to live in peace and security as well

There have been a few people write in and ask us why the Albanese government is offering to be the contingency plan for Rex airlines.

Here is the PM explaining it himself:

The point of Rex is it has a unique position. It’s not running major routes. In Qantas’ case, it’s an international airline and it provides a different service. We know internationally, Air New Zealand next door is owned more than 50 per cent by the government. And aviation, the reason why governments have intervened and airlines around the world, whether you look at Singapore, BA got bailed out, Alitalia, Lufthansa as well as, of course, the Middle Eastern airlines, all connected with their governments, whether it be Emirates, Etihad or Qatar, Gulf Air, these are all connected. There’s a reason for that. Because aviation plays a critical role in communities. And that’s why we’re not going to allow in a vast continent like Australia. We’re not going to allow communities to just be falling behind. I mean, this is doing the right thing by regional communities. As I said, our preferred option is for the private sector. There’s been one round, if you like, that what’s wasn’t successful. We are indicating there’ll be another round here, but we’re also providing certainty for those communities.

Let’s check in with the retail energy sector shall we?

Via AAP:

Electricity giant AGL Energy has reported a fall in interim profit as customers try to curb rising power bills during a cost-of-living crisis.

AGL on Wednesday reported a half-year statutory net profit of $97 million, down $479 million, as it responds to market pressure to exit coal-fired power generation.

Underlying profit was $373 million, down 6.5 per cent on a year earlier, on higher operating costs to maintain generation and as consumers swapped products.

“The retail market has seen high volumes of customer product swapping in recent years due to price increases and broader cost-of-living pressures, which have also increased pressure on margins,” chief executive Damien Nicks said.

The “strong first half” was in line with expectations, driven by the flexibility of the generation fleet and its ability to capture higher realised electricity pricing, including continued strong earnings from a growing portfolio of big batteries, he said.

Back to the climate integrity summit and the General Secretary of the g7+ Secretariat, Dr Helder da Costa, says global challenges like climate change exacerbate conflict, undermine stability and disproportionately affect fragile and conflict-affected states.

In his keynote address to the Climate Integrity Summit at Parliament House, Dr da Costa said Australia has “an integral role” to play in supporting the fragile nations, particularly those in the Pacific.

“Climate action, intended to mitigate and reverse the impact of climate change, is itself marked by injustice, Dr da Costa said.

“Wealthy and stable countries have the resources to shield themselves from the worst consequences of natural disasters.”

He points out despite clear scientific evidence about their impact on emissions, many developed nations continue to “deflect responsibility for their disproportionate role in this crisis” and countries like Australia must act.

“This includes financial commitments to climate adaptation, promoting sustainable economic development, and strengthening the capacity of Pacific nations to respond to crises—both natural and man-made,” he said.

“We must act now, not just for the benefit of the fragile states, but for the stability and security of the entire global community.”

The g7+, is an intergovernmental organisation of 20 countries spanning different regions, united by a shared vision of achieving lasting peace and stability.

Ok, so as was always going to be the case (but oppositions always do this) Michael Sukkar’s motion to suspend standing orders is knocked down by the government.

Nationals turned independent Andrew Gee is now giving the suspension of standing orders a shot, to try and bring on debate about his ‘keeping cash transactions in Australia’ bill, which seeks to, well, keep cash transactions in Australia.

Regional MPs such as Gee and Bob Katter want to make it a law to force businesses to continue to accept cash, given the move to electronic transactions only in a lot of businesses was turbo charged by the pandemic shut downs.

Katter had his own version of this play out in the parliamentary staff cafeteria, known as the ‘trough’ (everyone pays, although the prices are a few dollars cheaper than you would find in a private cafe) when he was told it was card only and had a Katter style reaction to it. The Speaker, Milton Dick, who is one of the presiding officers of the parliament (the people who make the rules about the parliament) was getting his own salad at the time, stepped in, and established that at least one cash register still had to accept cash (as a trial, which we understand is still underway).

The summit has brought together leading experts in economics, ecology, policy and governance to discuss a credible and achievable climate policy that serves the Australian people and broader global community.

In his opening remarks, The Australia Institute’s Executive Director, Richard Denniss, has pointed out the importance of the role of each individual in a democracy.

“In a democracy we can and we do stop people doing things that harm other people all the time,” Dr Denniss said.

He has pointed out that any talk of ‘transitioning away’ from fossil fuels is empty noise and stressed the importance of integrity.

“Australia is not transitioning away from fossil fuels we are doubling down,” he said.

“There is no transition taking place in Australia we plan to export more fossil fuels.

“Our public debate lacks integrity, we talk about transitioning away from something while expanding it – there is no integrity behind that.

“We collect more revenue from HECS than the Petroleum Resources Rent Tax.”

Other speakers today include Jennifer Robinson, Craig Foster and David Pocock.

Parliament started sitting less than an hour ago, but the shenanigans have already begun.

In the house, Michael Sukkar is attempting to suspend standing orders to bring on the government’s treasury bill which would change the luxury car tax and add in the fuel efficiency standards, because the Coalition have remembered they need to stand for Ford Rangers and Toyota Hiluxes.

(For the record, the Toyota Rav4 was the top selling car overall last year, with the Ford Ranger the top selling new car. So you know, consumers will get what they want)

We’ll have more from the PM’s early press conference very soon, but of course he was asked about the Trump tariffs and said:

The Australian Government is clearly continuing to make its case to the US Government as March 12 US Government as March 12 approaches.

That case being ‘don’t put tariffs on us, we import so much more from you than you import from us and also, we just gave you $800m for the Aukus deal to help build your shipyards and who knows if we will even get those submarines because you’re so far behind in your own building program, so why are you doing this to us?’

Why indeed.

You know how we were just talking about interest rate hikes just being a wealth transfer from workers to the banks/

Well Dave Richardson has the receipts:

Between them, the big four banks extracted approx $17.6 billion profit from households with owner-occupier home loans in 2023-24.

That means the profit on owner-occupied housing loans is 39.5% of the big four’s total profit while those loans are just 24.6% of their business.

Australia Institute research shows the big four banks take profit of approximately $9,130 in the first year from households with an average owner-occupier home loan.

This is $761 each month, or $176 per week, from homeowners.

Over the life of an average 30-year loan, that will amount to $200,880. This is almost 35% of the average mortgage.

Profit in home lending

Stephen Jones also included a defence of the public service in his final speech, ahead of what the Coalition wants to make an election issue, as they continue to travel the Temu Trump path of politics:

Today, there are government workers on the ground in Townsville providing post-flood support, and it’ll be those frontline service agencies, whether it’s the disaster relief agencies, Centrelink or the other services, providing those first-in emergency services and that information to thousands of Australians when we need it.

They’re coordinating disaster relief, they’re patrolling the oceans to our north, they’re going out in boats for weeks at a time—they’re public servants. They’re patrolling our borders. They’re doing the detailed work and design to procure submarines or the equipment that keeps our troops in the field safe and secure.

They’re processing veterans’ entitlements, access to essential mental health supports or payments to keep them sustained. They’re providing cybersecurity, they’re preparing budgets, they’re mapping our oceans or they’re ensuring that we have a detailed knowledge of all the minerals that this great nation has as a part of its bounty. It’s a really important reminder to me that our government,
our national parliament and the people who work for it really matter.

And I’ve got to say, you can get a headline for saying, ‘We’re going to slash 35,000’—or 45,000—’workers from our government,’ but these are the people we’re talking about. You can do it. We’ve seen the movie. You can slash those workers. We’ve seen the movie; we know what’ll happen. There’ll be winners and there’ll be losers. The losers will be the Australian people; the winners will be the labour hire companies and the consultants. We can go back there, it is available to us, but I would suggest that it’s a really bad call.

We have said it before and we will say it again – the only people who benefit from cuts to the public service is the private sector.

Assistant treasurer Stephen Jones delivered his valedictory in the house late yesterday afternoon.

He spoke about the personal impact the royal commission into childhood sexual abuse had on him:

We often speak in this place of strength and weakness, and we reduce it to that concept of strength meaning power over others. I think there’s another kind of strength; it’s the strength that comes from the things that you overcome and the strength that knows it’s more important to do things with and for people than to them. The royal commission was a really painful experience for survivors but a necessary piece of truth-telling and reconciliation.
Survivors, including me, appreciate it—a point I’ve never disclosed because I didn’t want to be defined by it and because I didn’t want to detract attention from those who, unlike me, didn’t have a voice or didn’t have access to power to tell their story. There is power in being seen, being heard and being believed.

Just before Scott Morrison won the 2019 election, Labor and independents used the government’s complicated numbers in the house to pass the Medevac legislation, which allowed for the medical evacuation of detained asylum seekers on Nauru and Papua New Guinea to be transferred to Australia for medical treatment, on the advice of doctors.

When Morrison came back to government one of the first things he did was repeal it. Greens senator David Shoebridge is re-introducing the law and says close to 100 people held in detention by Australia for more than a decade “are in desperate conditions”.

Given Labor supported the law in 2019 he says, should clear the way for Labor to support it again, now.

Shoebridge:

Offshore detention is the result of long-standing toxic politics in the Australian Parliament. 

These are people who have been separated from their families, many forced to watch their friends die in cruel detention facilities, and who are denied the basic dignity we all should have. We need to remember that these are people who came to Australia seeking safety.

When Medevac was last passed in early 2019, the Labor Party supported it. Now that they are in government, they seem to have forgotten this humane policy. It is needed now more than ever. I was in PNG late last year and met with dozens of refugees who were forced to PNG from Australia. 

The people I met in PNG were all in urgent need of medical care, they are denied critical care and the Albanese Government cannot pretend they don’t just don’t exist. This Parliament did the right thing in early 2019, we can do it again now and show Australians how politics can be better than the anger and division offered by the likes of Peter Dutton.“

A reminder that hiking interest rates is a wealth transfer from workers to the banks.

As AAP reports:

The Commonwealth Bank has hiked its dividend after delivering a $5.1 billion first half cash net profit, up two per cent from a year ago, against a weaker economic backdrop.

Australia’s largest bank will pay shareholders a dividend of $2.25 per share, fully franked, up five per cent from a year ago.

CBA’s net interest margin, a key gauge of profitability, was broadly stable at 2.08 per cent, up two basis points from a year ago.

Anthony Albanese was out in the Bega shire super early this morning, talking about the government’s contingency plans for Rex airlines:

We’ll work with the bidders We’ll work with the bidders to maximise a successful sale. This to maximise a successful sale.

This will be contingent on commitments to will be contingent on commitments to provide an ongoing reasonable level provide an ongoing reasonable level of services to regional and remote of services to regional and remote communities. And the need to provide communities.

And the need to provide value for money for taxpayers. value for money for taxpayers.

Dai Le also dished on the independents evening at the Lodge last night. Anthony Albanese invited the crossbench to the PM’s Canberra residence for drinks and Le was asked what was on the agenda:

Nothing. There was nothing! So it was just, you know, hello, I saw the Lodge, and it was the great, you know, first time for me to see the Lodge. It was quite historic.

But you know, for me that the bill is not even, we were not told when is going to come to back, back to the house, so we’re still waiting for that.

But anyway, yeah, nothing happened last night, just to assure people. I mean, I left early. Rebekha Sharkie and I left early because we had work to go back to Parliament. So we staedy for about, probably, you know, an hour max.

The electoral donation changes the Labor government offered up after over a year of delay are…disappointing to say the least. The legislation mostly entrenches the two-party system and will make it difficult for first time independent and minor party candidates to get a foothold in the electoral system, given how the bill sets out a very uneven playing field.

But the Coalition have come on board to help Labor pass the bill (shocking) as neither party wanted the crossbench to have negotiating power here. That is probably the strongest campaigning line from this bill – that the major parties are so afraid of independents and minor parties changing the two-party system in the parliament, they’ll come together to fend them off. The enemy of my enemy and all that.

Independent MP Dai Le defeated Labor’s Kristina Keneally at the last election with just $80,000 from her community. Well before Kendrick taught the world how to be a world class hater, the people of Fowler came together to tell Labor they didn’t appreciate being taken for advantage and they would elect their own candidate thank you very much.

Le looks like being re-elected this time round as well, with Labor’s selection of Tu Le, who should have been preselected before the decision was made to parachute in Keneally to solve a senate factional fight, coming too late.

Le laid out her issues with the deal on ABC radio RN Breakfast:

You know it’s supposed to enhance integrity and, you know, improve transparency and accountability. That’s what the government said, and obviously that’s what the major party is sort of trying to sell. Now, I think there are quite a few disadvantages for an independent from my perspective.

You know, the real time disclosure, the administrative burden of that for an independent who running for the first time, makes it difficult for them to try and do that. From my perspective, you know, it’s just you focus on your campaign, and you try and and get out there and meet with the people and get your message across.

Secondly, I think look that for me, the cap, like you said, I raise about $80,000 from my community. And you know, there’s people who donate 100 bucks, so the cap for me, for me, I’m in a unique position, because I’ve been in the community for over a decade. So people know me, so therefore they know who they’re voting for, but for independents, who’s its the first time they would need to spend money in order to campaign, in order to actually compete with the incumbent, with a major party, I think the cap, you know, for individual, I think its $640,000 each calendar year that seems like a lot. But for some other independents, that is not, because it takes a lot to actually, you know, put up billboards, corflutes , mailing out all of that costs a lot of money.

So therefore for the other independents, they find that’s a real challenge for them, and it’s a real blockage. I think that the part that it concerns me the most is the administrative funding for parties and incumbent independent members to offset compliance. So that’s it.

That’s going to give all of us who are sitting about $35,000 each. We already got an office, but they’re going to give us increase money to administer this new change in that that they that the major parties are proposing, and also to give to increase the the funding to candidates, you know, for currently, I think it’s about three, $3 but it’s going to go up to $5 if you get 4% you know, of first preferences votes at the federal election.

So does that mean that Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price would scrap Closing the Gap?

I wouldn’t go so far as scrapping Closing the Gap, but understanding where the actual gap exists is, I think, the most important thing that we can do in moving forward. Obviously, over the years, things haven’t changed. Things haven’t budged for the better, for as I said, marginalised Indigenous Australians, and they would absolutely be a focus priority under under a Coalition government.

Price was the face of the No campaign during the referendum. Price and the Coalition repeatedly say that ‘things haven’t changed’ for Indigenous Australians, after torpedoing one of the options put up as offering meaningful change. Since then, the idea of ‘regional voices’ that the Coalition floated as solutions have completely disappeared. So ‘meaningful change’ needs to be put into context.

Coalition NT senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price is increasing her media presence ahead of the election (you may have seen several stories featuring Price across media outlets recently) and as part of that, she is laying out how she would handle Indigenous affairs, if the Coalition was in government.

I think it comes down to the way in which we collect data, and if the data that we’re collecting isn’t giving us a true indication of what is actually occurring for marginalised, Indigenous Australians, that’s something we need to really think about. The other thing is the fact that there are, of course, many Australians identifying for the first time as Indigenous at an increasing number every year, and this is also a factor that skews the data. I guess the direction that I would hope to be able to go is to identify who our actual marginalised Indigenous Australians are as a priority and a focus in terms of improving their lives. Because I think I’ve always argued that, you know, just just being Indigenous doesn’t automatically make you disadvantaged. It comes down to your circumstances. It comes it often comes down to your geographical place in Australia as well, and these are things that we need to look much closer to if we really want to see the changes occur that we need to to improve the lives of our marginalised people.

The official announcement on the Rex airlines contingency plan has dropped:

The Albanese Government will work with the Administrators of Regional Express Holdings (Rex), as part of an upcoming competitive sale process, to ensure crucial regional aviation services continue beyond 30 June 2025.

We will work with shortlisted bidders on what support the Albanese Government may be able to provide to maximise the prospect of a successful sale.

Terms of Commonwealth support will be subject to negotiation, but will be conditional on commitments by bidders to provide an ongoing, reasonable level of service to regional and remote communities, the need to provide value for money to taxpayers and good governance.

The Government is not a bidder in the upcoming sale process and would like to see a successful market-led outcome. However, in the event there is no sale, the Albanese Government will undertake necessary work, in consultation with relevant state governments, on contingency options, including preparations necessary for potential Commonwealth acquisition.

The Albanese Government is also providing further support through a waiver of the “use it or lose it” test for Rex regional flight slots at Sydney Airport, which will ensure its access to those slots until 24 October 2026.

This comes on top of the Albanese Government  providing a loan of up to $80 million to keep Rex’s vital regional routes operating until 30 June 2025, and acquiring $50 million of debt from Rex’s largest creditor, PAGAC Regulus Holdings Limited, earlier this year to ensure the airline could continue to operate.

In more domestic news, the federal government is considering buying Rex Airlines if no one else wants it. And it looks like no one else wants it.

Regional Express Airlines connects Australia’s regions to the cities, but that is EXXY. The government has already subsidised Rex to keep it in the air after the administrator was unable to find a buyer last July.

Now the government has said it is prepared to buy Australia’s third largest airline, as a contingency plan.

Jim Chalmers said:

I think it’s the only responsible course of action to take is to consider all of the contingencies. And what we’ve said is we’ve been we are prepared to play a supportive role with the bidders in the private sale if, for whatever reason, a private sale doesn’t go ahead, then we have considered and are considering other contingencies.

We’d work with state governments and other stakeholders to see what might be the most responsible course of action in the event of a private sale not going ahead.

Sabra Lane asks if that’s good business or good politics ahead of an election and Chalmers says:

Well, we support regional Australia. And if you think about the announcement I made yesterday to keep bank branches open in regional Australia, and think about this announcement today to secure the future of regional flights. And what it shows is, from the terminal to the teller, we support regional Australia.

You can tell he is proud of that line. You’ll be hearing it a bit.

On the tariff threat, Jim Chalmers says:

Some of those reports today, which I’ve obviously read, you know, they’re about issues from almost a decade ago, and we’re focused on what’s in front of us.”

Asked about whether ‘Trump sometimes seeks to take revenge on what he sees are perceived wrongdoings’ Chalmers says he “wouldn’t necessarily describe it that way”.

The point that I’m making, Sabra is the conversation between the PM and the President was yesterday. It was very productive. It was very positive. The President said that he would consider an exemption. And both sides have acknowledged how important this economic relationship is to both countries. The President himself pointed to the fact that the Americans run a trade surplus with us, that makes us different, sure to some of the other countries, which have been his focus in recent days.

…But again, to remind your listeners, we’re talking about something from almost a decade ago under a previous Coalition government, it may be that our predecessors can clear this up or provide some more context and commentary around it, but we’re not focused on what happened almost a decade ago. We’re focused on what’s in front of us. We’re focused on the significant announcements coming out of DC, and we’re focused on this productive and positive conversation that Prime Minister Albanese had with President Trump as part of our efforts to stand up for a really important industry in this country.

(The reports have emerged from wording on the executive order that claimed in 2018 Australia broke a verbal agreement to limit aluminum shipments, given it had the tariff exemption. There are disagreements over whether it was only supposed to apply to steel, and the timeframe the Trump administration are talking about)

Again, isn’t it strange that we have to work so hard with an ally? Is no one looking at this relationship and thinking – maybe this isn’t so great for us?

Speaking to ABC radio AM, Jim Chalmers says the change makes it clear to banks how they are to consider student loan debt and comes after months of meetings with the regulators.

He met with the bank heads yesterday and informed them of the lending guideline change. Chalmers repeats that it is “commonsense” because student debt is different to other debt, in that it “paid back in an income contingent way” and shouldn’t prevent someone who is otherwise eligible for a home loan.

Chalmers:

This is just a set of common sense changes to get more people into a home. It’s why I’ve taken the lead on this, speaking to the regulators, speaking to the banks, to see if we can make a meaningful difference for people who might have otherwise been excluded because of their student debt.

In the latest tinker with home ownership, rather than addressing home affordability, the government has changed the lending guidelines for banks, with financial institutions now being told to ignore student debt.

As AAP reports:

Regulators ASIC and APRA have agreed to clarify their guidance to lenders, along with reducing serviceability and reporting requirements in for HECS debts, at the request of Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

The “commonsense clarifications” would help more Australians into a home, Dr Chalmers said.

“People with a HELP (HECS) debt should be treated fairly when they want to buy a house and we’re working with the regulators to make sure they are,” he said.

Banks had indicated they were unsure about how to interpret the existing requirements, which were holding them back from providing mortgages to some prospective borrowers with student loans.

APRA will tell banks they can exclude HECS repayments from serviceability assessments if they expect a borrower will shortly pay off their debt.

The prudential regulator will also ensure HECS is not treated as a debt for debt-to-income reporting purposes, recognising that the size of a person’s HECS repayments depends on their income.

Meanwhile, ASIC will change its guidance on HECS debts, following consultation.

Hello and welcome to your Wednesday parliament sitting and blog, where we will follow the day’s parliamentary events.

We start today with the government feeling a little bouncy after having won the day against the opposition on Tuesday. That shouldn’t be as rare as it is, but that is where we are.

Anthony Albanese’s 40-minute phone call with US president Donald Trump ended with Australia being able to say an exemption from the 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium was “under consideration”. So far no other country has received even that line, so Albanese is feeling like he won a small reprieve (weird that an ‘ally’ who has a ridiculously expensive strategic and defence plan with Australia would even need this much convincing, given the ‘great relationship, no?).

The opposition had planned a day of attacks against Albanese and his choice of Kevin Rudd as ambassador for not getting ahead of the tariffs (the Coalition claim Trump would remember that Rudd was once critical of Trump, as if Trump’s vice-president didn’t once call Trump “an idiot” and privately compare him to Hitler) but a reporter asking about Australia after the executive order for ALL countries was signed, had Trump talking about the “very fine man” Albanese and the airplanes and trade surplus with Australia and confirming the “under consideration” line.

That doesn’t mean Albanese has won though. There is still the executive order itself, which makes note of a “verbal agreement” Australia made to limit aluminium shipments the last time Australia got a tariff exemption when this stuff all went on in the first Trump presidency.

Malcolm Turnbull who helped arrange that exemption said the limits only applied to steel, not aluminium. And it seems most of what they are complaining about happened when Joe Biden was president (apparently everyone should limit themselves to a Trump presidency’s desires even when he is not president) But Trump has the same officials around him now he had then, who want to limit Australian product and they know how Australia plays this time round, and are pre-emptively trying to stop it.

The short version being: it’s not over. And the Coalition know it. So now Australia is in a position of trying to convince it’s ‘exceptional friend’ of not harming it in a trade war. And the opposition is preparing to run a HOW DARE YOU UPSET THEM campaign, instead of standing up for Australia. Cool beans.

We’ll also see some more of the electoral donation changes today, where the major parties put aside their recent animosity to circle the wagons around the two-party system.

You have Amy Remeikis and her two coffees (third under way) with you for most of the day – and I am powered by toast and gingernut biscuits this morning.

Ready?

Let’s get into it.