From 53m ago Labor minister suggests Coalition split on EU trade deal The trade minister says Coalition representatives have walked out of meetings on the European Union trade deal but some of its members might still be interested in getting the deal done. Don Farrell has told the ABC that Ted O’Brien had walked out on him while he was explaining the deal, along with the Nationals leader, Matt Canavan, who protested the trade deal while holding a pineapple earlier today. But Farrell told Patricia Karvelas the Coalition’s and Greens’ objections to the deal did not mean it could not proceed, adding: double quotation mark I have to find nine sensible senators beyond the 30 that I’ve got.
I’m discussing it with everybody. And don’t think for one moment, Patricia, that the opposition is united in their position against this agreement ... I’m hopeful, in fact, I’m perhaps even confident that there are enough senators in the Australian Senate right now who understand just how important this agreement is for Australia to get through.
Key events 3h ago Taylor claims Albanese repeatedly ‘humiliated’ Chalmers 4h ago High court decision will have no impact on federal fossil fuel project approvals, King says 4h ago King says gas reservation plan will 'push down' prices at some stage 5h ago Bell confirms she reached out to Aly over ‘poor choice of words’ 5h ago Hume says Bell ‘reached out’ to Aly after ‘shamed and stoned’ comments 6h ago Nationals bring pineapples to parliament to warn against ‘risky’ imports 6h ago Australia and Jordan sign joint statement on defence and security 7h ago Coalition bid to send trust tax bill to inquiry fails ... for now 8h ago Chalmers introduces trusts tax legislation to the House 8h ago Albanese says ‘thoughts and prayers’ with Pope Leo XIV following cancer diagnosis 8h ago Bell’s comments said ‘in the heat of the moment’ says Hanson 9h ago Nationals MP defends Bell’s ‘shamed and stoned’ comments 10h ago PM says he intervened on ATO credit card ban 10h ago Labor to introduce gas reservation scheme bill with a fifth to stay onshore 10h ago Chalmers warns against scolding One Nation voters: 'Feelings are as real as facts' Husic rejects Wong’s criticism of Palestinian Authority delaying elections Ed Husic has pushed back at Penny Wong’s criticism of the Palestinian Authority delaying its elections until 2027. The foreign minister, with counterparts in Canada, France and the United Kingdom, has called the delay “deeply disappointing”. Husic has told the ABC: double quotation mark Gaza has been levelled.
There are Palestinians trying to hold on to their homes in the West Bank. Imagine trying to put a polling station in that circumstance. The issue is, trying to make sure you have a election process that you can be confident in, that is held in a time that that can occur, and I don’t think it can be, not with those current circumstances ...
And there are people who say, well, and the foreign minister I know has made this point, that our [Australia’s] recognition of the state of Palestine was predicated on the elections, and I absolutely agree. But there is a time and a place. And this is not the right time.
Displaced Palestinians fill jerrycans at a water distribution point in Gaza City on Tuesday. Photograph: Majdi Fathi/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Husic says he understands ‘discomfort’ at PM’s office helping write a letter to itself Ed Husic , the Labor backbencher, has backed independent David Pocock’s concern at the process by which the AI parliamentary committee wrote its letter to the prime minister. Anthony Albanese’s office signed off on language in the bipartisan letter on the AI inquiry before it was sent to the prime minister.
Husic told the ABC: double quotation mark I think the time for inquiries is over ... But having said that, if we are going to do an inquiry, the expectation is it’s done thoroughly. Normally the process would be if you want to do an interim report, you do a report, and the secretariat gets involved, and it puts it together, and the committee has a chance to go through it, and make sure that it’s a thorough response.
So, you know, I can understand why there would be some discomfort about, you know, a letter being put forward in the way that it was done. If you’re going to do it, do it right. Greens deputy leader hopes to be in government in ‘not too distant future’ The Greens’ new deputy leader, Steph Hodgins-May , says she wants the minor party to form government and hopefully soon.
Hodgins-May was on the ABC just now, discussing her objections to the government’s planned reform to its minimum 30% tax rate on discretionary trusts. Steph Hodgins-May, deputy leader of the Greens. Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/The Guardian She said the Greens still wanted the reforms to happen “this year” but wanted an inquiry to find and close any loopholes in the proposed system: double quotation mark We’re saying what the government’s dished up at present isn’t good enough.
They’ve watered down something to the point where we’re uncomfortable with it. We think that it’s going to create further inequity in the taxation system and benefit the 1% ... Even if it’s not perfect, well, we’re going to fight for it to be better than it is.
Asked whether she accepted that the Greens could not make the laws “perfect,” Hodgins-May said: double quotation mark Well, until the Greens are in government, which I do hope happens in the not too distant future – when we can put up legislation that we are incredibly proud of and that we think Australians would also get behind – yes, there’s a level of compromise. But let’s be clear, we are sending this to inquiry. We will interrogate it.
US is repeatedly warning Labor on algorithm reforms, says trade minister Don Farrell has said the US representatives to Australia have repeatedly complained about Labor’s planned algorithm laws but made no direct threats. The digital duty of care laws are expected to be introduced to parliament this week. Farrell told the ABC: double quotation mark They’ve been raised with me every time I’ve met with the Americans.
We obviously have a difference of opinion. We certainly don’t believe anything we are doing is contrary to our free trade agreement ... I’ve tried to explain to the Americans that our objective is to protect our citizens, particularly young people.
And so far, there hasn’t been a direct response. He said the US trade representative, Jamieson Greer , has raised a range of social media issues but there had never been a threat of a consequence for the laws. Farrell added: double quotation mark In a few minutes, I’m meeting the new American ambassador.
He may or he may not [mention the laws]. I don’t know. But if he does, I will explain to him, as I’ve explained to Jamieson Greer, our job as an Australian government is to protect our citizens, and this is one of the ways we’re doing it.
Labor minister suggests Coalition split on EU trade deal The trade minister says Coalition representatives have walked out of meetings on the European Union trade deal but some of its members might still be interested in getting the deal done. Don Farrell has told the ABC that Ted O’Brien had walked out on him while he was explaining the deal, along with the Nationals leader, Matt Canavan, who protested the trade deal while holding a pineapple earlier today. But Farrell told Patricia Karvelas the Coalition’s and Greens’ objections to the deal did not mean it could not proceed, adding: double quotation mark I have to find nine sensible senators beyond the 30 that I’ve got.
I’m discussing it with everybody. And don’t think for one moment, Patricia, that the opposition is united in their position against this agreement ... I’m hopeful, in fact, I’m perhaps even confident that there are enough senators in the Australian Senate right now who understand just how important this agreement is for Australia to get through.
RBA warns staff pay rise ‘will not proceed’ if rejected ahead of vote The Reserve Bank of Australia has told its staff they will miss out on their pay rise if they don’t support a disputed wage deal. RBA staff rejected a 9% increase over three years in July and have fought management for a better offer but the bank will put a roughly similar offer to a vote tomorrow. Susan Woods , the RBA’s chief operating officer, told staff in an email today the 9% offer was competitive.
She said: double quotation mark We have genuinely negotiated to arrive at this position and are at the limit of what we can responsibly offer while meeting our obligations as a public institution and Australia’s central bank. Staff have already missed six weeks of pay rise as their deal would have started in September. Woods told staff the RBA would not offer any back pay, adding: double quotation mark This is the Bank’s best offer for the 2026 EA.
A further “no” vote will not recover the salary already forgone, and the proposed 3.7 per cent increase will not proceed ... Bargaining would continue, with no guarantee that this would result in a higher wage outcome. An ibis bird perches next to the Reserve Bank of Australia headquarters in central Sydney.
Photograph: Daniel Munoz/Reuters The RBA has compared its bargaining to federal public service , which is also offering 9%, and the Commonwealth Bank , which yesterday agreed pay rises over three years of 13% for its lowest paid staff but 5% for those on over $165,000. The Finance Sector Union has asked RBA staff to reject the deal and fight for an 11% three-year deal. The vote will close at 5pm AEDT on Monday.
Luca Ittimani Thanks Krishani and hello readers! I’ll be with you for the rest of the afternoon. Krishani Dhanji That’s all from me on the politics blog today, thank you for following along.
I’ll leave you with the magnetic Luca Ittimani ( to borrow from Jason Clare ) for the rest of the afternoon, and will see you back here bright and early tomorrow! Tl;dr here’s what happened in question time Anthony Albanese said he and Jim Chalmers were in complete lockstep on delaying the ATO credit card ban, trying hard to pour cold water over commentary that the prime minister had gone over his treasurer’s head. Angus Taylor said Chalmers’ had been “humiliated” and called for him to be sacked.
Small business minister Anne Aly faced more questions from the opposition who accused her of “ waging a war ” on small business. She tried to counter saying small business numbers were going up. Communications minister Anika Wells used a dixer to implore the Coalition to support the government’s digital duty of care bill .
Josh Frydenberg’s name got more of a workout by Labor - it’s getting old so here’s to hoping that soon ends. And despite an at times pretty rowdy question time, as well as a few behavioural warnings, there were no ejections today! Penry Buckley NSW One Nation leader tours state parliament, says party is ‘living rent free’ in government’s head The NSW One Nation leader, Mike Newman , has been a surprise presence in and around state parliament today, appearing in the upper and lower house and hosting an unannounced press conference outside.
The NSW party does not have any MPs in either chamber, but is polling at 25%, in second place behind Labor, according to a September Sydney Morning Herald Resolve poll. During question time in the legislative assembly, Newman stood just inside the doorway by the opposition benches. He was asked to leave by the serjeant at arms before the premier, Chris Minns , used a question to criticise Newman for rejecting a legislative bid to compel One Nation to cost their election promises.
Newman, the candidate for the lower house seat of Cessnock at next year’s election, told reporters this afternoon that One Nation was “living rent free in their heads”. “No seats in upper or lower house, they still have to mention us,” he said. Mike Newman in Cessnock last week.
Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP Newman was accompanied at a press conference by Libertarian upper house member, John Ruddick, who, like him, was also wearing a bright orange tie. Asked if Ruddick was joining One Nation, Newman, who later insisted he was not on a “recruitment drive”, said: double quotation mark We haven’t had that discussion at all. John’s John, I’m me.
Don’t let the orange tie fool you. Newman, a former investment banker and trade bureaucrat, is not a Cessnock local and returned to Australia after spending 25 years working in Japan. He was quizzed on his knowledge of the electorate, fielding questions on his favourite Cessnock pub, restaurant, what he likes to order there and the name of the local footy team.
The assistant treasurer, Daniel Mulino , gets the final dixer, and tries to get in a few last jabs to the Coalition on Josh Frydenberg . One of the jokes take a couple of goes to land. After that the PM mercifully calls time on QT.
Just one more to go for the week. Nationals deputy leader Darren Chester asks the prime minister if he takes responsibility “for the average mortgage–holder now paying $30,000 more per year because of the 16 interest rate rises under his government. Anthony Albanese says he does take responsibility for the two budget surpluses and budget improvements under the Labor government. double quotation mark The fact that we’ve produced eight separate either budgets or budget updates – every one of which has had a savings measure in it.
We take responsibility for the fact that over 260,000 Australians... The opposition tries to interject – the PM hasn’t said he takes responsibility for the higher mortgage payments, and the Coalition are trying to back him into a corner. It doesn’t work, Albanese opts to sit down, indicating he’s finished his answer.
Sharkie questions government over aged care funding Independent Rebekha Sharkie is next and asks the aged care minister why the Australian National Aged Care Classification – the funding model for residential aged care – has only received a 2.55% funding increase, below inflation. She asks: double quotation mark We need 10,000 new aged care beds annually, last year just 800 were added. Thousands of our elderly are stuck in hospitals waiting for an aged care bed around our nation.
Minister, this is a disaster on your watch. Will you lift the ANACC funding to at least match inflation? The aged care minister, Sam Rae, says the government increases funding to the ANACC based on independent advice. double quotation mark The government sets aged care funding based on the independent advice from the independent funding authority.
It provides expert [advice] to myself and Minister Butler ... with a view to working out the efficient cost of delivering care. ‘Miscommunication’ over digital duty of care, Wells tells One Nation MP Anika Wells gets another question on the DDOC, this time from One Nation’s David Farley , who asks about an issue which has strongly activated right-wing opponents of the bill – powers for regulators to establish “sockpuppet” accounts online. Wells said such fake accounts had been used by “malevolent” actors online for nefarious purposes, but that regulators would use it for “mystery shopping” purposes, like doing research on how platforms serve up particular types of content to particular types of users. double quotation mark They need to mystery shop what is happening on platforms in order to test whether the platforms are actually doing what they say that they are doing.
So if they say they are asking a 14-year-old for their age, we need to test if they are actually doing that. What the eSafety commission, or accredited researchers do, is create an account, as a 14-year-old girl, and test those hypotheses. They do it for good purposes.
We think that we should be able to mark tech platforms’ homework – they should not get to mark their own homework. So that is the purpose of sockpuppets. Prime minister quiet on goldmine court case Nationals MP Jamie Chaffey asks the prime minister about the federal court ruling that the government blocked a billion-dollar goldmine in central-west NSW without authority.
Anthony Albanese doesn’t want to bite – he says it’s a legal matter so won’t comment. double quotation mark I understand the federal court found the declaration was not validly made. This was a complex legal case and as it’s a legal matter we will work through the judgment together with the attorney general and we’ll consider the findings very carefully indeed. ‘Magnificent, marvellous, magnetic’, the House plays a guessing game on Clare’s dixers There’s a bit of a running joke on the education minister, Jason Clare’s, dixers.
Clare loves a bit of alliteration when thanking a backbencher for a pre-planned softball question. ‘Magnetic’ ... Education minister, Jason Clare.
Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP Yesterday it was the “dazzling member for Deakin”. Today the question comes from the member for Menzies, Gabriel Ng, and the opposition tries to guess the adjective as Clare steps up to the dispatch box. They try, “magnificent”, and “marvellous”.
Clare laughs and thanks “the magnetic member for Menzies”. Josh Butler ‘Put your politics to the side’, Wells urges Coalition on online safety The communications minister, Anika Wells , says Labor’s proposed digital duty of care “moves the safety net upstream” to require tech companies do better, taking a shot at the Coalition for refusing to discuss the legislation. Wells will introduce the legislation tomorrow, then give a major speech at the National Press Club about it.
She tells question time Australia already has “one of the most comprehensive online safety frameworks in the world”, but more work is needed. double quotation mark “An independent statutory review has found that it is not able to cope with the growing scale of problems in the online world. Just last week, the AFP commissioner, Krissy Barrett, warned that the police cannot be the only safety net when it comes to the radicalisation of young people online. By the time the AFP is knocking on a door, the harm is already done.
She said the digital duty of care would “shift the burden from the shoulders of victims ... to the companies that are creating the environments where harms occur.” Australian communications minister, Anika Wells, during question time today. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP double quotation mark It moves the safety net upstream to the people who design the product before it ever reaches the child. double quotation mark Wells said she was surprised at the Coalition’s reticence over the bill, after shadow spokesperson Sarah Henderson said the opposition wasn’t interested in negotiating. double quotation mark Last week, they were criticising our online safety laws for not having enough parliamentary scrutiny. This week, they’re criticising our online safety lords for having too much parliamentary scrutiny.
Put your politics to the side, listen to the AFP commissioner, and help us pass these laws. Independent Monique Ryan is next and asks the health minister if he can guarantee that Victorian children won’t slip through the gap under Thriving Kids – which will replace NDIS services for children under nine with low level needs. Mark Butler says that the state delivery of the program basically mean that those jurisdictions provide some of the services they used to before the NDIS was implemented.
He concedes there will be a degree of variation between jurisdictions about the type of service and the location of that service. But he says there will still be standards they will have to meet: double quotation mark We have been very clear that there are outcomes that we expect to see, performance indicators that we expect to have met by all state and territory jurisdictions. They are incorporated into the Thriving Kids bilateral agreements that all state governments have signed.
Source: The Guardian
