Katina Curtis

- Ministers can bring on a specific item of govt business without debate
- Division votes will only be counted in full if there are more than six people on each side (previously four)
- Crossbenchers get questions 5, 13, 17, 21

For the parliamentary procedure nerds out there (you know who you are), the new Reps standing orders are being debated. Key changes:
- People can't automatically keep the same seat they had in the last term
- Speaker can boot badly-behaving MPs for 1hr or 3hrs

That's right - it's looking like the bill will pass the Senate, though, and it's still pretty rare for a non-government bill to get up in the upper house

Cash leads push to strip Albo’s staffing numbers power The Liberals appear to have have won crossbench support to strip Anthony Albanese’s ‘vindictive’ power to cut the staffing numbers for non-Labor politicians.

The Liberals are recruiting crossbenchers to back new laws to strip the PM's power to allocate staffing numbers for his opponents - ICYMI, my exclusive story thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

New WA senator wants to be in the room where change happens Ellie Whiteaker was drawn to the Labor Party as the home of aspiration. The kind of place where a girl from Kalgoorlie, the first in her family to go to uni, could find a way to change the world for e...

WA Labor's party secretary steps into a new job as a senator tomorrow. Ellie Whiteaker opens up about what drew her to Labor, leaving behind a "campaigning powerhouse", and what she wants to achieve with her next challenge. thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

Australia ready to benefit from G7’s critical minerals pact Resources Minister Madeleine King revealed there would “100 per cent” be more to come on global collaboration to develop the critical minerals market when Anthony Albanese meets Donald Trump.

Resources Minister Madeleine King reveals Australia helped drive the critical minerals pact at the G7 - aimed at breaking China's near-monopoly - and there will be more to come on this front when the PM meets Trump thewest.com.au/business/min...

Although the day before, Trump did say, "We have a thing called the telephone," when asked how much he was talking to Netanyahu

Remember when Albanese said he wasn't sure Trump had a phone, despite much photo evidence to the contrary?

Trump to journos on Air Force One on his way back from the G7: "I don't believe in telephones because people like you listen to 'em."

Conflict will push Albanese talks down Trump’s priority list Australians have main character energy when viewing our relationship with the US: it’s of massive importance to us, so of course Anthony Albanese must be the main priority for Donald Trump this week.

Australians have main character energy when viewing our relationship with the US... The truth is — especially with the conflict between Israel and Iran escalating — the chat with a middle power ally is unlikely to be top of mind for the President this week. (my column)
thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

Anne Aly aims to reshape multiculturalism with new portfolio Anne Aly sees her trio of new portfolios - small business, multicultural affairs and international development - as being joined by a thread of aspiration and economic opportunity.

Anne Aly - freshly elevated to cabinet - wants to change the way Australians think about multiculturalism, moving away from "just" food and arts to better value its economic contributions thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

Pro-life emails flood Nationals MPs with Canavan support A caravan of right-wing pro-life and anti-tax groups online are flooding the inboxes of Nationals MPs with emails backing Matt Canavan ahead of a party room vote on the leadership.

Inside the pro-life, anti-net zero push to influence the Nationals leadership vote this afternoon thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

Ex-minister blasts Australia’s complacency on defence A former Labor defence minister has issued a withering assessment of Australia’s complacency in the face of looming conflict, urging bipartisanship and stronger will to build up the Defence Force.

After a lot of argument in the election this week about what merits a good plan for Defence, this was a fascinating intervention from former minister Joel Fitzgibbon, who warns Australians (inside and outside politics) have become too complacent on the issue thenightly.com.au/politics/fed...

Labor outspends rivals in $500,000 social media ad blitz A new analysis of political social media ads has revealed the biggest spenders in the lead-up to the election, with an independent MP the highest-spending parliamentarian.

Fascinating analysis by my colleague @ellenransley.bsky.social of which pollies are spending big on social media ads during the election campaign so far thenightly.com.au/politics/fed...

Early voting 🗳️ now open

Dutton hits security button in search for campaign reset Peter Dutton’s shift to national security and community safety adds to what is already a very blokey campaign from the Liberals in this election.

Dutton hit the national security and community safety button yesterday, adding to what is already a very blokey campaign. My column today thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

The great fashion debate: Albanese and Dutton’s style campaign Big tie energy and BBQ accessories are the battleground for our political leaders’ fashion credentials.

The election analysis you need this Easter weekend - @damienwoolnough.bsky.social with a fashion take(down) of the leaders www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/fa...

Home buyers want fixes not diss tracks and distractions With 19 days to go in the election campaign and a week until the first votes are cast, the two leaders have unveiled multibillion-dollar pitches aimed at making it easier for first-home buyers.

Diss tracks, distractions and disinterest - but what younger voters want is real action on housing. My column today thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

Greens plan Anzac Day dance party fundraiser Most politicians will halt their campaigning on Anzac Day to remember Australian diggers, but the WA Greens are instead holding a dance party seeking to raise thousands of dollars for their election b...

While most politicians will halt their campaigning on Anzac Day, the WA Greens will instead host a dance party to raise money for their election bid thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

Ghosts of macho leaders haunt Albanese’s inclusive vision In an election more about personality than policy, Labor’s campaign launch had to reframe the meaning of leadership. But it was haunted by a leader not even in Australia.

Labor used its campaign launch to offer more cost of living support, and reframe what it means to be a strong leader
thenightly.com.au/politics/fed...

Dutton, Albanese head west to put WA at centre of campaign Western Australia is back at the centre of the election campaign as Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton return to the battleground state for the second time in as many weeks.

The election campaigns are headed back west as the Coalition thinks it’s turned a corner while Labor insists it still has momentum - but fears it can still stuff things up thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

Battle for Bullwinkel plays out on the doorsteps of voters A tight three-way contest in WA’s newest Federal electorate means candidates are trying to talk to as many voters as possible during the campaign to make a personal pitch.

Inside the battle for Bullwinkel, the new seat in WA that all three major parties want to add to their column thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

Exclusive from my colleague Jessica Page today - Labor will launch its campaign on April 13 in Perth, in a re-run of its successful “we love WA” 2022 strategy

“Known unknowns” threaten best-laid election campaign plans Three big “known unknowns” could knock Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton off their planned courses in this crucial first week of the election campaign.

A trio of "known unknowns" loom this week with the potential to derail Albanese and Dutton's election plans - my column today thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

The most optimistic part of today’s Reps program?

Today Angus Taylor announced $5m to build basketball courts in northern Tasmania and claimed it was a housing policy. Don't believe me? Read the transcript...

Why Albo’s $1.7b grants spendathon should be scrutinised KATINA CURTIS: A more proportional split in grants allocations than the Coalition’s egregious pork-barrelling doesn’t mean Labor’s cash splash shouldn’t be scrutinised.

Ministers have announced sooooo many grants over the past several weeks. In fact, more than $1.7 billion worth... thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

WA offers Albo a blueprint to potential election victory KATINA CURTIS: Roger Cook’s victory shows voters in WA are open to an offering shaped around local jobs, manufacturing, better services and stable governance in times of global uncertainty.

If you squinted right, Roger Cook’s speech on Saturday night could have been delivered by Anthony Albanese - my column today on the WA and federal elections thewest.com.au/politics/fed...

PM says if he does drop past Yarralumla this afternoon it will just be for birthday cake #auspol

Seems like Peter Dutton mentions cold storage in press conferences almost as often as Anthony Albanese mentions Peter Dutton... #auspol

About time there was a non-Albanese pronunciation discussion during a political radio interview