Tom McIlroy

AFP to get power to possess and share child abuse material to target sex offenders online Exclusive: Department of home affairs links the changes to allegations against childcare workers in Victoria and NSW revealed earlier this year * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Federal police officers will get new protections to possess and share child sexual abuse material to target sex offenders online, with changes to national laws designed to ensure investigators are not themselves committing criminal offences. Parliament’s powerful joint committee on intelligence and security this week signed off on changes to telecommunications laws, including the new rules for dealing with child abuse material in so-called controlled operations. Continue reading...

AFP to get power to possess and share child abuse material to target sex offenders online

Albanese’s feelgood 5% deposit scheme will only add fuel to Australia’s housing fire | Tom Mcllroy Rather than a policy that experts say risks driving up property prices, Labor should be focused on its ambitious target of building 1.2m houses * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Anthony Albanese had plenty of reasons to feel at home at the UK Labour party conference in Liverpool last weekend. Invited by Keir Starmer to deliver a major address, decades of attending party meetings in Australia clearly showed for the visiting prime minister. Some of the policy challenges were familiar as well. Continue reading...

Albanese’s feelgood 5% deposit scheme will only add fuel to Australia’s housing fire | Tom Mcllroy

Andrew Hastie quits Coalition frontbench over immigration policy dispute Liberal MP resigns as shadow home affairs minister, increasing pressure on opposition leader Sussan Ley * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Andrew Hastie has quit the Coalition frontbench over a dispute on immigration policy, dramatically increasing pressure on Sussan Ley’s leadership. Hastie said he was resigning as the shadow home affairs minister on Friday night, following weeks of posturing and his refusal to see Ley during her visit to Western Australia this week. Continue reading...

Andrew Hastie quits Coalition frontbench over immigration policy dispute

Snowy Hydro 2.0 flags another cost blowout with $12bn price tag now considered unachievable Pumped hydro project in Kosciuszko national park is 67% complete, but supply chain cost increases and issues with a borer have caused cost overrun Snowy Hydro is preparing for another significant cost overrun on the massive Snowy 2.0 project in the Kosciuszko national park, with a line-by-line reassessment ordered from contractors on Friday. The giant pumped hydro project, first touted by the Turnbull government in 2017 as costing $2bn, was later revised to a cost of $5.9bn. Escalating to almost $13bn in 2023, construction is due to be completed by the end of 2028. Continue reading...

Snowy Hydro 2.0 flags another cost blowout with $12bn price tag now considered unachievable

Australia could split Cop31 hosting rights with Turkey under potential compromise Australia could split Cop31 hosting rights with Turkey under potential compromise: Anthony Albanese pledges to continue talks with rival, as sources say previous climate summits have been co-hosted Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free...

Australia could split Cop31 hosting rights with Turkey under potential compromise: Anthony Albanese pledges to continue talks with rival, as sources say previous climate summits have been co-hosted Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free...

Turkey argues both countries can win from drawn-out contest with Australia over Cop31 hosting rights Exclusive: Turkey’s climate minister says country is working on ‘innovative solutions’ as Labor privately downplays expectations impasse can be broken * Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Turkey says it is pursuing “innovative solutions” in the race with Australia to host the Cop31 UN climate talks, arguing both countries can win from drawn-out negotiations over next year’s summit. After talks with the climate change and energy minister, Chris Bowen, on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York last week, Turkey’s climate minister, Murat Kurum, said he was optimistic about a resolution. Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter Continue reading...

Turkey argues both countries can win from drawn-out contest with Australia over Cop31 hosting rights

Chris Bowen meets Turkey’s first lady as lobbying to hold Cop31 intensifies Exclusive: Climate minister, who is trying to persuade Turkey to allow Australia to host the summit, appears with Emine Erdoğan at New York event * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Climate change and energy minister Chris Bowen has appeared with Turkey’s first lady, Emine Erdoğan, at a major environment event in New York as negotiations over hosting rights for the COP31 summit come down to the wire. Bowen – who is in the US for talks at the UN general assembly – has been lobbying Turkey to drop its rival bid to host the conference in 2026 in order to secure the event on behalf of Australia and Pacific nations. Continue reading...

Chris Bowen meets Turkey’s first lady as lobbying to hold Cop31 intensifies

Labor has good reason to sweat over its 2035 climate target – but the dishevelled Coalition response rings hollow | Tom McIlroy The scale of the government’s ambition heightens the stakes for all sides of politics and will probably determine how Albanese’s second term plays out * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Back in January 2021, when Australia was stuck in the warped reality of the pandemic, Anthony Albanese reshuffled Labor’s shadow cabinet in a bid to shore up support for his leadership. Mark Butler, Albanese’s close ally and left faction heavyweight, had agreed to move out of the climate and energy portfolio, in a bid to stop bloodletting over whether Labor’s emissions policies were too ambitious and turning off voters. Albanese moved Chris Bowen into the role, charging the senior right faction member with reframing the debate from an environmental issue to one of economic reform. Continue reading...

Labor has good reason to sweat over its 2035 climate target – but the dishevelled Coalition response rings hollow | Tom McIlroy

Donald Trump clashes with Australian ABC journalist and confirms Albanese meeting US president accuses John Lyons of ‘hurting Australia’ after reporter asked about his White House business dealings

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I was delighted to announce this week that @tommcilroy.bsky.social has been appointed as @australia.theguardian.com political editor, That means we are looking for a chief political correspondent to join our Canberra team.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s demise shows the politics of grievance are a dead end for the Liberal party NT senator’s Indian migration claims badly damaged her party’s work to rebuild its broad church. Her demotion was the only appropriate sanction

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‘Grave concerns’ from states over Labor plan to move autism services off NDIS Federal health minister last month announced surprise move to shift child foundational supports to new Thriving Kids program from July 2027 * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Labor is facing a growing revolt by the states over plans to provide early intervention autism services through a new $2bn national scheme, with Victoria’s disability minister warning children’s rights must not be traded away “for 30 pieces of silver”. States and territories were blind-sided by last month’s announcement from the health minister, Mark Butler, that the federal government had scrapped plans for locally provided services for children with mild autism and other developmental issues, as part of efforts to ease pressure on the rapidly growing NDIS budget. Continue reading...

‘Grave concerns’ from states over Labor plan to move autism services off NDIS

The rules of political gravity may have set in for Jacinta Nampijinpa Price – but the Coalition is still in a dangerous limbo Price’s refusal to endorse Sussan Ley’s leadership on Wednesday was a deliberate provocation that left the opposition leader no choice * Report: Ley dumps Nampijinpa Price from shadow ministry over refusal to back leadership or apologise over migrants comments * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast For much of her short career in Canberra, the usual rules of political gravity have appeared not to apply to Jacinta Nampijinpa Price. A firebrand, outspoken and unapologetic about almost everything, she went from a first-term backbencher from the Northern Territory to a member of the shadow cabinet in less than a term. Easily the most prominent opponent of the Indigenous voice to parliament, Price used the referendum campaign to build her political brand exponentially. Tom McIlroy is Guardian Australia’s chief political correspondent. Continue reading...

The rules of political gravity may have set in for Jacinta Nampijinpa Price – but the Coalition is still in a dangerous limbo

Albanese went to Vanuatu to sign a $500m agreement – but leaves empty-handed thanks to concerns about China Vanuatu’s prime minister says ‘more discussions’ needed on Nakamal agreement due to concerns over his nation’s ability to seek infrastructure funding from other countries * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The federal government is racing to save a major new agreement with Vanuatu, after Anthony Albanese’s plans to sign the deal were rebuffed over concerns about infrastructure funding from China. Speaking alongside Vanuatu’s prime minister, Jotham Napat, on Tuesday, Albanese said he was confident the Nakamal agreement will be “able to be signed soon”, talking up cooperation and proper process with Vanuatu’s governing coalition. Continue reading...

Albanese went to Vanuatu to sign a $500m agreement – but leaves empty-handed thanks to concerns about China

China and Russia increasingly working ‘in tandem’ to undermine faith in governance, top Finnish official claims Finland’s secretary for foreign affairs and defence, Pasi Rajala, says China wants to learn from the battlefield experience in the Ukraine war * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Finland’s political state secretary for foreign affairs and defence has claimed China and Russia are increasingly working “in tandem” to disrupt and interfere in free societies, and undermine faith in governance. In an interview with Guardian Australia to mark his official visit to Australia and New Zealand, Pasi Rajala said Russia would not be able to sustain its war in Ukraine without help from Beijing, including through supply of critical technology and the proceeds of oil and gas sales. Continue reading...

China and Russia increasingly working ‘in tandem’ to undermine faith in governance, top Finnish official claims

The call has gone out for a PM willing to break with the US – but Albanese shows no sign it will be him | Tom McIlroy Amid the growing clamour of voices warning America is no longer a reliable ally, Labor leaders seem determined to stick to the old lines

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Good column from @tommcilroy.bsky.social

Albanese is growing more confident on the international stage – an area where he has no shortage of challenges This week has brought one of the most decisive foreign policy moves of the PM’s tenure, but the demands of the world stage remain considerable * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Anthony Albanese was cryptic in a meeting of the Labor caucus on Tuesday morning, telling government MPs he was preparing to make a big announcement in Canberra later that day. Without any detail, the unusual statement quickly started a guessing game throughout Parliament House – especially in the press gallery. Continue reading...

Albanese is growing more confident on the international stage – an area where he has no shortage of challenges

Elderly facing many health and hospital risks because Labor’s care at home program ‘so badly designed’, expert warns Former adviser to aged care royal commission says delays in expanded services will raise risk of falls, medication errors and malnutrition * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The federal government’s new program to care for elderly Australians at home is so poorly designed it will fuel demand in already overstretched public hospitals and residential facilities, a leading expert has warned. Kathy Eagar, a former adviser to the aged care royal commission, says delays in expanded services announced earlier this year will exacerbate declining independence and capacity for vulnerable people. It will also increase the risk of falls, medication errors and malnutrition, she said. Continue reading...

Elderly facing many health and hospital risks because Labor’s care at home program ‘so badly designed’, expert warns

The Marles-Hegseth meeting chaos prompted jokes. But uncertainty over Australia’s US relationship is no laughing matter As the PM cast the opposition's focus on the awkward diplomatic snafu as trivial, the stakes of his wait to meet Trump could hardly be higher * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Republican congressman Jason Smith was a guest of honour at Parliament House on Thursday, watching question time from the floor of the chamber and holding talks with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese. The chair of the US congress’ powerful ways and means committee has spent recent days helping ministers decode Donald Trump and grapple with uncertain times in the Australia-US alliance. Continue reading...

The Marles-Hegseth meeting chaos prompted jokes. But uncertainty over Australia’s US relationship is no laughing matter

From Bondi vet nurse to Israeli deputy foreign minister: why is Sharren Haskel so preoccupied with Australia? Haskel, now advised by the former Victorian Liberal Tim Smith, has become a frequent critic of the federal government

Sharren Haskel is getting Canberra’s goat www.theguardian.com/australia-ne... @australia.theguardian.com

If Australia is transitioning into a standard-of-living crisis, Chalmers has three years to deliver for voters There are obvious reasons for the government to make the system fairer for younger Australians – and the economic summit will be used to confer legitimacy on its future plans * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Just before dinner time on Thursday, Jim Chalmers emerged from Labor’s economic reform extravaganza excited about both quality and quantity. Locked in the cabinet room for 29 hours of talks with unions, business leaders and policy experts across three days, the treasurer had kept a detailed account of who said what. He recorded 327 separate interventions from participants in a single page of notes that looked like something worthy of the Enigma machine. Continue reading...

If Australia is transitioning into a standard-of-living crisis, Chalmers has three years to deliver for voters

AI and misinformation in crosshairs of Labor’s review of its landslide election win Party appoints four people to lead a months-long review of the 2025 campaign, despite its biggest victory in decades * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Labor will use a review of its historic 3 May election victory to better prepare for cyber misinformation and artificial intelligence threats in future federal campaigns. The party’s national executive has appointed four people to lead a months-long review into the campaign, despite Labor winning 94 seats in the lower house and securing its biggest victory in decades. Continue reading...

AI and misinformation in crosshairs of Labor’s review of its landslide election win

Labor asks Deloitte to design universal childcare system as PM eyes political legacy Exclusive: Government could redirect billions in existing spending on the childcare subsidy and introduce a daily flat fee for families Labor has commissioned consulting giant Deloitte to help design a universal childcare system in Australia, launching a two-year study of demand and costs, as Anthony Albanese chases a political legacy to rival Medicare. The government could redirect billions in existing spending on the childcare subsidy and introduce a daily flat fee for families. It will spend $10.4m on the research, with Deloitte required to assess service demands and collect data across the early childhood education system, with a report due before the next federal election. Continue reading...

Labor asks Deloitte to design universal childcare system as PM eyes political legacy

Australia could announce plan to recognise Palestinian statehood ‘within days’ Labor has been facing demands to accelerate its timeline to recognise a Palestinian state as the Israeli PM says such a move is ‘shameful’ The Albanese government could announce its decision to recognise Palestinian statehood within days, cabinet sources have confirmed to Guardian Australia. The confirmation comes hours after the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu – facing growing disapproval over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza – branded Australia and European nations “shameful” for considering recognising a Palestinian state. He claimed Australia would do “at least what we [Israel] are doing” if Sydney or Melbourne had been subject to the type of terrorist attack Israel experienced in the 7 October Hamas attacks, when 1,200 people were killed. Continue reading...

Australia could announce plan to recognise Palestinian statehood ‘within days’

Albanese and Chalmers could take the Howard-Costello approach to tax reform. The conditions may never be better | Tom McIlroy Channelling the competitive tension that often exists between treasurer and prime minister would provide an opportunity to frame policies for the next election * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Even before he announced plans for a roundtable to shape Labor’s second term growth and productivity agenda, Anthony Albanese was managing expectations about what was to come. Speaking at the National Press Club, a month after a stunning election victory, the prime minister began publicly signalling his government would not be getting out over its skis. Continue reading...

Albanese and Chalmers could take the Howard-Costello approach to tax reform. The conditions may never be better | Tom McIlroy

Australia joins UK, Germany, Italy and New Zealand in condemning Israel’s planned Gaza City takeover Joint statement warns Netanyahu’s new ground offensive will worsen ‘catastrophic humanitarian situation’ as international outrage grows * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Foreign Minister Penny Wong has joined international condemnation of Israel’s plans to control more of Gaza in a new ground offensive, warning it risks breaching international law and putting the lives of hostages and civilians in renewed danger. Wong joined the foreign ministers of Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the United Kingdom in a joint statement on Saturday, saying the plans by Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to control Gaza City will make already perilous situation worse. Continue reading...

Australia joins UK, Germany, Italy and New Zealand in condemning Israel’s planned Gaza City takeover

Albanese government has no knowledge of Trump administration threat to deport Iranian man to Australia Reza Zavvar has lived in US for 40 years but is being held in detention due to marijuana conviction from the 1990s * Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Labor has cast doubt on the possibility of the Trump administration transferring an Iranian-born man from US immigration detention to Australia, saying it has no knowledge of the case. The US government is threatening to deport Reza Zavvar, a 52-year-old permanent resident who lives in Maryland, to either Australia or Romania – despite having no links to either country. Continue reading...

Albanese government has no knowledge of Trump administration threat to deport Iranian man to Australia

‘A huge human cost’: Labor criticised over delays to aged care reforms as waitlist grows Senate votes to establish inquiry after aged care minister rejects calls to bring forward additional 20,000 home care packages

Labor is facing a backlash over aged care services as a delay to landmark reforms prompts calls for urgent funding for 20,000 additional home packages and warnings that a two-speed system is locking out poorer elderly people.

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Thanks Angus 🙏

Australia’s parliament opens with tradition and pageantry – plus a sideshow of protest and reactionary zeal | Tom McIlroy There was the usual welcome to country and speech by the governor general – but members of the Nationals, One Nation and the Greens had battles to fight * Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Just as the governor general, Sam Mostyn, was preparing to address the ceremonial opening of federal parliament this week, word got around the press gallery that One Nation was preparing to mount a stunt. Along with veterans Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts, One Nation’s two new senators, Warwick Stacey from New South Wales and Tyron Whitten from Western Australia, had quietly let it be known they would turn their back on the Indigenous acknowledgment of country. Continue reading...

Australia’s parliament opens with tradition and pageantry – plus a sideshow of protest and reactionary zeal | Tom McIlroy