The Labor government has stared down threats from the fossil fuel sector and passed its significant energy bill, which includes price caps on gas and coal.
With the Greens and independent senator David Pocock backing the bill, its passage was all but assured. The Coalition voted against the plan, which our political editor, Katharine Murphy, surmises is a clear indication that Peter Dutton “doesn’t want energy prices that inconvenience the gas industry”.
Pivoting to an important story that’s flown under the radar this week – Penny Wong and Simon Birmingham have been touring the Pacific region, shoring up our relations with our neighbours.
Climate change predictably topped the agenda, prompting a moment of repentance from Birmingham. Speaking in Palau, the shadow foreign minister admitted the former Morrison government was wrong to resist increasing Australia’s 2030 emissions reduction target.
Top news
Parliament offers condolences to Queensland shooting victims | Peter Dutton, opposition leader and a former Queensland police officer, was overcome with emotion during a tribute to the three victims of Wieambilla ambush. Watch here. Labor minister and counter-terrorism expert Anne Aly said extremist “warning signs” must be better recognised, amid reports the three shooters exhibited radical views.
New South Wales government blocks Byron Bay housing cap | The NSW government has stripped the Byron Shire council of its authority to limit the use of residential properties for holiday accommodation – eg Airbnb – just one day before a much-anticipated council vote on the issue. The surge in short-term rentals has contributed to a housing crisis in the coastal town, and the council had explored capping some accommodation to 90 days a year.
Unemployment rate steady | Australia’s jobless rate remained steady at 3.4% in November even as the economy added about 2,000 jobs a day, underscoring the tight conditions in the labour market. Unemployment has been at near 50-year lows for much of 2022.
Sydney bus death | A 74-year-old bus driver has been charged with dangerous driving occasioning death after a female pedestrian, also 74, was struck and killed in Sydney’s CBD.
Liquids rules to be eased at UK airports | Good news for travellers to the UK – strict rules around taking liquids and laptops through UK airport security will be eased from 2024. Passengers at most major UK airports will be able to carry liquids in containers holding up to two litres, a huge increase from the current limit of 100ml.
US Senate votes to block TikTok on government devices | US federal employees might soon be barred from using Chinese-owned TikTok on their government-owned smartphones. The bill still needs to be approved by the House of Representatives and signed off by president Joe Biden. The vote is the latest action on the part of US lawmakers to crackdown on Chinese companies amid national security fears that Beijing could use them to spy on Americans.
Twitter suspends account monitoring Musk’s flight path | In the latest Twitter twist under the “free speech absolutist” Elon Musk, the company has suspended @ElonJet, an account that was tracking the flight path of the billionaire’s private jet. On 7 November, shortly after acquiring Twitter, Musk tweeted: “My commitment to free speech extends even to not banning the account following my plane, even though that is a direct personal safety risk.” So much for that.
Morocco fairytale over | After a World Cup of surprises, the finale will be contested by two familiar juggernauts of the sport – France and Argentina. But do the French have what it takes to beat Messi’s team?
Full Story
Building for end times: the boom in bunkers
Tom Cruise has one. Donald Trump has one. But it’s not just the super-rich. Sales of private nuclear bunkers are booming as citizens absorb news of climate breakdown, nuclear threats and a global pandemic. Should you get one? Listen to this 30-minute episode.
What they said …
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“When it comes to climate change I said to [the] Cop26 [climate summit], you might as well bomb us because it’s constant, whether it’s typhoons, drought, the heat and sea level rise.” – Surangel Whipps, president of Palau
Whipps made the remarks during a visit to the island nation by Wong and Birmingham. Whipps thanked Australia for “leading the way in saying let’s bring Cop to the Pacific” and raising its 2030 target to 43%. He also mentioned flights between Brisbane and Palau will begin in February – Queenslanders, put that on your travel list.
In numbers
The figure certainly strengthens arguments for energy companies – who have seen soaring profits off the back of the Ukraine war and inflation – to be hit with a windfall profits tax. The Greens and independent senator David Pocock have repeated calls this week for the tax to be imposed.
Before bed read
MasterChef winner Adam Liaw is about to take his kids on a snowy holiday to Japan where he expects they’ll complain … a lot.
“What my children don’t yet realise is that how we experience life is through the acquisition of memories,” he says. “They have so few, so how could they see their value?
“I appreciate my childhood far more now in memory than I ever did when I was living it.”
I would add that we, as adults, probably appreciate our parents more today too as a result. I know I’ve recently expressed such gratitude to my mum – “I don’t know how you did it,” I told her only weeks ago.
Liaw’s wonderfully written reflection is a kind and pertinent finale to the day.
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