What we learned, Thursday 13 February
And with that, we are going to put the blog to bed. Before we go, let’s recap the big headlines:
Workers are doing less unpaid work since right to disconnect laws kicked in. Unions warn that scrapping the measure would add 100 minutes of overtime each week for which employees aren’t compensated.
Government analysis supplied to Guardian Australia suggests the Coalition’s plan to replace retired coal-fired power stations with nuclear power plants would require an additional 508,000 megalitres each year.
The trade minister, Don Farrell, says he doesn’t believe Australia is “flooding” the US market with our aluminium, as suggested by Donald Trump’s senior trade adviser, Peter Navarro.
The electoral reform bill passed the parliament, and will take effect at the election due in 2028. Independent MP Zali Steggall said she believes the electoral reform legislation should be “tested” by the courts.
Survivors of the stolen generations from the Northern Territory, ACT and Jervis Bay Territory will be given an 18-month extension to apply for compensation, the prime minister announced this morning. Anthony Albanese marked the 17th anniversary of the apology to stolen generations.
In a radio conversation with 2GB’s Ben Fordham about the video recording of two NSW nurses allegedly making anti-Israel threats, Peter Dutton said there needs to be a “discussion” about the wider immigration system, and the power of the government to revoke citizenship. Later, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency said the two nurses had been suspended.
The minister for emergency management, Jenny McAllister, gave an update on additional support the government has released. She said about $100m will support farmers, small businesses and NGOs in the area.
The defence department released information about an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction” between Australian and Chinese aircraft in the South China Sea on Tuesday, where flares were allegedly released near the Australian plane.
Thank you for spending part of your day with us. We will be back tomorrow to do it all again.
Updated
Australian share market closes at record high
The local share market has finished ever-so-slightly higher to hit a new record amid potential peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine as US inflation re-accelerated, AAP has reported.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Thursday rose 4.7 points, or 0.06% to 8,540, breaking Wednesday’s record for its highest-ever close.
The ASX200 also broke its previous intraday record of 8,566.9 set on 31 January, rising as high as 8,572.2 before noon.
The broader All Ordinaries gained 4.6 points, or 0.05%, to 8,804.2.
The record-setting day came after US government statistics released overnight showed monthly headline inflation rose 0.5% in January, its biggest jump since August 2023.
Updated
Service provider Uniting welcomes passing of subsidised childcare legislation
Uniting NSW.ACT has released a statement welcoming the passing today of the federal government’s legislation guaranteeing three days of subsidised early learning and abolishing the activity test.
The director of impact and innovation at Uniting NSW.ACT, Tamara Pararajasingham, said:
We are entering a new era with more families having access to early learning due to greater subsidies and the of the activity test being removed.
However unless practical or non-financial barriers to enrolment are also addressed, the changes passed into law today alone will not be enough to ensure all children – especially the most marginalised and disadvantaged – have access to quality early learning.
These barriers challenges are related to cultural and language differences, disability, access to transport and system navigation, and disproportionately affect children who would benefit the most from early learning.Children who miss out on the benefits of early learning due to non-financial barriers are at risk of starting primary school behind their peers and may struggle to catch up.
There is a solution which compliments the significant reforms announced today. Uniting NSW.ACT recommend investing in system navigator models – like Uniting’s Links to Early Learning program – in particular areas of need to help families address and overcome practical barriers to access and address entrenched childhood disadvantage.
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Health minister says nurses who allegedly made anti-Israel threats unable to practise anywhere in Australia
The federal health minister, Mark Butler, has announced Ahmad Rashad Nadir and Sarah Abu Lebdeh have had their registrations suspended and are now “unable to practise nursing anywhere in Australia, in any context”.
The two Bankstown hospital workers appeared in a social media video appearing to threaten to refuse to treat – and claiming they would kill – Israeli patients, and were “stood down immediately”, the NSW health minister said yesterday.
Butler said:
As a result, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) has automatically updated their record on the public register of practitioners and as a result this means the two nurses are unable to practise nursing anywhere in Australia, in any context.
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 overwhelming 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, let alone actively threaten their lives, runs against every single principle in our health care system.Their sickening comments – and the hatred that underpins them – have no place in our health system and no place anywhere in Australia.
More info here:
Updated
Driver freed after fatal crash near Gunning, NSW
This morning a truck driver died after a two-truck crash on the Hume Highway near Gunning, NSW, about 35km east of Yass.
One of the drivers died at the scene after a truck veered off the road and rolled over before a second truck collided with the overturned vehicle.
Updated
Chinese fighter jet allegedly released flares near RAAF aircraft in South China Sea, defence department says
In breaking news, the Department of Defence has released information about an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction” between Australian and Chinese aircraft in the South China Sea on Tuesday, where flares were allegedly released near the Australian plane.
Defence says the federal government “expressed its concerns to the Chinese Government” after the interaction on 11 February. From a press release shared by defence:
“On 11 February 2025, a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft conducting a routine maritime surveillance patrol in the South China Sea experienced an unsafe and unprofessional interaction with a PLA-AF J-16 fighter aircraft.”
“The PLA-AF aircraft released flares in close proximity to the RAAF P-8A aircraft. This was an unsafe and unprofessional manoeuvre that posed a risk to the aircraft and personnel.”
Defence said no injuries were sustained, and no damage was sustained to the aircraft.
“Australia expects all countries, including China, to operate their militaries in a safe and professional manner,” it said.
“For decades, the ADF has undertaken maritime surveillance activities in the region and does so in accordance with international law, exercising the right to freedom of navigation and overflight in international waters and airspace.”
Updated
Update on Tropical cyclone approaching WA
Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia is expected to make landfall between Karratha and De Grey on Friday afternoon.
Authorities have just been speaking on the ABC. The commissioner said:
The intensity of Tropical Cyclone Zelia means there is significant threat to lives and property and I urge people to follow the directions of emergency services in the Pilbara.
Updated
Hi everyone – this is Cait Kelly. I am here to take you through the afternoon.
First up – we have news the cyclone approaching WA is now a category five system.
Updated
Thank you all for joining me for the sitting fortnight. I’ll leave you now with the fabulous Cait Kelly for the rest of the afternoon.
Have a great weekend!
Updated
Tldr: what did we learn in question time?
It certainly felt a bit like the final question times of the election cycle, with the government honing in their lines on cost of living.
There was a bit of drama near the start of QT, when the opposition accused the Greens of antisemitism.
The opposition asked an array of questions on different policies like housing and health, but the questions were always broadened out at the end to Albanese’s “weak leadership” or “wrong priorities” which gave the government plenty of space to talk about all areas of cost-of-living.
Long time Labor MP Graham Perrett got kicked out for possibly his last question time ever, to a sea of cheering and applause. Perrett’s no stranger to 94a, he was one of the first MPs to get kicked out of the chamber after Labor came to government in 2022, and it seemed like a fitting end to his two decade career.
Updated
Question time ends
Our last question is a dixer to the PM on cost-of-living (no surprises there).
And with that question time is over – maybe for the last time before the election.
Updated
Andrew Wilkie asks why Tasmania is ‘allowed to slow-walk’ rental reforms
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie is up next, and asks the housing minister, Clare O’Neil:
In 2023, national cabinet agreed on nine reforms under a better deal for renters. Both National Shelter and the tenants union note that in Tasmania the state government is not pursuing six of the nine reforms so why is the Tasmanian government allowed to slow-walk these reforms and will the federal government inject some urgency into nationally consistent protections for renters?
O’Neil says that the latest data that she has from Tasmania is:
Tasmania reported that they are complete on seven of nine of their requirements and two of nine are in progress.
Wilkie is shaking his head at that update from Tassie.
O’Neil says Wilkie’s data from the shelter and tenants union is a few months older than what she has, but will sit down with him and push the state to move faster.
Updated
Albanese asked again about ‘bad decisions’ and ‘wrong priorities’
Liberal MP Bridget Archer is asking the question this time – her preamble goes to housing, mortgage and rental stress, but her question again goes to the PM’s “bad decisions” and “wrong priorities”.
But as we know here, when the question goes broadly to why the PM is a “weak leader”, the PM can take the question largely where he likes.
Albanese starts off on the stage three tax cuts the government changed, Medicare urgent clinics and childcare.
With 48 seconds left on the answer, Archer raises a point of order and says he hasn’t mentioned housing. (Milton Dick mentions the broadness of the question) before Albanese stands up again and says:
I will tell you what will happen with housing … [the Coalition] have the free lunches, the nuclear reactors and a third policy, cuts to pay for it – including cutting the Housing Australia Future Fund, less money for public and social housing.
Updated
Labor is asked why petrol prices are higher in some regions
From the crossbench, Andrew Gee (formerly a Nationals MP) asks about petrol prices in his electorate. He says petrol prices in Mudgee are 30c per litre higher than other parts of the region.
Jim Chalmers says he’ll take up the charge:
Happy to take that up with the ACCC. The ACCC does have an important role when it comes to monitoring petrol prices and from time to time there is a risk that petrol stations, particularly in the regions, they can do the wrong thing and when about doing the wrong thing we should be reporting them to the ACCC to make sure it is not happening.
Updated
Education minister Jason Clare on ‘free lunches’
The next dixer goes to education minister, Jason Clare, again on education and the childcare bill passing.
Clare’s reference to the Liberals’ lunch policy has a bit more energy, and is met with an uproar across parliament.
They said they were opposed to cutting student debt by 20% and I promise you I’m not making this up. Their argument for opposing is this: there are no free lunches in economics. It turns out that there is. But only for the bosses.
A bit of taxpayer-funded chicken, stuffed in a duck, stuffed in a turkey, which is a perfect analogy for this policy because I think most Australians will think it is stuffed.
Who doesn’t love a turducken …
Look, don’t judge me. It’s the last sitting day of the fortnight.
Updated
PM questioned on migration numbers
We’re heading into immigration territory now. The next question from Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie asks:
The prime minister promised he would halve migration numbers. Instead, he is bringing 1.8 million more people to Australia over five years during a housing crisis with higher rents and fewer homes being built. Why won’t the prime minister apologise for his week leadership and wrong priorities?
Albanese doesn’t even touch migration in the first 30ish seconds of his answer.
1,000 days ago tomorrow we did inherit a fair bit. We inherited a crisis in aged care that had been summed up with one word, neglect.
Michael Sukkar takes a crack at making a point of order on relevance, but Milton Dick rules the PM is in order because the actual question from the opposition goes to Albanese’s leadership and priorities (ie very broad).
Updated
Albanese on Labor’s 1,000 days in office
After a dixer to the treasurer on his “responsible economic management”, Albanese gets asked if – 1,000 days since he was elected – he’ll apologise to the public for “bad decisions and wrong priorities”.
The PM makes a jab at how long 1,000 days can be in politics.
I was not aware it was 1,000 days since we were elected. When government changed hands last time, Tony Abbott did not make it to his second anniversary because all of the cuts to health and education and the ABC all came in, and in spite of the massive majority that they were elected with, those opposite knocked off their own leader before the second anniversary, including this guy here.
Updated
Albanese defends cost-of-living measures
Liberal MP Bert van Manen gets the next question – he starts off on the promised $275 energy bill reduction but then broadens out the question, saying the cost of living has increased nearly 20%.
The broad question means Albanese can give the full array of Labor’s policies – Medicare, childcare, etc.
He also brings up our first lunch reference … but the energy on the last sitting day is feeling a little lower than earlier in the week.
We have given early educators a 15% pay rise. They mock it and call it waste. We have rescued aged care from crisis. Those opposite presided over a system that was summed up in one word: neglect. We are delivering on the cost of living. They only care about their cost of lunching.
Updated
Member for Moreton, Graham Perrett, gets kicked out
Hot off his valedictory speech earlier this week, Perrett was booted out of the chamber during a dixer on Medicare.
He was sent out under 94a by the Speaker for making a loud comment – and left with massive applause and cheering from the Labor benches.
The Queensland MP is finishing up after two decades in the chamber.
Updated
Labor asked if it will expand universal service obligation in regional mobile network
The first crossbench question goes to Rebekha Sharkie, who asks the communications minister:
90% of Australians have a smartphone. Will the government expand the universal service obligation to the mobile phone network in the regions and if not why not?
For some context – the universal service obligation is a consumer protection that supports access to phone services and pay phones. The government says Telstra is responsible for delivering the USO.
Michelle Rowland says she agrees with Sharkie that there is a lack of flexibility with the USO and is undertaking consultation on it.
Telstra is designated as the universal service provider. Basically, this is a requirement that has not changed under the current regime since it was put in place. It basically applies to landline services and take it on a reading are pretty basic data service. The intention of the national broadband network when it was conceived by Labor was to ensure not only that we had broadband capacity across Australia but that we had a wholesale access network vertically integrated that would provide competition into the regions.
Updated
Albanese: ‘we have a responsibility’ to avoid inflammatory language
Anthony Albanese stands up to answer the question.
I will just refer to the director general of Asio about turning the heat down [on inflammatory language] where possible. We have a responsibility to do that and it is in Australia’s interest that occur and I say that consistently.
He also adds:
The Queensland LNP made a decision to put the Queensland Greens into the Queensland [parliament] by giving them preferences and getting them elected.
Updated
Michael Sukkar says it’s “not a reflection on any individual member. It was on the Greens political party”.
A few Labor MPs called out following the question saying, “says the party that takes One Nation preferences”.
Zali Steggall then enters the debate:
“The question included a reference to a party, completely separate to me, but it is a reflection on its members ... I was required to withdraw when it was a reflection on policy and yet here it is a reflection on a party, the members of a party, and that is not contrary to the standing orders.”
She’s referring to when she told Peter Dutton to “stop being racist” and was asked to withdraw that comment.
Updated
Julian Leeser accuses Greens party of being ‘racist’ and ‘antisemitic’
The second question comes again from Julian Leeser, who accuses the Greens of being “racist” and “antisemitic”.
Greens leader Adam Bandt immediately stands up, calling it a “clear reflection” on the party’s members. He says it’s a disorderly statement and asks for it to be withdrawn.
Updated
Albanese takes cost-of-living dixer
The first dixer is a real set-up for the tone of the election campaign (we still don’t know when it’ll be).
How is the Albanese Labor government building Australia’s future to ensure that no one is held back and no one is left behind?
It’s Labor’s slogan they used in 2022 as well, and Albanese uses the question to go down all the cost of living measures they’ve done – including passing the childcare three day guarantee through the House just before QT.
Updated
Question time starts with PM asked about antisemitism
It’s the final question time for the sitting fortnight (and who knows, maybe the last question time before the election).
The first comes from Liberal MP Julian Leeser on antisemitism.
The prime minister promised Australians that social cohesion was his priority. With antisemitism getting worse, not better, what has our country become under your government?
Anthony Albanese’s tone is sombre and the House is silent.
He says he’s “been opposed to racism in all its forms my entire life”.
The morning after the terrorist attack on 7 October, I was on Insiders condemning it unequivocally. The next morning on the Today Show, I said this in response to the demonstration that took place that night - “There is nothing to celebrate by the murder of innocent civilians going about their day.”
He lists off other media appearance in the days around the protests at the Opera House in October. He calls antisemitism a “scourge”.
I went on to speak about the rallies and said the actions we saw on the weekend need to be unequivocally condemned. I did that consistently at every single opportunity - every opportunity. I have continued to do that.
Updated
What does the future look like for the Whyalla steelworks?
Industry minister Ed Husic says he’s concerned about the future of the steelworks, which owes millions of dollars to creditors.
He’s telling Sky News Australia needs the sovereign capability to be able to continue making steel domestically.
We need to make steel well into the long term. And so, from the Australian and South Australian government’s perspective, we want to be able to team up to make that a reality. We’ve been working on that for months.
The struggling steelworks, bought seven years ago by British industrialist Sanjeev Gupta’s GFG Alliance, has been beset by problems due to a series of shutdowns of its coal-fired blast furnace.
Yesterday the SA premier, Peter Malinauskas, spoke to the ABC, saying he wants to engage with the federal government to ensure Whyalla can continue operating.
Updated
House of Representatives voting on childcare bill
The childcare bill is now being voted on in the House.
It should all be wrapped up in the green chamber shortly, and will zip its way over to the red side for consideration from the Senate (which will pass it as well).
That’ll happen after question time.
Updated
New rules legislated to protect consumers from scams
Australians will be better protected from online, banking and telecommunications scams after new laws passed parliament, AAP reports.
Businesses could be fined up to $50m if they do not maintain strong scams defences and victims will have clearer pathways to compensation.
The laws also establish a scams prevention framework that will subject banks, telecommunications companies and social media organisations to sector-specific rules on protecting Australian consumers.
These guidelines have not yet been finalised but could force tech giants to verify advertisers and prevent fake scam ads.
The laws have been welcomed by the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.
Chief executive David Locke said “for too long Australia has been a destination of choice for scammers.”
Every day we see the devastating impacts of scams, with people suffering life-changing financial losses, as well as the humiliation of being tricked and the loss of their confidence and sense of security.
This legislation is a significant step forward.
Adam Bandt says Greens may have ‘shamed’ Labor into action on childcare bill
The Greens are calling for the government to vote on the childcare bill – guaranteeing three days of childcare for all families – today.
Leader Adam Bandt told reporters the legislation will make a “huge difference to millions of working parents”.
Now it may well be that the Greens have shamed the government into acting, after the government yesterday voted against bringing its own childcare legislation on for a vote. We kept the pressure up over the last fortnight.
The bill is being debated in the House right now, but things could move quite quickly if/when they bring it on for a vote.
Updated
NSW police to investigate CCTV footage from Bankstown hospital
The NSW police commissioner, Karen Webb, told ABC radio on Thursday that officers had been at Bankstown hospital and staff had been interviewed.
We have taken CCTV and overnight we’ve … been able to speak with the influencer in Israel who has agreed to supply us with a statement and an unedited version of the video.
We are looking forward to getting that and then being able to fully investigate the whole content and that will dictate the terms of the investigation.
Webb said the hospital CCTV would allow investigators to pinpoint “where the video was taken, the time, the location within the hospital and has it been edited”.
The police commissioner said investigators had also been talking to the solicitors representing the two nurses regarding the alleged “hate crime”.
Updated
Childcare bill a step closer to passing
The pathway has been cleared for the government’s childcare bill, guaranteeing three days of childcare for all families, to pass the parliament today.
The Greens put up a motion in the Senate, backed by the government and independents Lidia Thorpe, Fatima Payman and Tammy Tyrrell.
Minister for finance and women, Katy Gallagher, had pushed for an amendment so the motion would also include the Workplace Gender Equality amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) bill, but that narrowly failed.
It means if the legislation passes the House today, it’ll come straight to the Senate for a vote today.
Just a note here – last week the government and Coalition had voted to send the childcare bill to be examined by a Senate inquiry, which would report back by 21 March. That inquiry will happen, but the bill can still pass.
Updated
Financial Complaints Authority welcomes passage of scams prevention framework bill
The Australian Financial Complaints Authority has welcomed the passage of the scams prevention framework bill today, bringing in the sectors needed to “effectively disrupt and prevent scams”.
Afca’s chief ombudsman and chief executive, David Locke, said that for too long Australia has been “a destination of choice for scammers, and the legislative and regulatory settings have been inadequate.”
[This legislation] creates the framework for new codes requiring the banks, telecommunications companies and digital platforms to take robust action to drive out this evil traffic. It will enable the apportionment of liability across different businesses and for a single joined-up redress scheme.
Afca believes this legislation is a significant step forward and we will work with government, the regulators, industry and consumer groups in the collective effort to make Australia a place of last resort for scammers.
Updated
Allan weighs in on Deeming decision to skip sitting week for Jordan Peterson-led conference
Asked about Liberal MP Moria Deeming’s decision to skip a sitting week of parliament next week to attend a Jordan Peterson-led conference in London, Jacinta Allan said:
It’s my expectation in our party room that members of parliament, you’re elected to come and sit in parliament. How that’s handled in other party rooms is a matter for them, but I do note that other members of the Liberal Party have had a bit to say about this, and it’s absolutely clear to every Victorian that the Victorian Liberal Party continues to be a deeply divided, untrustworthy outfit. They don’t trust each other, and neither should Victorians.
After this question, the premier was asked again about the Suburban Rail Loop. She said she was “done” with questions on the topic (there had been about 20) and then ended her press conference.
Jacinta Allan questioned on Belle Gibson’s outstanding $410k fine
Circling back to Jacinta Allan’s press conference: The Victorian premier was also asked about the $410,000 fine Belle Gibson was ordered to pay in 2017 after Consumer Affairs Victoria took her the court for breaching consumer laws.
Gibson’s story has recently been fictionalised in the Netflix series Apple Cider Vinegar. Asked whether it was disappointing it’s been seven years and the consumer watchdog is still trying to get her to hand it over, Allan said:
Behind the TV stories, behind the dramatisation are real people who have been had their lives devastated by the actions of this individual. Consumer Affairs Victoria is continuing to pursue this, particularly in the context of the orders that have been made by the court. There are fines outstanding and Consumer Affairs Victoria is pursuing this constantly and consistently and won’t let up.
She disputed they haven’t acted. In 2021, they raided Gibson’s home but there has been no public information about the matter since. Allan said:
Consumer affairs have been pursuing this, and I think we need to also remember those people who’ve had their lives devastated by the actions of this individual, which is why consumer affairs are pursuing this.
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NSW health minister visits Bankstown Hospital amid nurse video
The NSW health minister, Ryan Park, has visited the hospital where two nurses were stood down after claiming they would kill Israeli patients in social media video.
Park said he wanted to visit Bankstown hospital with David Ossip, the president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, to apologise to the Jewish community:
To assure him and the Jewish community that those two individuals don’t reflect the values of NSW Health. But also to convey to the hard working staff of Bankstown hospital that we acknowledge those vile individuals don’t represent our workforce.
Updated
Allan does not say when Victorians can expect first homes built around Suburban Rail Loop
Jacinta Allan was asked, since she brought up the housing opportunities around the Suburban Rail Loop, when Victorians should expect to see the first home built. She would not say:
We’re going to have more to say about this very soon, but how we going to continue to drive every lever of government to build more homes right across the state, and yes, that does include the Suburban Rail Loop, because this is an enormous opportunity to build more homes right in exactly the right location.
She said there were conditions attached to the federal government’s $2.2bn funding, including that it’s spent on “ground conditions, on utilities and land acquisitions”.
This is all part of delivering big projects, and that’s exactly what this funding is going to.
Updated
Allan defends ‘value capture’ funds for Suburban Rail Loop project
Circling back to the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan’s, earlier press conference, where she was speaking about the federal government’s release of $2.2bn for the Suburban Rail Loop project (see earlier post).
When the federal infrastructure minister, Catherine King, announced the release of the funds yesterday, she raised concerns about the state’s plans to raise $12bn for the project via “value capture”. Allan, however, said value capture was an important source of funding “for a project of this size and scale”:
We’re working on this program right now. We’ve seen it in other parts of the country and around the world. We’ve been clear about this from when we very first announced the suburban rail loop. But today’s a good day.
Asked whether she expected the institutes that are set to benefit from the loop – such as Monash University – will chip in funding, Allan said conversations were ongoing.
We already know that a whole range of organisations are already making business investment decisions, like we’ve seen at Moderna … because they know that … not only is there going to be a train line that’s going to connect people to their precinct, there’s also the planning that’s going on around that train station.
It means their workers will be based there … It’ll also mean a fair outcome for the cleaners, people who go and clean those buildings, the admin workers, those key workers consistently are being shut out of an opportunity to buy a house they can afford close to their job. And they’re the parts of the community that I’m particularly being focused on.
Updated
Legislation to subsidise three days of childcare being debated in the House
The prime minister is speaking in the House on the government’s plan to legislate three guaranteed days of childcare for all families.
Anthony Albanese says “it is about choice for families”.
He says for too many families the choice hasn’t been there, because there haven’t been enough childcare places available or families haven’t been able to afford childcare.
The legislation removes the activity test for single parents, on those three guaranteed days of childcare.
Under the test, parents would need to spend a set amount of time working, studying or volunteering, to be eligible for subsidised childcare. But many advocates said for those trying to find work, it meant they couldn’t because they couldn’t put afford to put their children into childcare so they could look for work or go to things like job interviews.
The PM says this legislation would change that:
All of the assessments that have been made, was that the activity test was a barrier, and it was a barrier for the most disadvantaged, the most disadvantaged were those who were missing out.
The legislation is still being debated but could pass the house this afternoon, opening an opportunity for it to pass in the Senate as soon as today.
But there are a few negotiations with the Coalition or crossbench that would need to happen in order to bring the childcare bill to a vote in the Senate today.
Updated
Tropical cyclone approaching WA expected to intensify
McAllister has also warned about a cyclone developing off the coast of WA.
Tropical Cyclone Zelia of the Western Australian coast has intensified to a category 3 system. It is intensifying, it is forecast to reach category 5 today. It is expected to remain slow-moving to the north of Port Hedland before moving to the coast on Friday.
The Bureau of Meteorology has been providing updates on that cyclone.
Severe Weather Update: Severe Tropical Cyclone Zelia to impact the Pilbara coast.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) February 12, 2025
Video current: 7:00am AWST 13 February 2025.
Latest forecasts and warnings: https://t.co/4W35o8iFmh or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/ok6F0Kge64
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Additional assistance for flood-affected Queensland
The minister for emergency management, Jenny McAllister, is providing an update on additional support the government has released.
She says about $100m will support farmers, small businesses and NGOs in the area.
Here’s a breakdown of that funding.
$72.7m in grants for flood-affected primary producers in north Queensland.
$25m in grants for small businesses and not-for-profit agencies in north Queensland
$2.4m rural landholder grants for owners or lessees of at least 10 hectares (24.7 acres) of flood-affected land.
$1m emergency fodder support for eligible primary producers.
McAllister says we’ve seen “the very best of the Queensland spirit” in this time:
Councils on the frontline are supporting the clean-up and the reconstruction. The ADF of course are supporting their community, building temporary restructures, getting supplies into the community. They flew over 200,000kg of cargo to support isolated communities using the aerial support that was provided.
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Dutton calls for reconsideration of rules to strip citizenship after NSW nurse video
In a radio conversation with 2GB’s Ben Fordham about the video recording of the NSW nurses, the opposition leader has said there needs to be a “discussion” about the wider immigration system, and the power of the government to revoke citizenship.
Peter Dutton said there are only limited provisions to cancel citizenship, and suggested Australia needed to have a conversation on whether those provisions should be expanded.
There’s a provision under the Migration Act, without having it in front of me, that if somebody’s made a false declaration, there is the ability in that circumstance … to revoke, say, somebody who committed a terrorist attack. But even that is limited, and there was a high court case in the last 12 months, the last couple of years, where that really restricted the ability of the government to be able to strip somebody of their citizenship. So there are constitutional constraints.
I think it’s a conversation for our country at some point … about how we can say to these people, if you don’t share our values, if you’re here and you’re enjoying the welfare system and you’re enjoying free health and free education, then at the same time you hate our country, well, I don’t think you’ve got a place here.
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‘A great day’ for Victoria says premier as commonwealth releases $2.2bn for rail project
The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, is holding a press conference to open a new Tafe building in Broadmeadows.
She’s asked about last night’s decision from the federal government to release the $2.2bn in funding it promised for the Victorian government’s Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) project.
Allan says:
Today’s a great day for both the Suburban Rail Loop, and for Victorians, because there’s been very few times over the past 12 years where we’ve had an allocation of federal infrastructure funding of this size … The federal Labor government, the state Labor government agrees. It’s a good project. It’s an important project.
The federal and Victorian governments had been clashing over funding for the first stage project, which has a $35bn price tag.
The state government has committed about $9.3bn for the first stage of the loop – SRL East – a 26km stretch of tunnels between Cheltenham and Box Hill.
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Steggall would ‘welcome’ high court challenge to electoral reform
Independent MP Zali Steggall says she believes the electoral reform legislation should be “tested” by the courts.
In a press conference after the passage of the bill through the House, Steggall stood up with fellow independents to take another stab at the reforms.
I would certainly welcome for this legislation to be challenged to the high court as to whether or not it is constitutional … We are independents, we don’t have the capacity to do that, but I think the Australian people deserve to have this legislation tested.
Kate Chaney added it was likely a challenge would be brought against the legislation:
No doubt that there’ll be a legal challenge, and I think that needs to run its course, to see whether these laws are unconstitutional, but whether or not they’re unconstitutional, they are against the interests of the Australian public.
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Australia needs long-term plan to deal with tariffs, says former ambassador to US
Arthur Sinodinos, a former Australian ambassador to the US, says “the devil will be in the detail” when it comes to negotiations between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine.
Trump said he and Putin had agreed to begin ceasefire negotiations, later adding it was unlikely Kyiv would win back all its territory or join Nato if a deal is to be reached.
Speaking on Sky News moments ago, Sinodinos said the fact Trump had initiated conversations with Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy shows he is “committed to some sort of peace process”.
The devil will be in the detail … What sort of security guarantees will Ukraine get coming out of this? What land do the Russians get to keep? Zelenskyy is pushing for a land swap because of an incursion he made into Russia – so there’s quite a bit of detail to be worked out.
Sinodinus also responded to claims made that Australia is “flooding” the US aluminium market. He quipped, “if only we were that powerful”.
The truth of it is that we are not the main target of this, but we are a target because of what we do sell into the US, particularly on the west coast with steel. So we have had to cop it.
I notice Australia is saying we’re not going to retaliate tit for tat because of the costs of doing that. That’s probably sensible in the short run, but in the long run, we’ve got to work out, how do we live in a world where tariffs are likely to be going up, particularly on our major trading partners like China?
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PM marks 17th anniversary of apology to Australia’s Indigenous community
Survivors of the Stolen Generations from the NT, ACT and Jervis Bay will be given an 18-month extension to apply for compensation, the PM announced this morning.
The prime minister marked the 17th anniversary of the apology to Stolen Generations, at a breakfast in parliament this morning.
What guides my government every day is the instinct to ensure all Australians get the same chance in life. To work towards the reality in which all Australians have power over their destiny.
And this all began when you – and all survivors – through patience, persistence and grace at last found your nation was ready to hear your hard truths.
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Electoral reform bill passes the parliament
The electoral reform bill has now passed the parliament, and will take effect at the election due in 2028.
Earlier Zali Steggall spoke to reporters as well, after her exchange with Don Farrell.
She raised concerns again about the unfairness of the bill, as well as the $30,000 each MP and $15,000 each senators will receive to comply with the added administration requirements.
This is not just about capping donations and taking big money out of politics. I know, the minister spins a good story on that, right? It’s easy to point the finger, but the reality for many, many years, is the major parties have outspent every other candidate by multiples to one.
On Farrell’s argument that he did consult widely and that members of the crossbench didn’t engage with him, she said:
That is a straight out lie, and that is absolute BS, because the reality is we have been trying to engage with the minister for some time.
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It’s all about electoral reform this morning
Earlier we told you about the fiery exchange in the press gallery corridor between Zali Steggall and Don Farrell.
You can see more of the footage here:
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Just some added context to the last post:
Normally, even when a bill comes back after passing the Senate, there’s debate in the House over the legislation.
The government has been trying to immediately vote on the bill – effectively gagging the crossbench from debate.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt, stood up saying “all the major parties help themselves. What a stitch-up on the last day of parliament, instead of reforming childcare laws, it’s [passing] laws that help the big parties.”
He’s quickly shut off by Speaker Milton Dick.
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Electoral reform bill briefly delayed by Greens and independents
There’s some last-minute protest on the electoral reform bill in the House this morning.
Because the bill was passed in the Senate last night with amendments, it has to go through the house again – it’s mostly a formality.
But the Greens and independents have forced a division on the bill so it will be briefly delayed before it passes the parliament.
There are shouts heard on the crossbench side of “where’s the democracy?”
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Husic ‘horrified’ by NSW hospital worker video
There’s been more reaction in Canberra to the NSW hospital workers who threatened to refuse treatment to, and to kill, Israeli patients in a video on social media.
The science minister, Ed Husic, was on News Breakfast a little earlier, and said he was “personally horrified” seeing the video.
He pointed to some of the work being done federally to legislate against hate.
People going to get medical help need to be able to trust the people that are doing it and there would be a lot of people in the medical sector that would be equally, if not more, horrified by what they saw.
We do not need to be having our social fabric torn apart by hate, and I think sticking together is one of the best antidotes to deal with some of the terrible things we’re seeing.
The Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young has also responded this morning, telling Sky News, she doesn’t want people to be “fearful of going to hospital or getting health care”.
The majority of healthcare workers in this country, whatever their background, whatever their creed, are qualified and understand that they do a job to look after people, and we don’t want people being afraid to go.
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IAG almost doubles profit as premiums rise
Insurance Australia Group has almost doubled its half-year net profit to $778m, backed by increased premiums during a difficult period for households grappling with high living costs.
The IAG managing director, Nick Hawkins, said the result was delivered in a period of favourable weather. He partly attributed the strong figure to the release of money previously set aside for pandemic business disruptions.
Our results reflect the volatility of our sector and the fact we’re often subject to factors outside our control – the good years help us weather the bad.
Fast-rising insurance premiums, largely overlooked as a driver of inflation in recent years, have been a standout contributor to rising household costs.
The six-month profit result was up 91% on the corresponding period, and its dividend lifted by 20%. Australia’s biggest general insurer reported expanding insurance margins, reflecting an increase in profitability.
The results come at a politically sensitive time given the upcoming election is expected to be fought on competing cost-of-living policies.
On Wednesday, Commonwealth Bank delivered a bumper $5.13bn half-year cash profit even as customers grappled with elevated borrowing rates.
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That standoff between Don Farrell and Zali Steggall was one for the books. The trade minister had stopped in the corridors of the press gallery for a brief press conference – his staff said he only had a few minutes before a meeting, but he took some questions on the electoral reform bill which was rammed through the Senate last night.
After fielding a few questions on the reasons why they needed to cannonball the bill through the parliament, in a process crossbenchers were livid about, Farrell maintained he’d been consulting widely on the changes, in a not-so-veiled rebuke of the crossbench criticisms.
If people didn’t know what was going on, it was their choice. But I’ve made myself available. My staff have made themselves available
Moments later, who was to also emerge from the ABC studios behind him but … Zali Steggall, who is among those absolutely livid about the bill.
Standing in the media scrum before Farrell, a few of us journalists exchanged looks, knowing the picture value of Steggall looking unhappy in the background of the minister’s remarks.
And then she walked right up to him, standing inches from Farrell, as he continued his defence of the bill.
“Why don’t you tell the Australian people what is going to happen?” she interjected, pointing to the cameras. Farrell, who clearly was not expecting a public debate in the halls of parliament, sputtered back that he didn’t agree with her.
It went on for another few minutes, the two politicians arguing directly about the ins and outs of the bill, before Farrell was asked about trade tariffs and Steggall moved off to the side.
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Don Farrell and Zali Steggall in confrontation over electoral changes
There’s something interesting happening in the parliamentary corridor.
Don Farrell, who’s walked out of the ABC studio has been in the corridor doing a doorstop with the media, when he was asked questions by … independent Zali Steggall, a key critic of the bill.
You might call it democracy in action, and the exchange gets a little heated.
Here’s some of what was said below:
Steggall: Why don’t you tell young people that what is going to happen is the big money that will be in politics is the public money, because now the public is paying for the money that you want to still spend during elections, and the only people that participate in elections will be union members.
Farrell: That that is completely untrue. Unions are subject to exactly the same rules …
Steggall: … or members of the Labor party.
Farrell: Well, you got stop changing your story. Either, either you think that it’s the unions getting some benefit out of this, unions are subject to exactly the same rules that every other donor is subject to.
And it continues …
Josh Butler was there, and you can see more of the exchange here:
Minister Don Farrell and Zali Steggall argue about electoral reform in parliament - Steggall, walking by, crashed his press conference to criticise the changes
— Josh Butler (@JoshButler) February 12, 2025
Farrell: "there are no secret loopholes", criticising "candidates supported by millionaires and billionaires" pic.twitter.com/aK0SRQEILx
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James Paterson says the NSW hospital workers who threatened to refuse treatment to, and to kill, Israeli patients in a video on social media should be stripped of their registration.
Speaking to Sky News earlier, the shadow home affairs minister welcomed news that NSW Police were investigating the incident and that the pair had been stood down from their jobs. But he wants to see more action from the federal government:
The federal government regulates the health profession in terms of the registration of doctors and nurses, and as of last night, those two nurses were still registered through the national regulator.
That registration should be stripped because, while they’ve been banned from the NSW public health system, that doesn’t stop them working in the private system, and they shouldn’t be anywhere near any patients, [given] they’ve said that they wouldn’t treat people based on their nationality or ethnicity …
For anyone to think it’s a good idea to say this in any context, but to say it at their workplace, in their uniforms, on a recorded video, just shows how rampant this problem [of antisemitism] is and how decisive leadership is needed to tackle it.
Don Farrell defends electoral donations laws
On to electoral donations – which Farrell is also in charge of – he’s asked about criticisms from the independents that the legislation disadvantages new contenders, and entrenches the two-party system.
Farrell says Australia “shouldn’t be beholden to billionaires”.
We’re actually reducing the amount of money that the major political parties can spend on an election, and that is to the benefit of all candidates. And can I say this Sally, we’ve kept the amount of money you can spend on a single electorate at $800,000. If you can’t pick your message out to the Australian people with a spend of $800,000 [then] there’s something wrong with your campaign.
He also bats away criticism the legislation was passed without proper process or scrutiny.
Farrell says, “In the time that I became the special minister of state three years ago, we have worked on reforming the Australian electoral system”.
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There’s been some confusion around whether there was another agreement that was put in place after Australia secured exemptions from tariffs under the first Trump presidency.
Sally Sara asks whether the Coalition gave a verbal agreement to Trump about limiting aluminium exports to the US during the Morrison government.
Farrell says the then prime minister, Scott Morrison, and the then trade minister, Simon Birmingham, would know.
What I’m aware of is what we’ve been doing over the last three years, and I think we have been complying with all of the arrangements that were in place and the appropriate arrangements that were in place to ensure that we continue to supply high-quality Australian-made aluminium into the American market.
Farrell also points to the impact of Russia’s war in Ukraine – that prevented some Russian aluminium exports getting into the US. He says he understands Australia increased its export to the US to make up for some of that aluminium export shortage from Russia.
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Australian aluminium not flooding the US market: Farrell
The trade minister, Don Farrell, says he doesn’t believe Australia is “flooding” the US market with our aluminium, as suggested by Donald Trump’s senior trade adviser Peter Navarro.
He’s told ABC RN Breakfast:
I don’t believe we’re, we’ve done at any stage, anything that has not been agreed to by the American government.
I’m sure that we comply with all of the obligations that America imposes on those companies that are supplying into the United States, and that wouldn’t matter whether it was beef or lamb or grain or steel or aluminium, I would be absolutely certain Australian companies comply with all of their obligations in terms of reporting into the United States.
Sally Sara asks whether the Department of Foreign Affairs has been reporting the exports Australia has been exporting to the US Department of Commerce, but Farrell says he doesn’t know “exactly how that information is collected by the Americans”
He reiterates the point – which Trump also mentioned this week – that the US has a trade surplus with Australia.
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Goverment says nuclear power would require an extra Sydney Harbour’s worth of water a year
Tanya Plibersek is also asked about this story that my colleague Dan Jervis-Bardy has this morning.
Government analysis supplied to Guardian Australia suggests the Coalition’s plan to replace retired coal-fired power stations with nuclear power plants would require an additional 508,000 megalitres each year.
How much is that? Plibersek, the environment minister, says it’s a lot:
It’s about an extra Sydney Harbour’s worth of water that we would have to find every year and we’ve seen already overseas in Europe, for example, in hot, dry years, nuclear reactors having to be shut down or reduce their production capacity because the water isn’t there, and when the water is used in those nuclear reactors, it’s released into the environment and warmer than it normally would be, and that obviously has environmental impacts all of its own.
Dan’s gone through all the numbers and you can see the full story here:
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Are the electoral reforms a ‘stitch up’ as the independents say?
Cabinet minister Tanya Plibersek told ABC News Breakfast earlier the reforms passed last night with the support of the Coalition help keep out big money and big donors such as Clive Palmer (who also yesterday lost his high court bid to re-register his party, the United Australia party).
The rules apply equally to any candidate, and they say that we don’t want billionaires running our electoral system. The reforms have come after a great deal of consultation, many parliamentary reports, community consultation and work with other parties and the crossbench.
The argument from the independents is that for new challengers they’ve got $800,000 while a party has up to $90m which they can use for national ad campaigns.
Either way, these changes won’t be in place this election, they will come into effect for the following one around 2028.
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Good morning,
Krishani Dhanji here with you on the last sitting day of the fortnight, we’ve made it.
This is one of the last, or possibly the last sitting day before the election. Last night’s deal between the Coalition and Labor on electoral reform was one of the key policies the government was hoping to secure before we head to the polls, after passing a bill to legislation production tax credits earlier this week.
As we’ve been reporting this morning, the prime minister will soon deliver a speech in parliament at a breakfast, marking 17 years since Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generations.
And no doubt Donald Trump’s tariffs will continue dominating the agenda – here and abroad.
It’s going to be a big one!
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Right to disconnect laws found to have reduced unpaid overtime by a third
Workers are doing less unpaid work since right to disconnect laws kicked in, Australian Associated Press reports.
But unions warn that scrapping the measure would add 100 minutes of overtime each week for which employees aren’t compensated.
Under the laws, which came into effect for most workers in August 2024, employees are allowed to reasonably refuse to respond during out of work hours.
Analysis by the Centre for Future Work found since the laws were introduced, the amount of unpaid overtime fell from 5.4 to 3.6 hours a week – a 33% reduction.
Before the right to disconnect was introduced, average wage earners in Australia completed about 3.3bn hours of unpaid work, with that figure dropping down to 2.2bn.
Young Australians aged 18 to 29 experienced the greatest decline in unpaid work.
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has pledged to wind back the laws. The ACTU secretary, Sally McManus, said this was “astounding”.
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More on the Albanese’s upcoming speech today:
Rudd’s apology on 13 February 2008 “could not have happened without your courage”, Albanese will tell survivors.
“Nor would we have had the annual report card that is Closing the Gap. Yet like the Freedom Ride, it was the target of controversy and hostile opposition. The power of hindsight only serves to render that opposition even more baffling,” he will say.
The prime minister’s remarks do not mention opposition leader Peter Dutton by name, but Albanese and Labor have regularly criticised him for his decision to walk out of the apology in parliament in 2008.
“Those, like John Howard, who argued it would divide were wrong. Australians were united in a moment of fundamental decency,” Albanese will say of the apology.
He will also announce the federal government will extend the Territories Stolen Generations Redress Scheme to 30 June 2028 – which he said “means we will be able to continue to accept applications from Stolen Generations survivors for an additional 18 months, bringing it more into line with state redress schemes in place”.
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Albanese to give speech marking anniversary of apology to Stolen Generations
Prime minister Anthony Albanese will this morning praise survivors of the Stolen Generations in a speech at an anniversary event in Canberra.
Albanese will tell the breakfast at Parliament House, marking 17 years since Kevin Rudd’s apology to Indigenous people removed from their families, that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people must “have the same choices as non-Indigenous Australians”.
“An Australia in which the government works carefully with you towards a future in which Indigenous Australians have the economic security of a job and a home,” Albanese will say, according to an advance copy of his remarks.
“What guides my government every day is the instinct to ensure all Australians get the same chance in life. To work towards the reality in which all Australians have power over their destiny. And this all began when you – and all survivors – through patience, persistence and grace at last found your nation was ready to hear your hard truths.”
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Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with some of our best overnight stories before Krishani Dhanji takes over.
The share of wealth held by Australia’s bottom 40% has fallen significantly in two decades while 3.3 million people live below the poverty line, according to a damning report by researchers at Monash University that found inequalities across wealth, housing, health and education were worsening. Australia now has proportionately more people below the poverty line than Canada and the UK, and education outcomes were widening between richer and poorer children.
The prime minister is due to say this morning that the national apology to the Stolen Generations made by Kevin Rudd in 2008 was a day “that mattered in the life of our nation”. At a breakfast in Canberra, Anthony Albanese will say: “Of all my days in parliament on which I look on with great pride, it remains the day of which I remain proudest.” More coming up.
The Australian, UK-based human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson has called for an investigation into the English prosecution service decision to charge Sam Kerr, calling it an “attack on free speech”. Robertson said “no one in their right mind” believed that Kerr’s actions could have justified a prison sentence yet the case still reached crown court in a criminal justice system “in chaos” because of years of underfunding.
And the ACTU have fired up in defence of the right to disconnect laws, which the Coalition say they will scrap, but which the unions say have saved Australians from working a billion hours of unpaid work. More on that soon.
