Yesterday
Trade partners applaud gas certainty; trouble brews for Labor at home
Gas, not wishful thinking, is needed to get to net zero, says Anthony Albanese.
- Updated
- Phillip Coorey, Andrew Tillett and Jessica Sier
High Court hands Labor rare win on immigration detention
Immigration Minister Andrew Giles welcomed the ruling in the case of the man known as ASF17, who says he would face persecution if he was sent back to Iran.
- Updated
- Tom McIlroy
- Analysis
- Federal budget
The budget that could be make or break for Labor
Jim Chalmers is gearing up for his third and most important budget. If he spends too much and stokes inflation, he knows he’ll own the next rate increase.
- Updated
- Phillip Coorey
Military tensions flare on the road to stability with China
A near miss between a Chinese fighter jet and Australian helicopter show that friction remains despite improvement in ties between Beijing and Canberra.
- Andrew Tillett
This tree symbolises how Victoria became a financial basket case
After 300 years of withstanding the elements, the River Red Gum in Bulleen forced the North East Link to be redesigned as the cost of the project blows out by billions of dollars.
- Patrick Durkin
New gas projects receive support amid Labor unease
Resources Minister Madeleine King has backed the development of the Narrabri gas field in NSW, and the Queensland Labor government has given the green light to four new projects in the Bowen Basin.
- Phillip Coorey
This Month
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
Budget week is time for Dutton to roll a few Jaffas down the aisle
In the same week Peter Dutton went in to bat for the koalas, Labor flew the flag for gas.
- Phillip Coorey
Behind the PM’s $3b ‘bailout’ of Victoria’s most expensive road
Experts blame a $10 billion blowout for the North East Link on CFMEU disruptions, a failed tender process and crazy design decisions to pander to community groups.
- Patrick Durkin, David Marin-Guzman and Gus McCubbing
Australia’s defence chief rejects Chinese spying claims
In his first comments on dramatic helicopter near miss, General Angus Campbell said a Chinese pilot had acted unsafely and unprofessionally.
- Andrew Tillett
Everything we know about the budget so far
Treasurer Jim Chalmers will hand down Labor’s third budget on May 14. Here’s what we know about the proposed spending measures.
- Updated
- Tom McIlroy
Labor backs gas ‘to 2050 and beyond’
The government has shed its ambivalence towards gas and adopted a strategy that locks in its use for several more decades along with measures to promote carbon capture.
- Phillip Coorey
Outer Perth ‘pain seats’ at risk as Albanese cocks ear to west
Federal Labor is bleeding votes in Western Australia that could cost it several key seats, pollsters warn.
- Tom Rabe
Chalmers locks in business tax breaks to help Made in Australia
The budget will contain tax breaks for investors to turbocharge the government’s Future Made in Australia Act, Jim Chalmers has confirmed.
- Phillip Coorey
- Exclusive
- Federal budget
Labor’s plan to ‘restore faith’ in Qld
Anthony Albanese said Labor’s Future Made in Australia Act was key to “restore faith” with blue-collar Queenslanders, who deserted the party in 2019 over the confused position on the Adani coal mine.
- Phillip Coorey
Critical minerals boost from $566m plan to fully map Australia
Deposits of critical minerals and rare earths badly needed for the development of renewable energy technologies will be mapped, Anthony Albanese says.
- Tom McIlroy
Beijing blames ‘provocative move’ for helicopter flare incident
Stabilisation of ties between Canberra and Beijing suffered a setback after a Chinese fighter jet released flares near an Australian navy helicopter.
- Updated
- Andrew Tillett
- Analysis
- Political leadership
All hat, no bull: PM’s tough task disarming farmers in Qld
Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton are in Rockhampton for Beef 2024. One suspects Labor will need to look elsewhere in Queensland to win seats at the next election.
- Phillip Coorey
Social cohesion ‘fraying’, Albanese admits amid anti-Israel backlash
Anthony Albanese defended his efforts to keep the community together but would not be drawn on a looming UN vote on Palestinian statehood.
- Andrew Tillett
- Opinion
- Letters to the Editor
Reinstate HECS discount to recover debt
Readers’ letters on the reduction in indexation rates for HECS debt; the crackdown on the big four accountancy firms and lobby groups making submissions to the government ahead of the budget.
Why Australia’s domestic violence problem is complicated
The hope is that targeted action, and policies to boost women’s economic security more broadly, can continue to deliver results.
- Tom McIlroy