A senior Liberal says Israel’s killings of aid workers should have been prevented but has refused to call the attacks a breach of international law, as the Coalition faces accusations of being “weak” amid outrage over Israel’s conduct in Gaza. Two Israeli officers were sacked after an investigation found droneContinue Reading
A frustrated Anthony Albanese has hit out after he was dealt a humiliating blow while trying to ram through laws to make it easier to deport non-citizens. The Prime Minister was on the defensive on Thursday morning, accusing the Coalition of playing politics by teaming up with the crossbench toContinue Reading
The federal government should alter decades-old discrimination laws to remove the right of religious schools to expel students and sack teachers for their sexual orientation, gender identity or relationship status, a new report has recommended. Days after the federal government threatened to ditch its promised religious discrimination reforms to protectContinue Reading
Pro-Tibet protesters rallied outside Parliament House, calling on Foreign Minister Penny Wong to put human rights issues at the top of her meeting with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. Senator Wong and Mr Wang met for the seventh time in Parliament House on Wednesday, marking the first time a ChineseContinue Reading
The federal government has made a grim concession after revelations it lifted ankle bracelet monitoring and curfew conditions imposed on an ex-detainee convicted of serious sex crimes. Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said an individual known as XTVC, released under a High Court ruling in November, was released without monitoringContinue Reading
China’s top foreign affairs official Wang Yi has been accused of snubbing Australia again by refusing to front up to a press conference with his counterpart Penny Wong. News.com.au has confirmed that the Chinese foreign minister was invited by the Foreign Minister’s office but has declined to attend the pressContinue Reading
A senior leader has been blasted as “ridiculous” after criticising a multibillion-dollar plan to triple two-way trade between Australia and Southeast Asia. Anthony Albanese will on Tuesday announce a $2bn fund to boost trade and investment, with a focus on clean energy and infrastructure, when he addresses a gathering ofContinue Reading
The Albanese government will use the first parliamentary sitting day of the year to introduce legislation to overhaul stage 3 tax cuts, as the opposition gears up to question the prime minister over his “broken promise”. Shadow cabinet met on Monday evening to determine their position on the government’s “costContinue Reading
Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock isn’t ready to cut interest rates just yet. But after the central bank’s aggressive campaign to quash demand and cool price pressures, delivering blow after blow to homeowners, the focus of economists and analysts has pivoted to the timing and speed of a rates reprieve.Continue Reading
Penny Wong has suggested that Australia wants to resume funding to the United Nations agency delivering aid to Gaza as soon as possible, maintaining that while recent allegations about staff were gravely serious, there are no alternatives. Australia, alongside the United States, the United Kingdom and a number of otherContinue Reading