Thread: Keeping tabs on Australia"s newly elected Government

Anthony Albanese and his new ministry sworn in

At Government House, the PM and his new ministry are sworn in.

The swearing-in ceremony, which started at 9am, is conducted by the governor general Sam Mostyn in Canberra.

The PM took the affirmation as his fiancee, Jodie Haydon, and son, Nathan, watched on.

Re-elected Anthony Albanese is sworn in as Australian 32nd Prime Minister, followed by his new cabinetÂ’s swearing in.

The start of the 148th federal parliament coincides with the world “entering a period of global dislocation not seen” since the second world war, Jim Chalmers has warned.

The offshore threats to Australia’s economy over the coming three years loomed large in treasury’s post-election briefing to Chalmers, which he said warned of the “damaging” effects of Donald Trump’s trade war.

Chalmers met with the treasury secretary, Steven Kennedy, early on the Sunday morning directly after the Saturday 2 May election which handed an unexpectedly big win to the incumbent Albanese government.

“We know the job isn’t finished and we know we will be faced with more global economic volatility and unpredictability over the next three years, not less,” Chalmers said in a statement last night. “It’s one of the reasons why Australians voted so emphatically for stability in uncertain times.”

The Guardian

Albanese heads to Indonesia

Global tensions and Indonesia’s developing relationship with China and Russia will likely be on the agenda when Anthony Albanese makes his first overseas trip of his second term, Australian Associated Press reports.

The prime minister will travel to Jakarta today where he will meet Indonesia’s president, Prabowo Subianto.

Prabowo released a video of his conversation with Albanese after his thumping election win, saying he was “so happy” to see him win another term. The prime minister told the Indonesian president he wanted Jakarta to be his first visit – not Washington or Beijing.

The first state visit to Indonesia continued a legacy set up by the Howard government, which was symbolic in projecting Australia’s identity as being close to Asia, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s senior analyst, Gatra Priyandita, said.

“Albanese is interested in maintaining that image of Australia as being independent of the United States and close to the region,” he told AAP.

“There is great interest in Indonesia’s developing relationship with both Russia and China, with Indonesia establishing some of its first naval exercises with Russia recently, so it will probably be under discussion.”

Reports in April that Moscow was seeking permission from Jakarta for Russian Aerospace Forces aircraft to be based in Indonesia alarmed Canberra. Indonesian authorities reassured their Australian counterparts that would not be the case, but did not confirm if the request had been made.

The prime minister went back on a pledge to attend Prabowo’s inauguration in October 2024 because of a visit to Australia by King Charles.

Dr Gatra said his concern was that this new visit to Jakarta would be purely symbolic. “I haven’t heard much in the context of practical deliverables,” he said.

“It’s very important for Australia and Indonesia to think about strategic co-operation ... especially since both Albanese and Prabowo will likely be counterparts for quite some time.”

The Guardian

Chris Bowen mocks Liberals’ equivocation on ‘bare minimum’ target of net zero by 2050

Chris Bowen has ridiculed the Liberal party for putting net zero by 2050 up for review after its election defeat, comparing it to putting the “sky being blue” up for debate.

The climate change and energy minister also warned that breaking Australia’s bi-partisan commitment to the “bare minimum” emissions target risked creating a sovereign risk for renewables investors.

The new Liberal leader, Sussan Ley, on Tuesday left the door open to walking away from net zero, after declaring all the party’s policies would be reviewed after the disastrous election result.

Ley said she would not ignite a fresh “climate war”, insisting there would be “sound, sensible consultation” on the party’s future climate and energy policies.

On Wednesday, Bowen said Ley’s assurance was “difficult to reconcile”.

“I mean, if you’re going to review net zero, I’m sorry, you’re keeping the climate wars going,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“Particularly if you decide to scrap net zero – that’s keeping the climate wars going.”

Ahead of the 2021 UN climate summit, then prime minister Scott Morrison signed the Coalition up to net zero by 2050 as Australia faced intense pressure to raise its game.

Peter Dutton and the Nationals leader, David Littleproud, retained the commitment in the previous term, with nuclear power pitched as the key to achieving the target.

But the Coalition’s support for the policy is now up in the air, with the Nationals also set to review its position – even after senator Matt Canavan failed in his bid to replace Littleproud on a platform of dumping net zero.

As of June last year, 104 countries had signed up to the target.

Bowen said that if the Liberals ultimately decided to abandon the target, it would prove Canavan and his allies were “calling the shots”.

“Net zero by 2050 is not a policy, it’s the bare minimum framework that you have to work under,” he said.

“If Sussan Ley is saying that’s up for review, she might as well say ‘the sun is coming up tomorrow is up for review’, or the ‘sky being blue is up for review’.”

The re-elected Albanese government has its own emissions debate to resolve, with a 2035 target due later this year.

Bowen confirmed he was still awaiting Climate Change Authority advice on the new target, which was originally due in February but was delayed to allow time to assess the impact of Donald Trump’s return.

He could not provide a timeframe for a decision but said the target would be released “well and truly” before the next UN climate summit in Belém, Brazil, in November.

Australia is vying with Turkey to host next year’s COP31 summit, with a decision on the successful bidder expected within months.

The global climate negotiations and trade show would be a major coup for Australia, drawing tens of thousands of people to Albanese’s preferred host city, Adelaide.

As climate change minister of the host nation, Bowen would be the natural choice for COP president, a rotating role that would put him in charge of organising and running the talks.

Asked on Wednesday if he had turned his mind to the position, Bowen said: “That’s something we’ll have more to say when the bid is confirmed”.

In anticipation of a successful COP bid, Albanese created a new climate related-special envoy role – to be filled by Labor MP Kate Thwaites – to help lighten the load on Bowen.

Josh Wilson, as the assistant minister for climate change and energy, would also help out.

Prime minister Albanese meets President Subianto on arrival to Indonesia

Prime minister Anthony Albanese was greeted by the president of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, upon his arrival in Jakarta last night. Albanese posted to Instagram:

IÂ’ve come to Indonesia for my first overseas visit since the election because our region comes first.

Australia and Indonesia are the nearest of neighbours and the closest of friends.

Working with President @prabowo over the coming years, we will build stronger connections between our two countries.

The Guardian

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Anthony Albanese holds press conference in Indonesia after informal meeting with President Prabowo Subianto

Prime minister Anthony Albanese says he chatted elections and the state of the world with president of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto, who greeted Albanese informally upon arrival at his hotel last night.

Albanese is speaking live from Jakarta:

The relationship between Australia and Indonesia is so important. Important for our defence and security, important for our economic future, and important for the region.

I must say, I was very honoured last night that President Prabowo came to the hotel here and we sat down with our foreign ministers as well for just an informal chat prior to the one-on-one leadersÂ’ meeting that weÂ’ll hold this morning. It said something about the depth of the relationship and the extent of the friendship and warm relationship between our two nations, but also my warm relationship with the president that he came here [and] sat in the hotel room.

We had a really good chat about elections, about the state of the world.

The Guardian


Anthony Albanese addresses the media in Jakarta

Official Visit of Australia PM Anthony Albanese to Indonesia

Politics 'with heart', climate action key for top Green

Larissa Waters promises to push for stronger climate action and "politics with heart" after being chosen to lead the federal Greens.

The senator triumphed over South Australian Sarah Hanson-Young and Mehreen Faruqi from NSW, who will stay on as deputy.

Senator Waters ran for the leadership unopposed after being selected through consensus.

"I am just so thrilled to have had the support of my colleagues to be the leader of the Australian Greens," she told reporters on Thursday.

"We need a parliament that actually delivers for people and has the courage and the boldness and the heart.

"So I'm calling today for a progressive parliament and politics with heart."

She is the first person from Queensland to be appointed leader.

The Greens lost three lower house seats at the election and failed to pick up any extras.

However, they are confident of wielding influence in the Senate, where the party holds the balance of power.

Walking out of the meeting arm-in-arm with her leadership team, Senator Waters called on the Albanese government to engage with the minor party to improve the lives of Australians.

"People elected us to get shit done," she said.

Her second-in-command promised the Greens would use their leverage in the upper house to "demand more, not less".

"To the right wing media, to the billionaires, to the big corporations and to the Albanese government ... we are not going to take a step backwards on action, on climate, on the environment, on housing and for justice," Senator Faruqi said.

Labor has at least 28 seats in the Senate and with the support of the Greens has the numbers to get legislation through the upper house.

Senator Hanson-Young will keep her role as the Greens' manager of business, while Tasmanian Nick McKim will be party whip.

Adam Bandt, who had led the Greens since 2020, lost his seat of Melbourne to Labor at the May 3 poll.

The shock defeat ended Mr Bandt's 15-year career in federal parliament.

Senator Waters said her former leader was desperately missed and would be welcomed back into the parliamentary party with open arms one day.

"I'm a different person to Adam. I take a different approach ... but I lead a really strong team," she said.

"We will be firm but constructive under this government and any future government."

Politics '''with heart''', climate action key for top Green | The Irrigator | Leeton, NSW

PM bound for Rome for papal mass and talks with world leaders

After a flying visit to Jakarta on Thursday, Anthony Albanese is on his way to Rome on Friday.

The prime minister met with Indonesia’s president, Prabowo Subianto, for the first time, part of his first international trip since his 3 May election victory. The visit to Rome for the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XVI was added on after the papal conclave wrapped up.

Despite the historic nature of events at the Vatican on Sunday, the mass might be overshadowed by planned meetings with world leaders. Albanese has flagged he intends to hold pull aside meetings, an agenda which could include talks with French president Emmanuel Macron and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney.

It appears unlikely Albanese will meet US president Donald Trump. Signals from the White House suggest the American delegation will be led by Vice-president JD Vance. That could mean the first talks between Albanese and Trump happen next month during the G7 leaders meeting in Canada.

A possible visit to the White House is also being speculated as part of that trip.

Albanese this week politely declined an offer of honorary citizenship from the Italian city of Barletta, the birthplace of his late father, over fears the gesture could conflict with Australia’s constitutional rules on foreign allegiance.

Barletta, about four hours from Rome, is not part of Albanese’s trip. His father, Carlo, lived there until his death in 2014.

The Guardian

Larissa Waters says climate and nature at core of Greens

New Greens leader Larissa Waters is speaking on ABC News Breakfast this morning.

Asked if the party will “return to its roots” under her leadership after its campaign made “more noise about renters, about dental” in the recent election, Waters says:

We have always had a broad policy platform … We have always had a number of priorities. Climate and nature is at our core.

My personal priorities have always been acting on the climate crisis and protecting biodiversity. That’s why I was an environmental lawyer, that’s what drives me personally. I’m a strong feminist and gender equality and ending gender violence against women. But making sure that everyone can have the things they need. And have good healthcare, have good-funded schools, and you know make sure we’re just a bit of a kinder and a less unified … community that’s not struggling so much.

The Guardian

It is so important: Australia steps up bid for Pope Leo visit as PM lands in Rome

The nationÂ’s top diplomat at the Vatican is stepping up attempts to bring Pope Leo to Australia in the first papal visit in two decades, in a key message ahead of the inauguration Mass on Sunday to confirm the new pope in office.

The Australian ambassador-designate to the Holy See, former cabinet minister Keith Pitt, is making the formal invitation one of the major priorities for the embassy as the new papacy begins.

Keith Pitt, AustraliaÂ’s ambassador-designate to the Holy See, greets Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as he arrives in Rome ahead of SundayÂ’s inauguration mass for Pope Leo

In an interview ahead of the inauguration Mass, Pitt named issues ranging from climate change, artificial intelligence and child sexual abuse as areas where the Australian government would seek to work with the new pope.

He said Australia also wanted to work with Pope Leo and the Vatican on helping Pacific Island nations, a region with large numbers of Catholics.

“Part of the role of the embassy is to elevate, in the minds of those decision makers in the Vatican, why it’s so important that Pope Leo comes to Australia,” Pitt said.

“I think that this is a unique opportunity.

“So we’ll take every opportunity to continue to put forward that invitation and highlight why it’s important for the more than 5 million Catholics in Australia.”

Australia will host a global Catholic event, the International Eucharistic Congress, in Sydney in 2028, and church leaders hope Pope Leo will attend.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on May 9, hours after Pope Leo was elected by a conclave of the College of Cardinals, that he would invite the Pope to visit Australia for the congress.

Pitt is expected to have an audience with the Pope when he presents his diplomatic credentials to the Vatican, the formal step in being recognised as an ambassador to the small but highly influential state. Pitt resigned as a Nationals MP after 12 years in federal parliament when Albanese named him to the diplomatic post in February. He takes up a position role previously held by Tim Fischer, the former Nationals leader.

Pitt said his priority was to act on the prime ministerÂ’s invitation and make the case for the papal visit.

Pope Benedict XVI visited Australia for World Youth Day in 2008 and Pope Paul VI made the first papal visit to Australia in 1970 as part of a pilgrimage across Asia and the Pacific.

Australia steps up bid for Pope Leo visit as Albanese lands in Rome

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Why Anthony Albanese’s presence at Pope Leo’s inauguration is shrewd politics

When Prime Minister Anthony Albanese steps into St PeterÂ’s Square for the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV on Sunday, the optics will be far more than pious courtesy.

For a day, the Vatican will temporarily be the worldÂ’s premier diplomatic stage. And a canny Australian leader can use such an occasion to advance domestic and foreign policy agendas simultaneously.

Federal EPA a very high and immediate priority of Albanese government, environment minister says

Legislating a federal environment protection agency is a “very high and immediate” priority for the re-elected Labor government, new minister Murray Watt has said, signalling he wants nature laws passed quickly to avoid another drawn-out political fight.

In an early statement of intent, Watt will next week travel to Western Australia where he intends to meet face to face with the premier, Roger Cook, and mining industry leaders whose lobbying helped sink the proposed EPA in the previous term.

In his first interview with Guardian Australia in the role, the Queensland senator said he was also considering dropping the “nature positive” title for Labor’s wider overhaul of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (Epbc).

“I am considering the type of language we use to describe these reforms,” Watt said.

“I think the more we can explain these concepts in terms that Australians can understand and buy into, I think that does improve our chances of building public support for them.”

The former industrial relations minister was last week appointed to replace Tanya Plibersek, whose three years in the environment portfolio were defined by a failure to win support for promised nature protection laws.

Watt’s first priority is a decision on Woodside’s application to extend its North-West shelf gas project to 2070 – due on 31 May – before he turns his attention to fixing the EBPC Act.

The Labor frontbencher said it was “certainly his intention” to make a ruling before the deadline rather than seek another extension.

Plibersek was on the cusp of a deal with the Greens in November to establish the EPA before it was scuttled by the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, amid pressure from Cook and WA miners.

Albanese stepped in again in February, shelving the legislation indefinitely to the anger of environmental groups and grassroots Labor members.

The prime minister recommitted during the election campaign to establish a federal nature watchdog but not in the some form to the one shunted weeks earlier.

With the government committed to fresh rounds of talks with industry and environment groups, Watt would not be drawn on the possible design of EPA 2.0, including the option of an agency that enforces nature laws but does not approve projects.

Albanese offered up that model – which sections of industry backed – in a futile attempt to win the Coalition’s support in the previous term.

The EPA was just one part of the wider “nature positive” plan, which also included a suite of national environmental standards in line with recommendations in Graeme Samuel’s review of the EPBC Act.

Plibersek put the standards on the backburner, with no timeframe for their implementation, after splitting up the package in April last year.

Watt said he was open to changing course, pursing one large set of laws – including an EPA – rather than multiple tranches.

“It was absolutely understandable that we progressed the reforms in a staged manner prior to the election,” he said. “I’ve got a genuinely open mind about that (one broader bill). There will be pros and cons about that, and that’s one of the things that I want to consider.”

Watt has not formed a view about national environmental standards but said it was “his intention to progress these reforms in the spirit of Graeme Samuel’s recommendations”.

The new minister wouldn’t set a deadline for the legislation but has signalled Labor wants to resolve the legislation early in the term, outside the heat of the pre-election period.

“This is a very high and immediate priority for the government,” Watt said.

“It’s why on day one on the job, I was on the phone to all of the key stakeholders talking about this. It’s why I’m headed to WA next week … to get those conversations started.

“I do think that the immediate period after an election is an ideal time to settle complicated, contentious reforms and I want to use that opportunity to the best effect.”

The minister insisted he wasn’t “picking sides” in the debate, having held phone calls with environment groups, such as Greenpeace and Australian Conservation Foundation, and industry groups such as the Minerals Council of Australia.

Watt was open to working with either the opposition or the Greens to strengthen environment laws, with both parties under new leadership after the election.

The new Greens leader, Larissa Waters, urged the government to be “bold” as she reaffirmed the party’s position on banning native forrest logging and blocking new coalmines and gas fields.

Labor has ruled out a ban on native forrest logging but has committed to applying national environmental standards to regional forestry agreements.

The government also has no plans to add a “climate trigger” to environmental laws, adamant the safeguard mechanism is an appropriate mechanism to regulate emissions from fossil fuel projects.

Watt welcomed Waters’ commitment to a “constructive” approach to dealing with Labor.

“This [environment protection reform] would be an ideal opportunity for her to show that she’s serious about that,” he said.

Federal EPA a ‘very high and immediate’ priority of Albanese government, environment minister says | Labor party | The Guardian

PM to meet world leaders in Rome for Pope Leo’s inauguration

Anthony Albanese will represent Australia at Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration mass, which will draw together a rare concentration of world leaders and royalty.

The prime minister is expected to hold talks with other leaders as a hive of diplomatic activity is expected to play out on the sidelines of the historic event.

Since arriving in Rome on Friday, Albanese has met with the Sydney Catholic Archbishop, Anthony Fisher, and the Melbourne Archbishop, Peter Comensoli, Nine newspapers reported.

The prime minister also spoke briefly about the importance of the inauguration mass for Australia’s 5 million Catholics at a church in Rome that welcomes visiting Australians.

It’s a whirlwind two-and-a-half-day visit and one the recently re-elected prime minister will be sure to use in advancing Australia’s domestic and foreign policy agenda.

Although official itineraries have not been released, Albanese is expected to meet with the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, and the EU chief, Ursula von der Leyen.

At the top of the agenda for both meetings will be trade and the war in Ukraine.

Other notable attendees include the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the US vice-president, JD Vance, who is set to represent the US in place of Donald Trump, and Britain’s Prince William.

The mass, expected to be attended by tens of thousands of people in St Peter’s Square, will begin at 10am local time (6pm on Sunday AEST). It is expected to follow a visit by the Pope to St Peter’s tomb in the basilica.

The Guardian

We need an EPA with teeth, environment minister tells Sky

The environment minister, Murray Watt, is speaking on Sky News.

In an interview with Guardian Australia published on Friday, Watt said establishing a federal environment protection agency was a “very high and immediate priority” for the re-elected Albanese government after Labor failed to get it through parliament in the previous term.

One of the big unanswered questions is the design of the EPA 2.0, including whether it would have the power to make decisions on projects or just enforce nature laws.

Speaking with Sky, Watt is refusing to rule anything in or out at this stage:

Obviously, it is very early days in my tenure in this role and I will be consulting widely about all of these issues.

He adds:

We did go to the election committing and recommitting, in fact, to having an independent EPA. And we need such a body with teeth to be able to assist in protecting our environment. But in terms of the details around the model of that, that is something I’ll be consulting on.

As we reported on Friday, Watt will next week travel to Western Australia to meet with the premier, Roger Cook, and mining leaders who lobbied to sink the nature watchdog in the last term.

Host Andrew Clennell suggests it’s “unusual” for an environment minister to make a beeline for the mining state so soon after taking on the role.

Watt responds:

I do not think so. I mean, whether it be Tanya Plibersek or other environment ministers, they’ve always engaged in wide-ranging consultations.

The Guardian

Albanese spoke to pope of his mother ‘looking down from heaven’

What did Anthony Albanese choose to tell the Catholic leader when he met him?

After being taken into the basilica to greet the pope after the mass, AAP reports Albanese spoke to him about his mother:

I spoke to him about my mother who would be, I’m sure, looking down from heaven with the biggest smile she’s ever had.

Albanese, who was raised Catholic in a housing commission flat in Sydney, often references his late single-parent mother and her influence on his life.

The Guardian


Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese meets Pope Leo XIV

Energy Australia is in court accused of greenwashing. What is the case about and why is it significant?

Climate group alleges energy giant misled 400,000 customers about Go Neutral product, arguing that carbon credits do not actually remove emissions

A landmark legal case is about to begin involving one of Australia’s largest electricity and gas providers, which is alleged to have engaged in greenwashing.

Energy Australia will appear before the federal court on Wednesday in a case brought by the Parents for Climate group, which alleges the energy giant misled more than 400,000 customers about its Go Neutral product.

The case is significant because it is the first one in the country to be brought against a company for carbon neutral marketing. It is also the first time an Australian energy retailer has faced legal action for alleged greenwashing.

What is greenwashing?

Greenwashing is when a company promises or implies action to help the environment but fails to deliver, according to Erin Turner, the chief executive officer of the Consumer Policy Research Centre (CPRC).

Speaking generally, Turner says the centre’s research has found that some companies lie or mislead customers, while others use vague promises or green colours to imply a product is environmentally better.

We also see greenwashing cause harm and confusion for consumers when high polluting companies or sectors advertise hyper-specific green initiatives, Turner says. For example, we found the mining sector using ads on social media to boast about their clean tech.

Additionally, Turner says carbon neutral certification schemes can cause consumer confusion when they hand out their logo to highlight “one good product or service” from a company that causes environmental harm in other parts of its operations.

A survey of 446 people conducted by Parents for Climate found that 43% had experienced greenwashing from an energy provider, bank or super fund.

Is there anything to stop it from happening in Australia?

Turner says the Australian Consumer Law protects consumers against companies that mislead customers, but it doesn’t help if a company uses vague or woolly language to imply green credentials.

This is why CPRC has been calling for stronger consumer protections specifically to stop companies from claiming their products are green, eco or sustainable without doing to work to show how they’re delivering on their green promises, she says.

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Energy Australia apologises to 400,000 customers and settles greenwashing legal action


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EnergyAustralia acknowledges carbon offsets do not prevent or undo damage caused by emissions

Albanese ends whirlwind international tour in Singapore

Anthony Albanese will meet with Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong to bookend his first international trip since Labor's resounding election triumph.

The prime minister, who met with the previous Singaporean prime minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2024, is expected to consolidate Australia's relationship with one of its most influential Southeast Asia neighbours.

Australia has always had a strong defence and security relationship with Singapore, which boasts one of the most technologically advanced militaries in Southeast Asia, defence strategy expert Malcolm Davis said.

There were opportunities for Australia and Singapore to participate in more joint military exercises, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst said.

"We have similar approaches to war-fighting, so there's a common basis there for us to work with Singapore," Dr Davis told AAP.

Singapore will join the Talisman Sabre exercise in Australia between July 13 and August 4, when more than 30,000 military personnel from 19 nations will take part in war games.

Despite Singapore remaining non-aligned about US-China competition, it remained a key nation in the region, Dr Davis said.

Mr Albanese will meet the Singaporean prime minister on Tuesday after attending the Pope's inauguration at the Vatican and meetings with world leaders on the sidelines of the mass.

Hunter Marston, from the ANU's Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs, said the visit showed the importance Mr Albanese gave to the region.

"This is Albanese's first overseas trip since his party won re-election two weeks ago so signals that the Labor Party will continue to prioritise ties with Southeast Asia," he said.

The trip coincides with the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations after Australia became the first nation to establish a diplomatic relationship with Singapore and the second to recognise it following its independence in 1965.

Mr Albanese visited Indonesia as his first port of call following his May 3 election win and as his first bilateral trip after his 2022 win.

Visiting Indonesia first highlighted the close ties between Australia and its Southeast Asian ally, Mr Albanese contended.

The trip followed news of Russia asking Indonesia to host military planes during the Australian election, prompting Australian officials to scramble to confirm the reports.

Jakarta had been unequivocal that there would be no Russian military presence in the nation, Mr Albanese said.

Zelenskyy urges Australia to put more sanctions on Russia

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has urged Australia to put more sanctions on Russia, while prime minister Anthony Albanese says he continues to put pressure on Russia to secure the release of Oscar Jenkins in the pairÂ’s meeting.

The prime ministerÂ’s office has released a transcript of the leadersÂ’ meeting on the sidelines of the popeÂ’s inauguration.

Zelenskyy congratulated Albanese on his “historical” election win, while Albanese reaffirmed Australia’s support for Ukraine’s struggle for their national sovereignty, and right to determine their own future.

We have been participants in the discussions that have been convened by Prime Minister Starmer and President Macron. ItÂ’s always at strange hours in Australia, some very late-night meetings that I have participated in. WeÂ’ve said that if a peace process emerges, we would consider being involved in a coalition of the willing. Until then weÂ’ll continue to provide support.

Â… WeÂ’ve provided now around about $1.5bn dollars in support, primarily military and defence support.

Zelenskyy thanked Albanese “very much for your military support, for your strong words and supporting the coalition of the willing”. He went on to say:

Together we can really move this situation to closer to peace, with pressure on Russia. And we are very thankful for sanctions. I wanted to raise with you also this topic which is very important, to put more pressure, more sanctions on Russia.

Albanese concluded, thanking the Ukrainian leader “for what you have said with Mr Jenkins”.

The Russian so-called courts have brought down an outrageous ruling, and we continue to seek his freedom and his return to Australia, and we thank you for the assistance in that.

The Guardian

Anthony Albanese to visit China for second time amid Xi Jinping's push for 'mature' ties with Australia

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to China later this year to meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, marking his second official visit to China in two years.

The ABC understands the prime minister will attend the Annual Leaders' Meeting, part of a resumed high-level dialogue last held in Canberra in June 2024 during Mr Li's visit to Australia.

The trip follows a warm personal letter from Mr Xi congratulating Mr Albanese on his re-election.

In the message, Mr Xi highlighted China's interest in "promoting a more mature, stable and productive" relationship with Australia, a deliberate nod to Beijing's desire to build sustained engagement with the Labor government.

The second visit places Mr Albanese among a small group of Australian prime ministers to be invited to Beijing so frequently.

He made stabilising ties with China a core foreign policy priority during his first term, resuming ministerial dialogue and steering the relationship out of a prolonged diplomatic freeze.

During his first trip to China, in November 2023, Mr Xi invited him to return and see more of the country, reinforcing what both sides now describe as a "comprehensive strategic partnership".

The trip was widely seen as a diplomatic breakthrough, not only securing the release of detained Australian journalist Cheng Lei after three years in custody, but also resulting in the removal of all remaining trade impediments imposed on Australian exports during the Coalition government.

The date of the meeting is yet to be announced by Mr Albanese.

ABC News

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Choice makes 'designated complaint' to ACCC over 'misleading' energy retailers

Choice has asked the consumer watchdog to investigate some of Australia’s biggest energy retailers over concerns they are potentially misleading customers with the way they describe and promote their plans.

The consumer advocacy group has raised the allegations in its first designated complaint to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), only the second of its kind in Australia, which requires the regulator to respond within 90 days.

Choice’s chief executive officer, Ashley de Silva, said energy customers could be missing out on approximately $65m in collective savings.

Choice says it analysed nearly 400 energy bills from supporters between January and March 2025, which found many retailers were reusing identical names for energy plans, despite offering them at different prices.

Several bills informed consumers they could save money by switching to a plan with the same name as their existing plan, Choice says, leading to confusion among many customers who believed they were already on the best plan and their potentially missing out on savings as a result.

The Guardian

Albanese formally wins his inner-Sydney seat

More than a fortnight after LaborÂ’s emphatic victory, Anthony Albanese has officially been declared the winner at his local ballot box, AAP reports.

The prime minister was formally announced as the victor in his Sydney seat of Grayndler by the Australian Electoral Commission at a short ceremony on Wednesday.

Albanese increased his primary vote and easily won on first preferences in Grayndler. Speaking at the ceremony, he described LaborÂ’s election success in securing a second term as astounding:

ItÂ’s the first time ever that a government seeking re-election has increased its primary vote, increased its two-party vote and increased the number of seats that it holds in the House of Representatives.

My objective over the next few years is not to just occupy the space, but to change things for the people who voted Labor in this election, and for the people who didn’t as well.”

As of today, Labor has claimed 93 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives, while the Liberals have 28, and the Nationals 15. The remaining 12 are shared between the Greens, independents and other minor parties.

The Guardian


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Shell faces protests calling for clean-up in Niger Delta

Shell is holding its annual meeting today, and faces protests from activists calling for a full clean-up of the damage caused in the Niger Delta.

Activists from Amnesty International UK, Fossil Free London, and the Justice 4 Nigeria coalition are staging a protest outside ShellÂ’s global headquarters in London, just hours before the oil giant holds its AGM at a hotel in Heathrow where protests are barred by a court injunction. The meeting is due to start at 10am.

The campaigners say:

For nearly 70 years Shell’s oil spills and leaks – arising from poorly maintained pipelines and wells and inadequate clean-up efforts – have devastated the health and livelihoods of many of the 30 million people living in the Niger Delta. The pollution has contaminated water sources, killed fish and crops, destroyed mangrove forests, and caused serious health issues, including respiratory illnesses, increased rates of miscarriage and infant mortality.

According to research, babies born to women who lived near oil spills before pregnancy are twice as likely to die in their first month than elsewhere in the country.

Despite making billions in profits, Shell has consistently failed to adequately clean up or compensate affected communities. From just one area – Ogoniland – the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People estimates Shell earned $30bn over 30 years, while ruining local lives and livelihoods.

Peter Frankental, Amnesty International UKÂ’s business and human rights director, added:

Despite numerous court rulings ordering Shell to clean up and compensate the people it has harmed, the company continues to drag its feet. Shell has made huge profits at the expense of the Niger DeltaÂ’s people without taking any responsibility, it must now be held accountable.

For decades communities have demanded justice and the right to live in a safe, healthy environment. Shell has created a living hell in the Niger Delta – now it must clean up and pay up.

The Guardian

Albanese declines to comment on Coalition split

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, spoke to reporters in Canberra after returning from visits to Indonesia, Singapore and Rome.

A reporter told him: “A lot changed while you were away. The Coalition is no longer a Coalition.”

Albanese said: “that’s a matter for the Liberal Party and the National Party”.

I’ve had discussions with both Sussan Ley and David Littleproud on a one-on-one basis. We’ll continue to treat people across the parliament, of course, with respect. Those arrangements are really a matter for them.

My job is to remain focused on leading a government that is orderly, that provides for the implementation of the program that we took to the Australian people and received such a strong mandate for. And that will be my focus …

If the Liberal Party and the National Party want to focus on each other and focus on their internals, that’s a matter for them. I lead a united party that is focused on the needs of the Australian people.

The Guardian

Murray Watt knocks back objections to Woodside’s North West Shelf extension and clears way for final decision

The environment minister, Murray Watt, has knocked back two last-minute objections to Woodside’s North West Shelf extension, clearing the way for a final decision on the controversial development.

Greenpeace and the Conservation Council of Western Australia were among groups opposing the expansion who were denied reconsideration related to the project, communicated to them via Watt’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on Thursday.

Officials said the request did not meet the requirements for reconsideration and did not include “any substantial new information about the impacts” of the project.

Watt is to meet with members of the Labor Environment Action Network, an influential grassroots organisation within the Labor party, on Thursday night after his visit this week to WA.

The deadline on a decision on Woodside’s plan to extend its gas processing plant in WA’s remote north-west out to 2070 is due by the end of the month, one of the first major political challenges for Watt in his new portfolio. His decision follows a six-year assessment process involving state and federal authorities.

A delay in the decision by the former minister, Tanya Plibersek, pushed the final signoff out to after the WA state election in March and the 3 May federal election.

During the campaign, the then opposition leader, Peter Dutton, vowed that a Coalition government would make a ruling on the application within 30 days, under a new “national interest” test that forces decision-makers to give more weight to a project’s social and economic benefits as part of the environmental assessment.

The project is fiercely opposed by environment groups, which say it could damage Indigenous rock art and the local environment and lead to billions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

Watt told Guardian Australia last week it was “certainly his intention” to make a ruling before the deadline, rather than seek another extension.

Greenpeace Australia’s Pacific WA campaign lead, Geoff Bice, said the knockback of the request for reconsideration was deeply disappointing.

Roberts said Watt had declined to meet with the council or Greenpeace while in WA on the grounds it would be inappropriate while the reconsideration request was still under review.

“The dismissal of this reconsideration gives us grave concern that it paves the way for Minister Watt to make a decision on the North West Shelf extension despite the fact that he is just 10 days into his new job and this project will have long lasting negative impacts for generations to come,” Roberts said.

“Disappointingly, as far as I am aware, Minister Watt did not even meet with any of the concerned Traditional Owners on this trip.”

Th Greens leader, Larissa Waters, accused Labor of secretly preparing to approve the project.

“This was the new Labor government’s first big climate test, and Anthony Albanese is lining up to fail it spectacularly – approving Woodside’s carbon bomb even faster than Dutton planned to,” she said.

“Australia’s environment laws are broken, but a rapid-speed approval by Minister Watt indicates he has no intention of fixing them. The coal and gas industry must be rubbing their hands together.”

The department told Guardian Australia it considered the requests under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

“These requests were found to be invalid, meaning that the applications did not meet the requirements of the EPBC Act and EPBC regulations for a reconsideration request.”

“The primary purpose of Woodside’s North West Shelf extension is to process gas from the Browse gas field underneath Scott Reef,” he said. “The minister should be looking at these gas mega projects as a whole, rather than broken into arbitrary pieces.

“The North West Shelf facility is one of Australia’s dirtiest and most polluting fossil fuel projects. The decision to refuse Greenpeace’s reconsideration request brings Woodside one step closer towards drilling for dirty gas at Scott Reef.”

The WA Environment Protection Authority last year described the proposal to open the Browse basin for development as “unacceptable” due to its impact on marine life at Scott Reef. The reef is home to more than 1,500 species, many unique to the area.

The Conservation Council of WA’s executive director, Matt Roberts, said it was “particularly disappointing” the reconsideration request had been dismissed one day after Watt was in Perth this week to speak with mining industry representatives and other stakeholders.

Murray Watt knocks back objections to Woodside’s North West Shelf extension and clears way for final decision | Woodside | The Guardian

Anthony Albanese has announced the 48th parliament will begin sitting on July 22

Anthony Albanese has announced parliamant will resume in two months, 80 days after the May 3 federal election.

“I have recommended to Her Excellency the Governor-General Sam Mostyn that the opening of the 48th Parliament take place on Tuesday 22 July 2025,” he said in a statement.

The 150 MPs and 76 senators in the new parliament will take their places after the stunning election result after a five-week campaign.

Mr Albanese led Labor to its second term with an overwhelming majority of at least 93 seats in the 150-seat parliament.

Labor will also be in a stronger position in the Senate, needing only to negotiate with the Liberals or Greens to get its legislation through.

The May 3 election also resulted in the decimation of the Liberal and Greens parties in the lower house, with both party leaders – Peter Dutton and Adam Bandt – losing their own seats

Mr Albanese has said his government was “humbled by the support of the Australian people”.

“I look forward to advancing the government’s legislative agenda over the coming parliamentary term,” he said in the statement.

“The reform program we took to the election was shaped by the priorities of the Australian people.

“We look forward to continuing the work of Building Australia’s Future.”

But Labor, which held a slim majority of 76 seats in the previous parliament, will be facing a significantly reduced Opposition, which may or may not be made up of a Coalition of the Liberals and Nationals and a changed cross bench.

On Tuesday, Nationals leader David Littleproud announced his party could not form a Coalition agreement with Liberal leader Sussan Ley – who assumed her position after Mr Dutton lost his seat.

However the break-up is currently on ice, as a last-ditch effort is made to reach common ground and save the 80 year relationship.

Mr Dutton will notably be absent from the 48th parliament after he lost his Brisbane seat of Dickson to Labor’s Ali France.

The Liberals also lost a number of frontbenchers and future talent, including housing spokesman Michael Sukkar, foreign affairs spokesman David Coleman and high profile renegade Tasmanian backbencher Bridget Archer.

The Liberals also took a big hit in its Queensland, with Ross Vasta in Bonner, Luke Howarth in Petrie, Bert van Manen in Forde losing and Jeremy Neal unable to win in Leichhardt.

The Greens leader Adam Bandt also lost his seat on Melbourne to Labor’s Sarah Whitty.

The 48th parliament will have a packed agenda as Labor seeks to fufil its election promise of cutting HECS debt.

The first bill on Labor’s agenda aims to wipe 20 per cent student loans with a one-off reduction and raising the minimum threshold for repayments by more than $10,000 a year – from about $54,000 to $67,000.

About $16bn in debt will be wiped across the student loans framework.

Perhaps more controversially, Labor’s proposed additional super tax on balances above $3m will also be on the agenda.

The government has proposed an additional tax of 15 per cent on superannuation benefits over $3m at the end of a financial year, starting from 1 July 2025.

This has been highly controversial, considering total superannuation balances include unrealised gains, meaning the tax will include movements in unrealised asset valuations during a year.

The super tax also has a carve-out, which means former state premiers, parliamentarians, politicians all elected before 2009 and a plethora of other public service officials who already benefit from more generous pension schemes that the wider public will be exempt.

The plan has already sparked wealthy retirees into selling assets, and restructuring their investment portfolios in opposition of Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ plan.

With an easier Senate to deal with, it’s likely the government will get the Bill through.

https://www.news.com.au/national/pol...aa439abe26287b

PM delivers climate crisis warning as damaging winds to strike flood-hit mid-north coast

Anthony Albanese says extreme weather events such as the mid-north coast floods are becoming more frequent and intense as one person remains missing and four people have died in the disaster.

“You are not alone,” was the message from the prime minister on Friday, as he travelled up to Maitland from Canberra to better grasp the scale of the massive flooding and the required emergency response.

“Tragically, we’re seeing more extreme weather events. They’re occurring more frequently, and they’re more intense,” Albanese said.

A large area from the north coast of New South Wales down to the Victorian border had been affected, with the regions between Kempsey and the Central Coast most heavily affected.

While the heavy rain was expected to clear the state by Friday evening, strong and damaging wind gusts are forecast to strike from Monday, said Angus Hines, a senior meteorologist with the Bureau of Meteorology.

“The land is very wet, extremely saturated after this week’s rainfall … when you get strong winds on to soggy soil that is when trees can come down. There is a potential for tree damage, tree falls, power outages, damages to houses, properties and cars.”

The Guardian - The Guardian

Prime Minister Albanese returns to Australia after international engagements

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has concluded his first international engagements since being re-elected. During the first leg of the trip to Jakarta, Indonesia, the Prime Minister held a successful Annual Leaders’ Meeting with President Prabowo Subianto. The two leaders discussed broadening our countries’ partnership and elevating our strong and mutually beneficial economic ties under our bilateral Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Prime Minister Albanese then joined Catholics and world leaders in Vatican City to represent Australia at the papal inauguration of His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV.

Prime Minister Albanese had the honour of a private audience with His Holiness where they discussed their shared concerns around global conflict and the resulting humanitarian impacts.

Prime Minister Albanese formally invited His Holiness to Australia for the International Eucharistic Congress in Sydney in 2028.

It has been 16 years since an Australian Prime Minister had an audience with the Pope and the first time an Australian Prime Minister has attended a papal inauguration.

While in Rome, Prime Minister Albanese met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and reaffirmed Australia’s ongoing support of Ukraine.

The Prime Minister also met President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and had several informal discussions with other world leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

During a stopover in Singapore on the way back to Australia, Prime Minister Albanese met Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong.

The two Prime Ministers shared their perspectives on the regional and global outlook and recommitted themselves to a substantive upgrade of the Australia–Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

https://www.pmc.gov.au/news/prime-mi...al-engagements

Outraged Liberals say short-lived Coalition split has ‘shredded’ David Littleproud’s leadership

Liberals have expressed outrage over the Nationals’ decision to abandon and then return to the Coalition, with one claiming David Littleproud has “shredded” his leadership with the short-lived split and that it will be hard for the two parties to trust each other again.

The comments came as Michael McCormack declined to rule out standing up in a future leadership ballot, after saying he was “ambitious” for Littleproud’s leadership on Friday morning.

The Liberals held a virtual party room meeting on Friday to accept in principle the four demands made by the Nationals – including a watered-down policy to end the Howard-era moratorium on nuclear – and gave their leader, Sussan Ley, the authority to continue negotiating the full Coalition agreement with Littleproud over the weekend.

Despite the reconciliation, Liberal sources told Guardian Australia there was frustration in the party over the Nationals’ handling of the issue, with one MP saying there was now “much less goodwill” towards the junior Coalition partner.

A second Liberal said they were “uncomfortable” with the precedent set by the Nationals in the broken down negotiations, and believed it “unusual” that they were setting these demands in the Coalition agreement.

Another MP said Littleproud had “shredded” his leadership credentials and was now on “borrowed time”.

The backflip had “strengthened” the Liberals’ position in the joint party room, they also said, claiming the Nationals had “stared into the abyss” and then come “scrambling back”.

A fourth said the behaviour of the Nationals had “hardened party room resolve” against allowing the Nationals to “dictate” their policy positions, and that the Liberals were “probably too accepting” of the country party’s policies during the previous term.

They also accused the Nationals of “acting like kids” during the negotiations, and said now was “not the time” after facing a shock loss at the ballot box on 3 May.

Another senator emphasised that the in-principle agreement on the four policies would be defined in more detail by the shadow cabinet and “not by the Nationals”.

Littleproud’s office declined to comment.

On Friday, McCormack told ABC TV he wouldn’t rule himself out of any future leadership ballots, but said there were no plans for a coup.

“I’m not planning to roll David any time soon. This week has been messy, it has,” he said.

“Journalists are always intrigued by asking, ‘Will he run for the leader?’ but you’re not going to put a red line through your name forever more … You shouldn’t ever say never to such things, because I don’t know what is going to happen in the future.”

Earlier on Friday, McCormack said he was “ambitious” for Littleproud’s leadership – a reference to then-treasurer Scott Morrison saying he was “ambitious” for Malcolm Turnbull, just two days before Turnbull was rolled in 2018 – then later described the comment as “tongue-in-cheek”.

He also quashed reports former leader Barnaby Joyce was putting his support behind a McCormack challenge.

“I have not spoken to Barnaby about that, I have not. I’m sure it’s not true … David Littleproud is our leader,” McCormack told the ABC.

Insiders told Guardian Australia Ley had drawn up her shadow ministry and was ready to announce it publicly on Thursday but paused after speaking to Littleproud.

Ley and Littleproud will finalise the new Coalition agreement in coming days, which will determine how many ministry positions will be given to the Nationals – dictated by what percentage of seats they hold in the joint party room.

The new shadow ministry is expected to be announced next week.

Outraged Liberals say short-lived Coalition split has ‘shredded’ David Littleproud’s leadership | Australian politics | The Guardian