4m agoFri 29 Aug 2025 at 1:28am

Climate Council criticises David Littleproud’s comments about net zero on radio

The Climate Council has criticised Nationals leader David Littleproud for saying that there’s a way to tackle climate change without net zero.

Speaking on ABC Radio National Breakfast this morning, Littleproud criticised the government for taking a “linear” approach to climate change with its net zero target.

Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie has criticised the comments and urged Littleproud to accept briefings from leading climate scientists and emergency service experts.

McKenzie says cutting climate pollution is the only solution to the climate crisis and that net zero was simply a goal to reduce climate pollution over the next 25 years.

“Cutting climate pollution is the only way to solve the climate crisis. The burning of coal, oil and gas is driving the problem — there is no other magical solution than cutting the source of the problem,” McKenzie says.

“If we don’t continue to cut climate pollution the flooding in Taree, Grafton and Lismore will become more and more frequent and damaging. Marine heatwaves will cause the terminal decline of the Great Barrier Reef,” she says.

18m agoFri 29 Aug 2025 at 1:14am

Liberal Sarah Henderson says Coalition should release energy policy ‘very quickly’

Liberal senator Sarah Henderson has urged the Coalition to arrive at an energy policy “very, very quickly”.

Shadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan is undertaking a comprehensive review on the party room’s position on net zero.

Speaking to Sky News, Henderson says she has “a lot of reservations about net zero” and that the Coalition can’t wait nine to 12 months for Tehan’s review to be finalised.

Asked if she thinks the Coalition should ditch net zero, Henderson says she thinks it is not worth the cost to the Australian economy.

“I don’t frankly think net zero is worth the cost — the cost to our manufacturers, the cost to our farmers, the cost to regional communities. It is these communities paying the price,” Henderson says.

“I respect the fact that the Coalition is still undertaking policy work on net zero, on our energy policy, on our commitments to gas, and other things that are so important for our nation to keep our economy on track.

“But I have to say I don’t think we can wait nine or 12 months. We’ve got to get on with and we’ve got to deliver our policy very, very quickly. I have got a lot of reservations about net zero, people don’t even understand it,” she says.

59m agoFri 29 Aug 2025 at 12:33amAustralia’s first Moon ‘Roo-ver’ to be sent into space at the end of the decade(Supplied: Australian Space Agency)

Australia’s first Moon rover, Roo-ver, will be sent to the lunar body at the end of the decade to study its surface.

It will be the furthest any Australian space object has travelled.

Roo-ver will be integrated with a NASA sensor, which will help study the Moon’s soil.

The rover’s exploration will examine a potential future for human life in space and is being designed, built, and operated by the ELO2 consortium and Australian Space Agency.

The federal government has injected $42 million into the development, design, build and operation of Roo-ver.

Industry and Innovation Minister Tim Ayres says the rover is one of the most specialised robotics and advanced manufacturing projects in the country.

“This is a big deal for the Australian space sector and for Australian science. This craft is an Australian craft. It will be on the Moon at the end of the decade,” Ayres told ABC News Breakfast.

“Australians should be really proud. An Australian craft built by Australians, including Australian veterans, that will be on the Moon at the end of this decade. That’s a big deal and we should celebrate,” he says.

1h agoFri 29 Aug 2025 at 12:02am

Jane Hume says there should be consequences for Bob Katter’s outburst at journalist

Health Minister Mark Butler says Bob Katter’s outburst at a journalist at a press conference in Brisbane yesterday was “completely unacceptable”.

“The threat itself is unacceptable. The physical approach to the journalist that your viewers just saw is unacceptable in this day and age, particularly from a political leader,” Butler says.

Jane Hume says while Katter is a colourful character, she says that’s no excuse for inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour.

She’s called for there to be consequences.

“You should always be able to feel safe and respected at work — journalists and politicians. The idea of threatening violence is entirely unacceptable. There must be consequences,” Hume says.

“Bob Katter is an independent. That doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t have processes in place to deal with it. I would imagine that those new processes that have been set up, and the independent parliamentary standards commission, will be looking at this very seriously,” she says.

1h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:54pmHealth Minister Mark Butler confirms would-be hijacker is in custody

The Australian has reported that a plan to hijack a commercial plane from Australia and fly it to a hostile Middle Eastern country was foiled.

The paper reports that counter-terrorism investigators have made arrests in relation to the incident.

Health Minister Mark Butler has confirmed that the alleged hijacker is in custody and there’s no threat to the Australian community.

Speaking to Channel Seven, Butler says there is a suppression order on the case “for a very good reason” and that investigations are still underway.

“Investigations are still underway by our intelligence and security agencies. So we don’t want to speculate about other aspects of this issue,” Butler says.

“We want to let our agencies do their work, and that will all come out in due course and be prosecuted in the normal way,” he says.

Liberal senator Jane Hume says she wants the government to release a report into a security incident at Avalon Airport last year.

“I want to make sure that report and its recommendations are made public and that the government’s responses to those recommendations are made public,” she says.

1h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:44pmLittleproud says Katter’s press conference spat was ‘unbecoming’

David Littleproud says he thinks Bob Katter’s threats against a journalist at a press conference in Brisbane on Thursday were “unbecoming”.

He says that sort of behaviour is not appropriate for a member of parliament, and thinks he should apologise.

Littleproud thinks the journalist didn’t ask a provocative question and acted professionally.

“It doesn’t matter who you are or how iconic you think you are, we’ve been given a privileged place in parliament to go and to actually debate ideas with intellect,” Littleproud says.

“There’ve been over 100,000 Australians that have sacrificed their lives so that we don’t need violence in our democracy. And we’ve got to be better than that,” he says.

1h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:38pm

Coalition shouldn’t settle net zero debate until it gets the policy right, Littleproud says

David Littleproud has been asked how quickly the Coalition needs to settle its internal dispute over net zero.

The Nationals leader says the Coalition shouldn’t settle the debate until it gets it right.

He says there’s a way to tackle emissions reduction without reaching net zero.

“We should take our time. We should create an environment for a sensible conversation where everybody’s views are heard, not get caught up in cheap, senseless slogans,” Littleproud says.

“As a coalition, we’re going to get it right, and we’re going to make sure that every voice is heard,” he says.

Asked if he’s prepared to walk away from the Coalition again if the Liberal and National parties have diverging views on net zero, Littleproud says he won’t get into hypotheticals.

He says the government is taking a linear approach to reducing emissions which is resulting in increased power prices.

1h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:33pm

Should loans be made available to algal bloom affected business? Littleproud says yes

David Littleproud says he believes low-interest loans should be made available for people affected by South Australia’s toxic algal bloom.

He says there’s not a precedent for an algal bloom, but says it makes sense for the scheme to evolve.

“We’ve got to evolve with what the world is facing, what Australia is facing, Australian primary producers are facing. That’s around adaptation,” Littleproud says.

“I think this is where we can make those sensible steps that do the right thing by our industries, to protect them and let them adapt,” he says.

2h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:25pm

Littleproud supports low-interest loans being used to help farmers transition to net-zero

Asked if he thinks changes need to be made that would allow people to access the loans more quickly, Littleproud says the minister needs to ensure loans are handed out quickly.

“The minister simply needs to sign a piece of paper for that to happen, and the RIC needs to be able to address that. That’s what they’re there to do,” Littleproud says.

David Littleproud says he supports the loans being used to help farmers bolster climate resilience and transition to net zero.

“I think when we were in government, we didn’t have loans, we gave direct grants for things like better resilience in terms of water infrastructure, whether that be drilling out bores, new bores, or whether that be for water, or whether that be desilting dams and making sure that there was stronger resilience,” Littleproud says.

Asked why he supports the loans to help farmers transition to net zero but not support a policy of net zero, Littleproud says he doesn’t think net zero is the way to address climate change.

“I believe in climate change. I believe that man has made a contribution to that. But it’s a pure old debate to say that if you don’t believe in net zero, you don’t believe in climate change,” he says.

“What you can do is be sensible about reducing emissions, how you do it in a uniquely Australian way, and making sure that you do that in an affordable way for Australians,” he says.

2h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:16pm

David Littleproud urges government to introduce interest-free period for loans

Shadow Agriculture Minister and Nationals leader David Littleproud has spoken to ABC Radio National Breakfast about the $1 billion funding boost to the Regional Investment Corporation (RIC).

Littleproud has welcomed the funding boost and says the corporation is an “important vehicle” that requires continued investment for certainty.

He has called for the government to consider reverting back to implementing an interest-free period during times of disaster, including droughts.

“I think the government needs to be quicker on this, whether it be the algal bloom, whether it be the floods in western Queensland where 200,000 head have been lost, or whether it be for the drought in southern Australia,” Littleproud says.

“The government has sort of dragged its feet. This is welcomed, but we need some real, timely action now,” he says.

2h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:07pm

PM says communities need to be engaged about renewable energy projects

Anthony Albanese has been asked if the government is aware of the pain regional communities are feeling as a result of having to carry the burden of Australia’s renewable energy transition.

Albanese says governments need to do better with community consultation, and that the feelings people have about renewable energy need to be taken into account and listened to.

He says Australia’s coal-fired power stations are reaching their retirement age, and that Australia needs to move to renewable energy.

“The cheapest form of energy is renewables. How that process happens, though, is important as well, and we need better engagement, there’s no question about that,” the PM says.

2h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 11:03pm

Albanese raised US tariffs at meeting with congressman Jason Smith in Canberra

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he advocated the United States drop reciprocal tariffs on Australia.

Australian products are currently subject to 10 per cent baseline tariffs, however, other countries are subject to higher tariffs.

Albanese has told ABC Ballarat that he lobbied Republican congressman Jason Smith, who is visiting Australia, to drop the tariffs.

“I had a long meeting with him. I advocated Australia’s case,” Albanese says.

“I think that [tariffs] are an act of economic self-harm. Tariffs hurt the country that’s imposing them because it increases costs,” he says.

2h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 10:54pm

PM provides more details on $1b funding boost for low-interest loans

The PM has provided some more details on that $1 billion boost to the Regional Investment Corporation (RIC) to help farmers in need of financial assistance.

Anthony Albanese says it’s an extension of the RIC and can be used for concessional loans to help farmers stay profitable.

Albanese says it will also help farmers prepare for a changing climate.

The PM says the government will broaden the scope for the low-interest loans, targeting productivity and the transition to net zero.

Some farming groups have called on the government to move from offering low-interest loans to no interest loans.

The PM says it’s not surprising people will ask for no interest loans. 

“There are reasons for the integrity of the system that you build in some small amount of interest, and that is what this does,” he says.

2h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 10:49pm

Robbie Katter defends father’s aggression towards reporter

Bob Katter’s son Robbie Katter says there is a “deeply personal family dimension” for his father in relation to his Lebanese heritage.

“I am not going to go into too much detail there, nor will I ever publicly, I don’t think it is anyone else’s business,” Robbie tells Sky News.

Robbie says it’s “no big shock” his father responded aggressively “when you poke the bear”, but he acknowledges the reporter was not asking questions with malice.

Robbie, who serves as a state MP under his father’s banner, defended Bob’s behaviour, saying the Channel Nine reporter asking questions was probing into personal matters.

“I would say too, he is an 80-year-old man. It’s hard to see how that’s too intimidating. I know he is a lot more aggressive than other 80-year-olds, so I get that,” Robbie adds.

Reporter Josh Bavas had asked Bob about his own Lebanese migrant heritage after the Queensland MP held a press conference opposing immigration from countries that he said did not share Australia’s values.

2h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 10:45pm

‘We need to find this criminal’: PM says of Porepunkah search

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has joined ABC Ballarat where he says the AFP is joining the search for an alleged gunman in Porepunkah, Victoria.

“We need to find this criminal who is responsible for this tragedy,” Albanese says.

“This is a horrific incident. Tragically, it’s so reminiscent of the loss of life we saw in Queensland just a couple of years ago,” he says.

3h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 10:32pmBob Katter needs to ‘have a look at himself’: PM

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Bob Katter needs to “have a look at himself” after he threatened a journalist at a press conference in Brisbane yesterday.

At a press conference about migration to Australia, a Channel Nine journalist asked about Katter’s Lebanese ancestry.

The Kennedy MP in response said: “I’ve punched blokes in the mouth for saying that. Don’t you say that!”

Albanese says, while he likes Katter, the MP needs to recognise that’s not the behaviour expected of any Australian, including an elected representative.

“Bob Katter needs to have a look at that footage, have a look at himself, frankly, and recognise that that’s just not what we expect of any Australian, let alone someone who’s in public office,” he says.

3h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 10:28pm

Albanese comments on expulsion of Iran’s ambassador from Australia

Iranian ambassador to Australia Ahmad Sadeghi left Australia after being expelled from the country by the federal government, along with three other diplomats.

Sadeghi labelled allegations the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was behind two antisemitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne as “baseless accusations”.

Anthony Albanese says it was a big decision to expel the Sadeghi from Australia — one which Australia hasn’t taken since World War II.

“No ambassador has been expelled from Australia in the post-war period. That says something about how significant this was, but this was an attack on Australian soil by a foreign power, completely unacceptable. And we took appropriate strong action,” he says.

3h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 10:20pm

Albanese says Australia will spend ‘what we like’ on defence

Asked if Australia will increase defence spending to what the US would like us to, Albanese has declared Australia will do “what we like”.

He has pointed to the government’s decision to spend $10 billion on purchasing new Mogami-class frigates as a sign Australia is committed to defence spending.

“Just in the last month, we announced the frigates, that the first ones will be built in Japan and then subsequent ones built here in Australia,” Albanese says.

“We’ve lifted defence spending by $10 billion just over the forward estimates, and by $57 billion over the medium term,” he says.

3h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 10:14pm

When will the PM meet with Trump? Looks like it might be at one of the upcoming summits

Was a meeting with US President Donald Trump discussed in Washington? Anthony Albanese says that’s not the reason Marles made the visit.

He says Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, is responsible for any future meeting between Albanese and Trump.

The PM says he had a meeting with the head of the US Ways and Means committee, Jason Smith, on Wednesday.

“He’s a very welcome guest here in Australia. And we regularly have dialogue,” he says.

So, has the PM locked in a meeting with Trump yet? Albanese says we’ll see it on our screen when it’s confirmed.

He’s signalled that he might meet with Trump at one of the upcoming summits, with the UN General Assembly, APEC, ASEAN and the Quad, all meetings coming up.

“I’ll certainly be with President Trump a number of times between now and the end of the year,” he says.

3h agoThu 28 Aug 2025 at 10:07pmAlbanese finds fuss over Marles, Vance and Hegseth meeting ‘rather bizarre’

The prime minister says he finds the fuss over the meeting between Defence Minister Richard Marles, US Vice-President JD Vance and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “rather bizarre”.

Just to recap, there was confusion yesterday about whether Marles’s visit to Washington earlier this week was a meeting or a “happenstance encounter”.

Anthony Albanese says Marles met with the vice-president and defense secretary and other senior people in the Trump administration.

“And that’s a good thing. And then he came home. That’s a good thing. And Richard got back yesterday morning straight into parliament, straight down to the job,” Albanese says.

Asked what the objective of the meeting was, the PM says it was to engage with the US “on the full range of issues”.

He’s given a hint that AUKUS may have been discussed.

 “One of the things that we do is engage diplomatically right around the world. But there’s no country that’s more important than the United States. And of course, in the defence area, the AUKUS arrangements are critical for us,” he says.