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Josh Butler<\/p>\n
Some politicians and staff in Parliament House have been urged to turn off their electronic devices during a visit by Chinese officials today, with parliament administrators telling building occupants to switch off wi-fi and bluetooth on their phones and laptops.<\/p>\n
An email from the Department of Parliamentary Services, sent to parliamentarians and their staff on Monday morning, states that the visit from Zhao Leji – chairman of the National People\u2019s Congress of China – may cause disruptions to building occupants on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. It says the delegation will travel through parts of the House of Representatives wing, and the prime minister\u2019s courtyard.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere may be intermittent disruptions to wi-fi access,\u201d reads the email, seen by Guardian Australia.<\/p>\n
Within the identified areas, internet connected devices including phones, tablets and laptops should be powered down. Where devices must be used, please ensure phones and iPads are updated with the latest software version and placed in lockdown mode, and laptops should have wi-fi and bluetooth switched off.<\/p>\n
The email does not state why this advice was given – but states the information is for \u201cparliamentarians, their staff and other building occupants only.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease do not distribute further,\u201d it continues.<\/p>\n
The email includes a map of Parliament House with the route of the delegation\u2019s travel through the building marked. Building occupants in those parts of the building had been advised to use \u201calternative routes\u201d and recommended to close their doors and blinds \u201cfor privacy\u201d.<\/p>\n
Leji will meet with the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House at Parliament, and will also meet Governor General Sam Mostyn and prime minister Anthony Albanese.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a><\/p>\n Sarah Henderson coy around rumours of Sussan Ley\u2019s leadership<\/p>\n Conservative Liberal senator Sarah Henderson is keeping coy around Sussan Ley\u2019s leadership as rumours to replace her continue to swirl.<\/p>\n Henderson, in recent weeks, has said Ley is \u201closing support\u201d in the party, and told Sky News on 7 November, \u201cI am just going to say at the moment that I cannot support the way things are.\u201d<\/p>\n Returning to the Sky News interview chair today, Henderson was asked whether she would push for a leadership spill during a party room meeting on Tuesday.<\/p>\n I made some comments a few weeks ago, Kieran [Gilbert], we\u2019ve got a very big mountain to climb. We\u2019ve got a lot of work to do to win back the trust and faith of all Australians.<\/p>\n I certainly have no plans to do anything this week other than to prosecute really good policy in the best interests of the Coalition.<\/p>\n (L-R) Liberal senator Sarah Henderson and opposition leader Sussan Ley. Composite: AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.04 EST<\/p>\n Greens want gambling ad ban inquiry<\/p>\n The Greens want the Senate to open an inquiry into a potential ban on gambling ads, as government progress remains stalled on long-awaited reforms to promotion of wagering.<\/p>\n Labor is under pressure to finally respond to late MP Peta Murphy\u2019s 2023 report recommending a total ban on gambling ads. Industry sources anticipate an announcement could arrive in coming months, but a full ad ban is not expected.<\/p>\n Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young will push for an inquiry into how such a ban could work, saying there was momentum inside parliament and in the community for strong action.<\/p>\n If the Albanese government was willing to work with the Greens and crossbench we could ban harmful gambling advertising tomorrow. But Labor has repeatedly put the interests of the gambling lobby ahead of the community and families.<\/p>\n Despite their own inquiry led by Peta Murphy calling for a complete ban on gambling advertising two years ago, the government has gone soft on the online gambling and tech companies, at the expense of the wellbeing and safety of Australians.<\/p>\n This week we will see if Labor and Liberal senators have the courage to take a small step forward and hold an inquiry into what a ban on gambling advertising could look like.<\/p>\n Hanson-Young\u2019s proposed inquiry would seek to prove the impact of gambling on Australian communities, families and children, the harm caused by gambling ads, and the financial relationship with media companies and sporting codes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.45 EST<\/p>\n Crossbench attempt to split controversial social security bill in Senate<\/p>\n The crossbench looks likely to fail in attempts to split up a controversial social security bill, which would give police the power to recommend the cancellation of welfare payments for people charged with serious crimes.<\/p>\n As we\u2019ve reported previously, the government added the surprise amendment to an unrelated welfare bill, which has been strongly opposed<\/a> by numerous civil society, law and human rights groups.<\/p>\n Groups including Acoss, the Human Rights Law Centre, Economic Justice Australia, Community Legal Centres NSW and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre joined more than 100 other academics and welfare groups in opposing the change \u2013 which the government says is necessary to limit assistance to serious criminals on the run from the law, who have outstanding warrants but have not been arrested or convicted.<\/p>\n The Senate crossbench pushed to cut out those specific sections from the bill. Senator Lidia Thorpe claimed the proposal \u201cbreaches fundamental legal principles and will cause serious harm\u201d; Greens\u2019 senator Penny Allman-Payne claimed it \u201ccriminalises people before they have even been convicted\u201d, calling it \u201cabhorrent\u201d and \u201cshameful\u201d.<\/p>\n But the crossbench push to split the bill has failed. The Coalition<\/a> has abstained from votes to split the bill, leaving Labor to oppose the push against the crossbench, with the Greens, One Nation and independents failing in votes so far.<\/p>\n It seems unlikely the Coalition will oppose Labor\u2019s plan, seeing it likely to pass through in whole.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.31 EST<\/p>\n NSW police have now provided an update<\/p>\n NSW police have said the police operation in Beaumont Hills has now concluded after they found a man reported to be walking along the footpath carrying firearms was in fact carrying toy guns.<\/p>\n Police said:<\/p>\n A police operation at Beaumont Hills has concluded.<\/p>\n About 10.24am today \u2026 police were called to Guardian Avenue following reports a person was seen walking along the footpath carrying firearms.<\/p>\n Police commenced a large search of the area and, following inquiries, were able to speak to the person and established the firearms seen were toys that had been picked up from a local cleanup.<\/p>\n Several nearby schools were placed into lockdown as a precaution. Those lockdowns have since been lifted.<\/p>\n Police treat all reports seriously and thank the community for their assistance.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.24 EST<\/p>\n NSW police operation sees schools locked down<\/p>\n NSW police have said there is a police operation in the north-west of Sydney, with several nearby schools locked down as a \u201cprecaution\u201d.<\/p>\n Police have not yet confirmed what the police operation is that\u2019s under way in Beaumont Hills.<\/p>\n There is a large police presence and the public has been urged to avoid the area.<\/p>\n Police said:<\/p>\n Further information will be provided when available.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.13 EST<\/p>\n \u2018What\u2019s the rush?\u2019 Littleproud chastises Labor for trying to ram through new nature laws<\/p>\n The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, is in no rush to ram through new nature laws, downplaying the prospects of a quick-fire Labor-Coalition deal in federal parliament\u2019s final sitting of the year.<\/p>\n As we reported earlier, the environment minister, Murray Watt, is desperate to pass reforms to the EPBC Act before parliament rises on Thursday and is open to a deal with either the Coalition or the Greens to make it happen.<\/p>\n The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, has offered to work with Labor if it agrees to a raft of concessions that would water down environmental protections and strip back the powers of its proposed environment protection watchdog.<\/p>\n But even if Labor agrees to all of Ley\u2019s demands, there is speculation the Nationals might still not support a deal.<\/p>\n The country party vehemently opposed the Albanese government\u2019s first attempt to rewrite the EPBC Act, the so-called nature positive plan, in particular the creation of a new government agency to police nature laws.<\/p>\n The Nationals will debate the laws at a routine party-room meeting on Monday morning before the shadow cabinet meets this afternoon to discuss a position.<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters in Parliament House, Littleproud questioned why Watt was so adamant that the laws must pass this week, particularly given a Senate inquiry into the bill wasn\u2019t due to report until March.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the rush? Why wouldn\u2019t you explore such a complex bill in an appropriate way where the parliament can understand every facet of it, whether it be tree clearing or whether it be any other facet of it? Why wouldn\u2019t you take that time?<\/p>\n Why such the rush today that they\u2019re prepared to trade away values, trade away industry, between the Greens and the Coalition?<\/p>\n The question to Murray Watt is, this is probably a bad bill. Why are you trying to do it in such a hurry, so quickly? It\u2019s more about a political win at the end of the year, rather than good policy for the Australian people.<\/p>\n Nationals leader David Littleproud. Photograph: Sitthixay Ditthavong\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.13 EST<\/p>\n Dan Repacholi gets colourful for mental health awareness<\/p>\n Labor MP Dan Repacholi has worn an incredibly lurid suit to federal parliament today.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not a fashion statement, but instead part of a broader campaign to encourage tradies and blue-collar workers to openly discuss mental health.<\/p>\n The bright colours \u2013 also seen on workwear in the background \u2013 are designed to make mental health as visible as physical safety in the workplace.<\/p>\n Labor MP for Hunter, Dan Repacholi, wears a fabulous suit to parliament. Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.00 EST<\/p>\n Elective surgeries disrupted in Darwin after cyclone damaged roof of Royal Darwin hospital<\/p>\n A couple more updates on Tropical Cyclone Fina from the NT chief minister, Lia Finocchiaro.<\/p>\n She says the cylone has caused a \u201csmall disruptions\u201d to elective surgeries in Darwin. On Monday, 10 surgeries were postponed and six are expected to be impacted on Tuesday.<\/p>\n A section of the roof at Royal Darwin hospital collapsed on Sunday, with water flowing into the wards. Finocchiaro says power was briefly affected by no one was hurt:<\/p>\n It would have been absolutely awful if that had impacted people.<\/p>\n No staff, no patients were injured. We were able to very quickly isolate the area from power so that it wasn\u2019t a risk for anyone.<\/p>\n Finocchiaro says it is too early to estimate the costs of the clean-up.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.00 EST<\/p>\n NT residents affected by cyclone may be eligible for support<\/p>\n The federal minister for emergency management, Kristy McBain, says some NT residents affected by Tropical Cyclone Fina may now be eligible for government support:<\/p>\n There will be personal hardship payments available for people in those seven local government areas, as well as a range of low-interest loans and freight subsidies for primary producers and additional assistance for not-for-profits for any assets that they may need replaced.<\/p>\n McBain says eligible adults can receive up to $611, while children can access $309.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.01 EST<\/p>\n Chief minister says NT focused on \u2018getting back to business\u2019 after cyclone<\/p>\n The Northern Territory\u2019s chief minister, Lia Finocchiaro, has thanked people for listening to warnings from authorities about the dangers posed by Tropical Cyclone Fina<\/a>:<\/p>\n Right around the top end and in our remote communities, there is debris everywhere, including downed power lines. So we continue to ask people to exercise caution, but move freely about their day to do what they need to do.<\/p>\n We are really focused on making sure that the territory gets back to business as usual as fast as possible.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve seen a number of shops and government services reopen and, of course, making sure that people can go about their day safely.<\/p>\n A tree ripped from its roots in Darwin as Tropical Cyclone Fina tracked just north on Saturday. Photograph: (A)manda Parkinson\/The GuardianShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.01 EST<\/p>\n Brittany Higgins\u2019 former boss to have her case heard in 2027<\/p>\n The former boss of Brittany Higgins will have her case again the commonwealth go to trial in March 2027.<\/p>\n Fiona Brown, the former Liberal staffer and chief of staff of Linda Reynolds, is suing the government over allegations her workplace failed to protect her by breaching her general protections after Higgins made her rape claim against former staffer, Bruce Lehrmann.<\/p>\n Brown appeared in the federal court on Monday before Justice Nye Perram for a case management hearing. Perram set down the hearing for her case from 29 March to 23 April 2027.<\/p>\n Former political staffer Fiona Brown, pictured in December 2023. Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AAP<\/p>\n Brown was a witness in the defamation trial brought by Lehrmann against Lisa Wilikinson and Channel Ten after he claimed he was defamed by a rape allegation made by Higgins on Ten\u2019s The Project. Justice Michael Lee found on the balance of probabilities that Lehrmann raped Higgins.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.45 EST<\/p>\n Centre for Public Integrity\u2019s chair warns proper scrutiny needed on EPBC deal<\/p>\n The Centre for Public Integrity\u2019s chair, Anthony Whealy, has raised concerns about the government\u2019s push to strike a deal on EPBC reforms.<\/p>\n Whealy is concerned any deal struck this week may not be properly scrutinised by parliamentary inquiries:<\/p>\n Government is in desperate negotiations with the Coalition and the Greens to push through the seven EPBC reform bills.<\/p>\n This would occur before parliament has had a proper chance to consider them \u2013 and before the Senate environment and communications committee has even finished its extensive public consultation.<\/p>\n Indeed, to achieve passage of this bill, the government would have to suspend the Senate\u2019s standing orders.<\/p>\n The chair of the Centre for Public Integrity, Anthony Whealy. Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.31 EST<\/p>\n Parliament hears names of 74 Australian women murdered in the last year<\/p>\n Ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women tomorrow, Labor MP Sharon Claydon has introduced a motion.<\/p>\n Claydon says she reads a list of the Australian women who have lost their lives in the last year. She reads out their names to the chamber.<\/p>\n Every year I read this list in the hope it will be the last, heartbreakingly that day has not yet come. Today as we being the 16 days of activism we must recommit ourselves to ending this national emergency of violence against women and children.<\/p>\n Following Claydon, the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, calls out the women\u2019s names as well.<\/p>\n She says it takes a \u201chorrific event to force us to reckon with the scale of the challenge this list of women represents\u201d.<\/p>\n These names are women, women taken from us, mothers daughters sisters friends, these women have been identified by the Red Heart campaign.<\/p>\n These names should echo through this building and echo across our country, 74 women have been killed in Australia since last time this year, 74 \u2026 How do we maintain the rage? How do we cut through, how do we overcome the fatigue? \u2026 We must continue to shine the light.<\/p>\n The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, speaks about the United Nations\u2019 International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in the House of Representatives on Monday morning. Photograph: Lukas Coch\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.21 EST<\/p>\n \u2018We have to get this right\u2019: Pocock seeks EPBC changes<\/p>\n Environment laws must \u201cactually protect nature\u201d says David Pocock, who has 15 changes he wants the government to make on its EPBC reforms.<\/p>\n While the government doesn\u2019t need Pocock\u2019s support to pass these bills in the Senate, the independent has been a loud voice on climate action.<\/p>\n He told ABC TV a little earlier, that the government is in an \u201cawful hurry\u201d to get these reforms out of the way, but they need to be done right.<\/p>\n Things like the exemption from our environmental laws for native forest logging \u2013 that clearly has to change. There\u2019s exemptions for land clearing. Those things have to change. You actually have to have an independent EPA that is actually independent. It can\u2019t just be independent by name \u2026 we are the world leaders in extinction, we have ecosystems in this country that are on the brink of collapse. And so, as a parliament, we have to get this right.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a longer Senate inquiry that will go through the 1,500-page bill and report back to parliament in March. Pocock says that inquiry will be necessary to dig into the details, but the government doesn\u2019t need it to be complete to pass the legislation.<\/p>\n Independent senator David Pocock: \u2018We are the world leaders in extinction.\u2019 Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.52 EST<\/p>\n Helen Haines says repealing net zero would deny the regions a \u2018gold rush\u2019 of cash<\/p>\n Regional independent MP Helen Haines \u2013 who has been pushing the government to take further action on climate \u2013 takes a stand against Joyce.<\/p>\n She says repealing net zero would deny the regions a \u201cgold rush\u201d of cash from renewables projects.<\/p>\n This bill would wipe out almost $10bn in projected payments to farmers, strip $1.9bn from community benefit programs for regional councils and undermine thousands of jobs expected from renewable projects, and there is no alternative proposal \u2013 just repeal, rescind, omit.<\/p>\n She points out that Armidale regional council, which is in Joyce\u2019s seat of New England, has already established a multimillion-dollar renewable future fund.<\/p>\n Independent member for Indi, Helen Haines. Photograph: Lukas Coch\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.50 EST<\/p>\n Barnaby Joyce\u2019s repeal net zero bill up for debate<\/p>\n Over in the house, Liberal MP Ben Small is taking up the fight for Barnaby Joyce\u2019s repeal net zero bill.<\/p>\n Joyce\u2019s bill was first introduced before the Coalition<\/a> came to a joint party position to dump net zero, but agreed to stay in the Paris agreement (which has its own remaining set of questions).<\/p>\n The government has kept putting the bill on the Monday program for debate as a political move to wedge the Liberal party<\/a>.<\/p>\n Small points out that the speakers for the bill have grown as the Coalition has come to this position.<\/p>\n Slowly slowly and then suddenly, within the Coalition the speakers list on this bill started as something of a renegade action to begin a long and necessary debate on the need to dump Labor\u2019s net zero agenda, especially the taxes, penalties and big government schemes.<\/p>\n We take tax money off a nurse to make a surgeon\u2019s novated lease for his Tesla cheaper.<\/p>\n The government and crossbench have more numbers, however, to keep debating against the bill.<\/p>\n Liberal MP Ben Small. Photograph: Lukas Coch\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a018.35 EST<\/p>\n Defence honours bill to be discharged<\/p>\n In the Senate this morning, the government is moving to discharge a bill that would limit the period of time \u2013 to 20 years \u2013 that a defence act can be honoured or awarded.<\/p>\nJosh Butler<\/p>\nJosh Butler<\/p>\n![\"Jordyn](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Jordyn_Beazley,_L.png\")
Jordyn Beazley<\/p>\nJordyn Beazley<\/p>\n![\"Dan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1763950149_158_Dan_Jarvis-Bardy.png\")
Dan Jervis-Bardy<\/p>\n![\"Henry](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/1763950150_597_Henry_Belot.png\")
Henry Belot<\/p>\nHenry Belot<\/p>\nHenry Belot<\/p>\nJordyn Beazley<\/p>\n