![\"Tom](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1786414818_97_Tom_McIlroy.png\")
Tom McIlroy<\/p>\nCoalition partyroom probes gambling reformsTom McIlroy<\/p>\n
Liberal and Nationals MPs have had their weekly catch up at Parliament House, with the meeting including interesting discussions about the government\u2019s plans to limit online gambling advertising.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re told nine MPs raised gambling in the closed-door meeting, with five backbenchers urging the Coalition<\/a> to go further and strengthen Labor\u2019s plans. Another four MPs warned about the need to get the balance right and not go too far in limiting advertising.<\/p>\n The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, told the meeting he would continue to discuss the matter with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. A deal between Labor and the Coalition is expected within days. Separately, the shadow communications minister, Sarah Henderson, is speaking with the minister, Anika Wells, about a possible agreement.<\/p>\n Whatever deal is struck will be subject to the usual Coalition process, which would involve approval from the partyroom. That could happen in next week\u2019s partyroom meeting.<\/p>\n Moves to ban inducements or to move to an opt-in system for gambling advertising were discussed in the meeting but the talks were not at that level of detail.<\/p>\n The meeting heard concerns about \u201cperceived behaviour of gambling preying on the vulnerable\u201d.<\/p>\n The matter remains \u201ca moving feast\u201d according to Liberal MPs.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.16 EDT<\/p>\n Key events<\/p>\n Victorian chamber of commerce welcomes Carroll\u2019s delay to work from home laws<\/p>\n The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has welcomed premier Ben Carroll\u2019s decision to delay the start of the government\u2019s Australian-first legislation giving workers the right to work from home two days a week until after the state election.<\/p>\n Carroll also said debate on the bill \u2013 which was expected to pass the upper house later this week \u2013 would be delayed.<\/p>\n The Victorian chamber\u2019s chief executive, Sally Curtain, reiterated the organisation\u2019s call for the government to abandon the bill entirely, saying it hoped to persuade Carroll \u201cto abandon this destructive course\u201d. Curtain said:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe Victorian chamber maintains that the bill must be scrapped as it is completely unnecessary, costly and burdensome for Victorian businesses.<\/p>\n As it stands, this legislation remains a profound risk to our state\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.20 EDT<\/p>\n Albanese and L\u00e2m announce strengthening of Australia-Vietnam partnership<\/p>\n Anthony Albanese says Australia and Vietnam are close friends and trusted strategic partners as he and T\u00f4 L\u00e2m announce a stronger economic partnership.<\/p>\n The pair are addressing the media, and Albanese says they have agreed to \u201cstronger cooperation across defence, maritime and border security, the digital economy, agriculture, energy, minerals, science and innovation\u201d.<\/p>\n As part of the talks, Vietnam has also agreed to open market access to Australian kangaroo and deer meat.<\/p>\n Of course, the PM also mentions the importance of the relationship in the face of global instability.<\/p>\n double quotation markWe also spoke about the strategic challenges which face our region. Australia and Vietnam both want an Indo-Pacific that is peaceful, stable and prosperous \u2026 And I look forward to working closely with Vietnam at this year\u2019s Asean meetings and the east Asia summit, and then afterwards at the Apec summit.<\/p>\n L\u00e2m says he and Albanese have held \u201copen and candid and substantive bilateral talks\u201d, and welcomes the outcomes.<\/p>\n He adds that the two countries will \u201cseek new breakthroughs\u201d in economic trade and investment and \u201cenhance corporation in AI, semiconductor, digital technology, cybersecurity, green technology and emerging technology\u201d.<\/p>\n double quotation markWe also agree to bolster cooperation in defence and security on the basis of international law and respect for each other\u2019s independent sovereignty and legitimate interest.<\/p>\n We agree to seek new breakthroughs in economic trade and investment corporation in line with our [comprehensive strategic partnership], advanced inclusive, substantive and effective collaboration to address disruptions to supply chains, and we remain determined to further increase our two-way trade and investment turnover.<\/p>\n Anthony Albanese and the Vietnamese president, T\u00f4 L\u00e2m, exchange documents after a bilateral meeting in Canberra. Photograph: Lukas Coch\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a022.04 EDT<\/p>\n Albanese and L\u00e2m take veiled swipe at Trump and China in joint statement<\/p>\n Anthony Albanese and T\u00f4 L\u00e2m have released a joint statement following their meeting \u2013 ahead of some public remarks.<\/p>\n The pair have agreed to deeper cooperation under the comprehensive strategic partnership established last year.<\/p>\n The statement talks about the importance of economic resilience \u201cfoundational to national security and prosperity\u201d.<\/p>\n Within the statement, the pair say:<\/p>\n double quotation markBoth sides expressed their concern over policies and practices that disrupt global supply chains or unnecessarily restrict trade. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a fair, transparent, open and rules-based multilateral trading system.<\/p>\n This, while not naming names, seems to heavily hint at Donald Trump\u2019s trade tariffs and China.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.33 EDT<\/p>\n Housing slowdown caused by interest rates not tax reforms, says Westpac<\/p>\n Slumping home loans are a consequence of the Reserve Bank\u2019s interest rate rises this year, as much or more than the investment tax changes in the federal budget, according to Westpac.<\/p>\n Yesterday the bank reported owner-occupier loans were down 18%, comparing the first three months of 2026 to the period 15 May to 31 July, after three rate hikes. Investor loans had fallen 26%, reflecting the budget\u2019s tax reforms.<\/p>\n The bank\u2019s chief financial officer, Nathan Goonan, told analysts on a call:<\/p>\n double quotation markThe rate impact is probably equal or potentially a bigger impact than anything that happened in the budget.<\/p>\n Goonan also reported applications for refinancing had been more resilient than for new home loans.<\/p>\n Credit bureau Equifax reported overall mortgage demand was down 16.4% in July, compared to the same month last year. First home buyer demand has fallen further, at 19.1%.<\/p>\n The slump in home lending and house prices has caught the RBA by surprise and is one reason it is unlikely to hike rates again today, as you can read here:<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.09 EDT<\/p>\n Bird flu \u2018not in our agriculture system\u2019 at this time: Collins<\/p>\n Julie Collins tells the press conference that at this stage, there is no evidence bird flu has infiltrated the poultry and agriculture sector.<\/p>\n She says the government has learned a lot of lessons from previous incursions of bird flu, which Australia was able to eradicate.<\/p>\n Collins says the government has secured $2m worth of vaccinations which translates to about 1,500 vials.<\/p>\n double quotation markWe continue to work really closely particularly with the chicken meat and egg industry in relation to keeping it out of our system \u2026 overseas we have seen it spread over into agriculture, so we\u2019re doing everything we can to keep it out of our agriculture system, and at this time it\u2019s not in our agriculture system.<\/p>\n The chief veterinary officer, Beth Cookson, says vaccines will help but there will be variations in the level of immunity that the vaccines can bring to the bird populations.<\/p>\n double quotation markThat\u2019s why it is a complementary tool and enhanced biosecurity will always be the first line of defence \u2026 no influenza vaccine is 100% protective.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.22 EDT<\/p>\n \u2018We are going to see more mass mortalities of birds\u2019: Watt<\/p>\n The environment minister, Murray Watt, says the government has been doing targeted trials of vaccines, which will now be broadened out to protect native species and birds in captivity.<\/p>\n Watt says that part of the government\u2019s $113m bird flu preparedness plan has involved sealing off enclosures in zoos to stop wild birds coming in, and increasing captive breeding populations in zoos, \u201cto make sure we do have viable populations of our most endangered species\u201d.<\/p>\n double quotation markWhere it is possible to vaccinate wild birds we will do so, but the priority is to vaccinate birds that are in captivity and in zoos and other institutions we have been taking steps to ensure we do have populations of our most vulnerable bird species and they are going to be the priority when it comes to vaccination.<\/p>\n Julie Collins says state, territory and federal governments have all been testing to see which species respond effectively to the vaccine.<\/p>\n Asked which species will be vaccinated first and where, Collins says that\u2019ll be up to the states and territories to announce.<\/p>\n The agriculture minister, Julie Collins, and environment minister, Murray Watt. Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.02 EDT<\/p>\n First vaccines for bird flu to begin rolling out in \u2018coming days and weeks\u2019<\/p>\n The agriculture minister, Julie Collins, says priority species of birds in captivity will be the first to be vaccinated, with the rollout to begin soon.<\/p>\n Speaking at a press conference in parliament, Collins says the government can\u2019t stop the spread in wild birds, but can protect some native species.<\/p>\n double quotation markI can announce that the first vaccines are expected to roll out in coming days and weeks based on an agreed national approach to the targeted vaccination of priority native bird species.<\/p>\n This approach will mean that the states and territories are able to commence vaccination activities, initially focusing on priority species in captivity identified by those states and territories.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve been very clear that we cannot stop the H5 bird flu from spreading amongst wild birds \u2026 Australians should expect to see more spread and larger numbers, particularly of dead birds and mass mortalities around the country from the H5 bird flu. We have been very clear that this will continue to spread across the country.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.03 EDT<\/p>\n It\u2019s census day!<\/p>\n For all you stats nerds out there, today is the day \u2026 well it\u2019s at least the day all the data gets input before all the results come back later.<\/p>\n If you \u2013 like myself \u2013 are doing it tonight, here\u2019s your best guide on what to expect.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Send us your politics questions!<\/p>\n Do you have a question you\u2019d like to ask Guardian Australia\u2019s political team this week?<\/p>\n Well do I have news for you \u2026<\/p>\n I\u2019ll be recording an \u2018Ask me anything\u2019 episode of the Australian Politics podcast<\/a> with my fabulous colleagues Tom McIlroy, Josh Butler and Sarah Basford Canales.<\/p>\n We\u2019d love you to send through questions for us, so hit us up at australianpolitics@theguardian.com. <\/p>\n Looking forward to hearing from you!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.26 EDT<\/p>\n In pics: Vietnam president meets with Albanese and governor general<\/p>\n Vietnam\u2019s general secretary and president, T\u00f4 L\u00e2m, has just arrived at parliament ahead of a meeting with Anthony Albanese.<\/p>\n It is Lam\u2019s first state visit to Australia since becoming Vietnam\u2019s Communist party chief in late 2024.<\/p>\n A little earlier he met Sam Mostyn at Government House.<\/p>\n Vietnam general secretary and president T\u00f4 L\u00e2m is greeted by Anthony Albanese ahead of a meeting at Parliament House. Photograph: Lukas Coch\/AAPGovernor-General Sam Mostyn meets T\u00f4 L\u00e2m at Government House. Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh\/AFP\/Getty ImagesPresident T\u00f4 L\u00e2m signs a visitors\u2019 book at Government House alongside Sam Mostyn. Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.32 EDT<\/p>\n Victoria commits to amending suppression orders<\/p>\n The Victorian government has committed to removing \u201cloopholes\u201d in the state\u2019s laws on suppression orders if elected in November and will introduce legislation to parliament today to ban character references altogether.<\/p>\n The Victorian premier, Ben Carroll, has announced a raft of reforms he said is informed by the voices of victims.<\/p>\n Speaking alongside attorney general Sonya Kilkenny on Tuesday morning, he said:<\/p>\n double quotation markFirst and foremost, we are going to stop suppression orders being used to protect convicted rapists. Suppression orders were designed to protect victim survivors, not convicted rapists. We\u2019re also going to take good character references off the table. If you commit a heinous crime, the fact of being a volunteer for part of your life should not form part of any judgment. If you commit the crime, you need to do the time.<\/p>\n The bill before parliament today amends the state\u2019s Equal Opportunity Act to make \u201csubjection to family violence\u201d a protected attribute, which will make it unlawful to discriminate against someone because they have or are experiencing family violence. It criminalises coercive control as a standalone offence, strengthens family violence intervention orders and expands personal safety intervention orders to recognise grooming.<\/p>\n But the bill does not deal with suppression orders. Kilkenny said the government is committed to scrapping the for convicted rapists if elected while an advisory group was also reviewing other \u201cloopholes\u201d.<\/p>\n double quotation markThat review is underway right now, and as we\u2019ve announced today a re-elected Carroll Labor government will ensure that we make amendments to our Open Courts Act so that we are closing every loophole used by high-profile accused and convicted persons on the use of suppression orders.<\/p>\n Asked what the review was exploring, she said:<\/p>\n double quotation markInterim suppression orders, the length of those suppression orders, the reasons for those suppression orders \u2026 if there are loopholes, we are going to close them, and that they can\u2019t be abused and exploited.<\/p>\n Entertainment manager, Ralph Carr, and Tom Silvagni, the son of AFL footballer Stephen Silvagni, both successfully applied for court suppression orders while facing trial on separate rape charges, with their identities only publicly released once they were convicted.<\/p>\n In the case of Carr, his identity was suppressed for almost three years.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Work from home laws won\u2019t come into effect in Victoria until after election The Victorian premier, Ben Carroll, has announced the government\u2019s nation-first bill to legislate a right to work from home two days a week won\u2019t take effect until after the election.<\/p>\n Carroll also said debate on the bill \u2013 which was expected to pass parliament\u2019s upper house later this week \u2013 has been delayed.<\/p>\n He said he made the decision as part of his commitment to \u201creset the relationship\u201d with the business community:<\/p>\n double quotation markI\u2019ve spoken with Sally Curtin this morning and Tim Piper, and I told them that work from home will not proceed on 1 September. It will proceed on 1 July 2027.<\/p>\n I want to be very clear. I support work from home. I support flexible work. It is good for working families. Equally, though, we need to make sure that \u2026 Everyone knows it\u2019s a partnership between working families and the business community and the government.<\/p>\n Victorian premier Ben Carroll. Photograph: Christopher Hopkins\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a020.15 EDT<\/p>\n \u2018This government has been beaten by high interest and inflation\u2019: Taylor<\/p>\n Angus Taylor is giving his party room a bit of a gee up for the first sitting day back after the winter break.<\/p>\n He\u2019s let the cameras in for his opening speech (the same as what Anthony Albanese did ahead of his caucus meeting yesterday) \u2013 before the party gets into the nitty gritty. We can expect gambling to be a key talking point of the meeting.<\/p>\n There are plenty of shouts of \u201chear hear\u201d from the MPs in the background.<\/p>\n Taylor says:<\/p>\n double quotation markThis government told Australians that it had beaten high inflation and high interest rates and this government has been beaten by high inflation and high interest rates.<\/p>\n Now, over the course of the break, we launched our plan. Our plan to fix the economy and to protect our way of life.<\/p>\n As I said, we will lax labor\u2019s toxic taxes, their taxes on savings, on investment, on housing, on small businesses, on widows.<\/p>\n That last point is reference to the so-called \u201cwidow tax\u201d. Under the tax reforms announced in the May budget, a widow or divorcee would lose grandfathered exemptions to negative gearing and capital gains tax in the event the property was transferred from both to one of the partners and the tax settings reset.<\/p>\n Independent senator David Pocock raised the issue before the tax legislation was passed, which then Labor said it would fix in subsequent bills.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Albanese to meet with Vietnam\u2019s president at Parliament House<\/p>\n The president and general secretary of Vietnam, T\u00f4 L\u00e2m, is in Canberra today, currently meeting with the governor general, Sam Mostyn.<\/p>\n L\u00e2m arrived in Sydney yesterday, in time for the government to announce that VietJet would start flying into the new western Sydney airport.<\/p>\n The president will then head over to Parliament House to meet with Anthony Albanese and the pair will later provide joint statements to the media.<\/p>\n We can probably expect China and Donald Trump to be on the agenda for the talks.<\/p>\n Vietnam\u2019s president, T\u00f4 L\u00e2m, at Government House in Sydney on Monday. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi\/EPAShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a021.32 EDT<\/p>\n Malinauskas didn\u2019t consult with federal counterparts on AI royal commission<\/p>\n Yesterday\u2019s announcement that South Australia would hold a royal commission into artificial intelligence would have taken some by surprise yesterday \u2013 including the federal government.<\/p>\n The SA premier, Peter Malinauskas, has done his own media rounds this morning plugging the announcement, but says he didn\u2019t give the commonwealth a heads up.<\/p>\n He told RN Breakfast the idea for a royal commission was cemented after he went to the United States:<\/p>\n double quotation markWithin 72 hours of being on the ground and talking to people who are themselves developing the technology and using the technology, and them talking about the profound implications of what AI will do to our modern economy, I was absolutely convinced this is something we should do …<\/p>\n This is something that we\u2019re pursuing as a state government because of course within our federation sub-national governments or states are responsible for a whole range of areas of service delivery that are quite separate to considerations of the federal government.<\/p>\n Earlier, independent MP Kate Chaney told RN Breakfast it was good the premier was \u201crealising the magnitude of this issue\u201d but said a royal commission wasn\u2019t the right mechanism.<\/p>\n double quotation markIt\u2019s very slow, takes too long. I wrote a letter to the Coalition and some others a few weeks ago pushing for or seeking support for a joint standing committee on AI because I do think we need parliamentary oversight \u2026 But Peter Malinauskas has at least recognised the urgency of this issue.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.41 EDT<\/p>\n Coalition to work with Hanson on migration bill<\/p>\n Speaking of One Nation\u2019s immigration bill, Ted O\u2019Brien tells News24 that he\u2019s open to working with \u201canybody who is going to make Australia safer.\u201d<\/p>\n He says the Coalition<\/a> are working on their own immigration bill, and that the opposition \u201cwon\u2019t be political\u201d in dealing with the issue.<\/p>\n double quotation markWe are open to working with anybody who is going to make Australia safer. I don\u2019t particularly care where they come from.<\/p>\n We\u2019re yet to see all the detail, right? So if, at the end of the day, ours is a better bill, of course, we\u2019ll be pursuing ours over it but I think the right thing to do by Australia is not to be overly political on these issues. If somebody wants to genuinely bring forward a bill, absolutely, let\u2019s engage in good faith, have a look at it.<\/p>\n In two separate cases in June 2022<\/a> and in November 2023<\/a>, the high court struck down Coalition-era laws that gave the home affairs minister power to strip dual nationals of Australian citizenship for engaging in suspected terrorist activities.<\/p>\n The shadow home affairs minister, Jonno Duniam, also told News24 this morning that the Coalition would work with One Nation on the bill:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe\u2019ll work with them on that legislation, it is important we get it right. We\u2019d love to see it go off to a Senate committee to make sure that people who know a little more than we in the Senate know, legal experts to make sure it is robust.<\/p>\n We want to shut the door on terrorists, we\u2019ve been trying for years to do this.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a019.34 EDT<\/p>\n PM \u2018still under the thumb of the gambling companies\u2019: Greens senator<\/p>\n Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young says she\u2019s sceptical of negotiations between the opposition and government over gambling reforms, worried they won\u2019t go far enough.<\/p>\n She stops by the cameras stationed outside the Senate entrance:<\/p>\n double quotation markWe haven\u2019t seen any details from the government, as to how far they\u2019re willing to go, I am sceptical that the prime minister is still under the thumb of the gambling companies.<\/p>\n She also responds to the bill Pauline Hanson wants to introduce a bill to strengthen powers to cancel or refuse passports and toughen bail laws for terrorism charges. It\u2019s legally tricky territory with the high court previously ruling that a minister could not strip the citizenship of a dual national<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hanson-Young says:<\/p>\n double quotation markPauline Hanson is a one trick pony. She preys on people\u2019s fears and on their grievances \u2026 If Pauline Hanson really wants to help people in Australia, become with [the] cost of living crisis, she would focus on that rather than on where people have come from.<\/p>\n![\"Achol](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Achol_Arok,_L.png\")
Achol Arok<\/p>\n![\"Luca](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1786414820_400_Luca_Ittimani.png\")
Luca Ittimani<\/p>\n![\"Benita](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/1786414820_12_Benita_Kolovos.png\")
Benita Kolovos<\/p>\nBenita Kolovos<\/p>\n