1h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 6:39am
That’s the end of our live blog!
And with that, we’ll have to leave the federal politics blog here for today. Thank you for joining us!
You can look back on today’s developments below, or download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest updates.
We’ll see you again tomorrow morning for more federal politics news.
1h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 6:35am
Reunited Coalition just a ‘rinse and repeat’: Boyce
Fresh off his failed Nationals leadership bid, Colin Boyce has some thoughts on the Coalition’s reunification.
Boyce, who had been calling for the band to get back together, said while it was a “good decision” it was going to be a “rinse and repeat exercise”.
“Wasn’t it Albert Einstein that said something along the same lines as ‘if you keep trying the same thing and expecting a different result’, what does that mean?” he told reporters in Canberra.
I believe the full quote he’s referring to is: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different result.”
Boyce said the Coalition was in a “difficult position”. Asked if a leadership change was needed, he responded, “You know everyone knows where my position on that is. I’ve pulled every trigger I can possibly pull.”
1h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 6:33am
Attorney-General’s Department tight-lipped on legal advice for Herzog visit
In Senate estimates, the Attorney-General’s Department has been pressed for more detail on legal advice provided to the government ahead of Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit.
In the lead-up to Herzog’s arrival in Australia yesterday, there were calls for his invitation from the government to be withdrawn due to an allegation from a UN Human Rights Council special commission of inquiry that Herzog incited genocide in Gaza.
Herzog has denied the accusation, telling Nine Newspapers at the weekend the allegation was a “distortion of the facts” and ignored other comments he had made.
This afternoon in the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, Greens senator David Shoebridge asked the department whether the government believes the Israeli president has “legal immunity” due to his status as a head of state.
“We will not provide legal advice to the committee,” Attorney-General’s Department secretary Katherine Jones replied.
Senator Shoebridge’s question on what matters prompted the government to obtain legal advice before Mr Herzog’s visit has been taken on notice by the department.
1h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 6:28am
Hume asks why condoms are only available in women’s change rooms in APH gym
Over at the Finance and Public Administration committee, Liberal senator Jane Hume has questioned why condoms are only provided in the women’s change rooms at Parliament House’s gym.
The departmental officials appeared caught off guard and seemed unaware they were only available in the women’s change rooms, but not the men’s rooms.
“Do you think that’s a strange anomaly?” Senator Hume asks the officials.
Parliamentary Services Deputy Secretary Nicola Hinder steps in and says, “Senator, I believe it’s absolutely wonderful that women are taking care of their own sexual health.”
Senator Hume agrees but asks why the condom dispensers aren’t fitted in the men’s change rooms as well.
“That’s a good question Senator Hume and we will discuss it further with DPS [Department of Parliamentary Services],” Senate President Sue Lines replies.
2h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 6:13am
Scarr ‘gobsmacked’ AG’s department wasn’t consulted about Bondi royal commission
Officials from the Attorney-General’s Department have told Senate estimates the prime minister did not seek their advice about whether to call a federal royal commission into the Bondi terror attack.
Anthony Albanese had initially cited advice from unnamed “experts” as a reason not to call a royal commission into the massacre.
Under questioning from Liberal senator Paul Scarr, the department’s secretary Katherine Jones confirmed they “administer the Royal Commissions Act … and have the expertise around royal commissions”.
However, she said Albanese did not consult them.
“I’m gobsmacked the prime minister didn’t seek advice from the Attorney-General’s Department with respect to whether or not a royal commission should be established in response to the Bondi terror attack,” Senator Scarr told Senate estimates.
“The prime minister actually went out and said actual experts and current experts had advised against a royal commission, and now we find the department within the government that has the particular body of knowledge at its fingertips with respect to royal commissions, wasn’t consulted.”
2h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 6:12am
NACC investigation should be at arm’s length from government, Leigh says
Andrew Leigh says it’s important integrity bodies are kept at arm’s length from the federal government.
As we reported earlier, the National Anti-Corruption Commission and its chief Paul Brereton will be investigated by the body tasked with holding the agency to account.
Leigh says if there are any issues related to the commission, it should be investigated at arm’s length from government.
“We understand the separation of powers. The prime minister and the attorney-general are strongly committed to those principles. And they’re crucial as we look to have institutions that are fit for purpose and to stamp out corruption wherever it rears its ugly head,” Leigh says.
2h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 6:07am
Leigh leaves door open for capital gains tax discount reforms
Assistant Minister Andrew Leigh has left the door open for tax reform on investment properties.
The treasurer has played down reports Labor is considering pursuing changes to the capital gains tax discount for investment properties.
Speaking to Afternoon Briefing, Leigh says the tax reform around housing was part of the discussion at the economic reform roundtable.
He says the government looks at the tax setting in the lead-up to every budget.
“People, not just young people frustrated about getting a leg up in the housing market,” Leigh says.
“It’s also parents and grandparents saying we need a system that is fairer for young Australians. Principally, that’s always going to be about housing supply.”
2h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 5:59am
Assistant Minister says private demand is principal challenge in the economy
Assistant Productivity Minister Andrew Leigh says private demand is the principal challenge in the Australian economy.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has said private demand is behind the rise in inflation, which rose to 3.85 per cent, up from 3.6 per cent.
Speaking to Afternoon Briefing, Leigh says private demand is putting pressure on the Australian economy.
He says the government needs to be focused on boosting productivity in the economy.
“We’ve seen pressures on all kinds of areas such as travel and some of the inputs into housing that we talked about before,” Leigh says.
“Getting rid of some of the skills shortages are important, so the work that we’re doing and free TAFE and construction apprenticeship bonuses are critical in terms of dealing with some of the supply bottlenecks in the economy.”
2h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 5:38am
‘Protect the NACC, not the commissioner’: Greens senator says
The Greens say the government should tap the National Anti-Corruption Commissioner on the shoulder over integrity in the agency.
As Olivia Caisley reports, the body responsible for holding the federal integrity watchdog to account will formally investigate it for agency maladministration and its chief, Paul Brereton, for officer misconduct over his Defence ties.
Greens senator David Shoebridge says Brereton has failed to disclose conflicts of interest over his connections with Defence.
He says the National Anti-Corruption Commission needs to be protected.
“His role as a major-general in the Army Reserves, creating endless and/or perceived conflicts of interest and potentially breaking down the NACC — that’s the biggest failure,” Shoebridge says.
“Protect the NACC, not the commissioner. Protect the institution, not the individual. And the way best to do that right now would be for the government to tap him on the shoulder and say, ‘Actually, you’re not helping. You’re not helping integrity, you’re not helping the NACC,'” he says.
2h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 5:28am
Greens criticise moves to criminalise pro-Palestine protest slogan in Queensland
Greens senator David Shoebridge says a protest slogan used by pro-Palestinian activists shouldn’t be outlawed.
Queensland is looking to ban the phrase “from the river to the sea” under new hate speech laws in that state.
The Executive Council of the Australian Jewry has criticised the phrase and says it denies Jewish people’s right to national determination.
Speaking to Afternoon Briefing, Shoebridge says people shouldn’t be sent to jail for expressing a statement that calls for rights to be respected.
“I understand that some people find it offensive. But when there are millions of people around the planet who are using it to talk about universality of human rights … The idea that people would go to jail for it because another group want to define the statement in a different way — that’s not how it is meant to work in a democracy,” Shoebridge says.
“You don’t go to jail because somebody else wants to take the worst possible interpretation about what you say,” he says.
2h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 5:18amLiberals not at the point of leadership challenge yet, Duniam says
Jonathon Duniam says the Liberals haven’t reached the point for a leadership challenge against Sussan Ley yet.
The shadow home affairs minister says the Liberals have failed to convey their message to voters, and that the party needs a “reset”.
Speaking to Afternoon Briefing, he’s repeated that conversations are being had around the Liberals about leadership.
“It is about everything that we do in the intervening times between the elections and we have failed there and we need to reset and start getting it right,” Duniam says.
“I would be lying if I didn’t say that there were conversations going on in this place around matters leadership.
“They always do and when the polls look the way that they do today. But that is different to someone saying — yes, I’m going to challenge and it’s on. We’re not there yet,” he says.
3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 5:14amLiberal frontbencher says conversations are being had about Liberal Party future
Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jonathon Duniam says conversations are being had around parliament today about the future of the Liberals.
The latest Newspoll today has the Coalition’s primary vote at 18 per cent, echoing the trajectory of other recent opinion polling.
Duniam says there’s always speculation about the leadership of a political party when it’s in the “electoral doldrums”.
“I would be lying to you if I didn’t say that all of the conversations are occurring between many a person in this building,” Duniam says.
“I think that a hallmark of when a political party is in the electoral doldrums like they are, there is always speculation about leadership. What we need to do is get on with the job,” he says.
Asked if a Liberal leadership spill could happen this week, Duniam says “anything is possible”.
He says anyone who aspires to be leader of the Liberal Party needs to “lay out a roadmap” to electoral success.
3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 5:03am
Afternoon Briefing has started 📺
Join along as we bring you the program here live!
3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 4:59am
Watt takes a swipe at Coalition crisis amid Liberal leadership speculation
The environment committee has heated up during this afternoon’s senate estimates, with Environment Minister Murray Watt taking the opportunity to hit out at the Coalition’s recent break-up and reunification.
You might recall the government passed its environmental laws with support from the Greens late last year, but negotiations also took place with the Coalition ahead of that deal being made.
Liberal senator Sarah Henderson says the government did a “dirty deal” with the Greens, and that the EPBC laws block gas projects from being streamlined.
But Watt said all projects will benefit from faster approvals under the reforms.
“We attempted to reach an agreement with the then Coalition, as in Coalition version two, rather than Coalition version three that we’re up to now,” Watt says.
Henderson then asked how the government can claim to support affordable energy, manufacturing and grid reliability while locking out gas projects from fast-tracked environmental approvals.
That prompted Watt to take a veiled swipe at recent speculation of a Liberal leadership challenge from conservative Angus Taylor.
“I’m not sure whether it was your office that I saw three Angus Taylor supporters emerging just as we returned from the lunch break Senator Henderson, they were certainly coming from the Senate side of the building,” he says.
3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 4:49amBondi royal commission allocated more than $130 million
The royal commission into the Bondi terror attack has been allocated more than $130 million in federal funding this financial year.
Officials from the Attorney-General’s Department have been questioned at Senate estimates about the rollout of the inquiry, which is due to deliver a final report by December 14.
Senior department official Susie Williamson-de Vries says the funding supports individuals giving evidence and an independent legal advice service.
“The government’s allocated $131.1 million from 25-26 to support the establishment and operation of the commission,” she told Senate estimates.
“That includes $91.2 million for the commission itself, which includes engaging the commissioner, staff for the Office of the Royal Commission, and that includes Mr [Dennis] Richardson and his team … as well as counsel and solicitors assisting the royal commission.”
She says the funding also includes IT and security costs, as well as counselling services.
3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 4:41am
📷 And that’s a wrap on today’s Question Time
And that’s end of Question Time for today. The Coalition maintained pressure on the government on interest rates and rising inflation.
But the government returned fire, attacking the disunity within the Coalition and Liberal Party.
Here’s some snaps from today’s Question Time:
(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 4:33am
Government hasn’t made a decision on what will happen with ageing Airservices assets
Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown has asked why the federal government is looking to sell off Airservices Australia firefighting assets.
Transport Minister Catherine King says the federal leased airports and firefighting terminals and trucks are “quite old”.
But King says the government has made no decision about how it will replace those assets.
She says Airservices Australia is examining whether superannuation funds could invest in those assets.
“The government has made no decisions, no decisions, about this, but I want to make sure that our firefighters, wherever they are … continue to be government employees always,” King says.
3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 4:26am
A moment of confusion
A bit of confusion over who has the next question. Liberal MP Aaron Violi was patiently waiting for the call when Michael McCormack jumped to his feet.
After Labor MPs quickly pointed out his faux pas, McCormack quickly sat down. “It’s only been 24 hours,” an MP jeered.
“Stand up for yourself Michael,” Anthony Albanese told the former Nationals leader.
Back to Violi, whose question is, you guessed it, on the link between government spending and interest rates.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers asks if Violi listened to his previous answer, and accuses the opposition of trying to verbal Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock.
“What those opposite are desperately trying to do is verbal the Reserve Bank governor in an attempt to drag her into, I think, in an unedifying way, into a political contest because they are desperate to deflect from the fact they are hopelessly divided.”
3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 4:20am
Bowen asks whether the Coalition will cut home battery scheme
Nationals MP Michael McCormack has asked the energy minister whether he’ll admit Labor’s modelling was wrong on home batteries.
Chris Bowen has defended the government’s energy policy and efforts to cut power bills.
The energy minister has asked whether the Coalition would look to cut the government’s cheaper home battery scheme.
“We’ve seen so many Australians reduce their bills permanently after the 2025 election,” Bowen says.
“We’ve seen so many Australians, 225,000 Australian households, in terms of numbers of people, reduce their bills permanently, in many cases to zero,” he says.
3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 4:17am
Coalition continues attack on government spending
Okay, Liberal MP Simon Kennedy gets his shot at QT fame, asking Treasurer Jim Chalmers if he’ll acknowledge government spending contributes to inflation.
Chalmers begins by saying, “Once again, dishonestly conflating two different things.” Before he’s even drawn another breath to continue, Manager of Opposition Business Alex Hawke jumps over to the despatch box.
He wants Speaker Milton Dick to get Chalmers to withdraw the remark as he did earlier in QT. He doesn’t (because Chalmers is asserting his opinion rather than accusing like he did earlier — a fun way to get around to the rules).
Chalmers continues:
“The more divided they get, the more desperate they get. The point I’m
making is those opposite have tried to conflate two very different things,” he says.
“The idea that public demand is part of the calculation of aggregate demand is not contested by anyone. And that’s what they’re pretending that we are contesting, we are not.
“The question
isn’t whether public demand is part of aggregate demand, it is whether public demand was responsible for the bigger than expected tick up at the end of the last year and plainly it wasn’t.”
We move on.