Are house prices ‘softening’ or ‘plummeting’?
The shadow treasurer, Tim Wilson, says Sydney house prices are “plummeting so fast that they are on track for the biggest crash in 40 years” in a question to the government.
The housing minister, Clare O’Neil, says the government was transparent about the changes in the budget, with Treasury modelling suggesting there will be 75,000 new owner occupiers and a “small and temporary slowing in house price growth”.
House prices grew 400% in the past 25 years, she says:
double quotation mark[Wilson] is accurate in one sense that house prices are softening across the country … this is the fourth time that we have seen this occur in a decade in our country.
Clare O’Neil speaks during question time. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare
Updated at 00.44 EDT
Key events
Benita Kolovos
Vic premier plans to pass work from home laws this week
Victoria’s premier, Ben Carroll, says the government will introduce amendments to its work from home bill and pass it through parliament this week.
Prior to stepping down as leader, Carroll’s predecessor, Jacinta Allan, had announced plans to legislate the right to work from home two days a week for those who can “reasonably” do so and had secured bipartisan support for the bill.
But one of Carroll’s first acts as premier – and following a media blitz by business groups – was to announce he would push back the bill’s commencement from 1 September to July 2027. The bill has then been sitting toward the bottom of the upper house notice paper after passing through the lower house.
This afternoon, he posted on social media that he had made some “sensible amendments” to the bill and expects it to pass this week:
double quotation markWe’re going to pass the right to work from home laws this week. Work from home works. That’s the message I’ve heard loud and clear. But these laws need to work for business too, because the reality is, if it’s not practical for employers, the laws won’t last. So I’ve made some sensible amendments to these laws to make them practical and affordable for businesses, while preserving the right for workers.
Caroll has previously signalled he was open to amendments that would ensure businesses don’t have to foot the bill for home-office equipment and other costs.
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Luca Ittimani
What would One Nation’s super policy mean for you and your retirement?
One Nation’s new super policy proposes splitting the 12% compulsory super payment so that 3% could be used prior to retirement. Critics say it would just push up inflation.
For a breakdown on all of this and what it means, we’ve laid it out for you here:
Updated at 02.59 EDT
Hastie says One Nation’s super policy a distraction from internal problems
Coalition frontbencher Andrew Hastie has called One Nation’s proposed policy to divert superannuation payments into workers’ pay packets a distraction from the party’s other issues.
Speaking on ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, Hastie questioned whether the policy would work.
double quotation markI think Pauline Hanson is trying to address a real cost-of-living pressure for Australians. If you look at real wages since the pandemic, they have crashed and not recovered. Go to the outer metropolitan parts of this country, people are doing it really tough, no matter what state or territory.
One Nation are seeking to address cost-of-living pressure, that’s great. The question is, will it work? And that is a question for which I have not seen the modelling or the costing.
The comments come as One Nation’s Victorian leader, Warren Pickering, continues to attract scrutiny over allegations made against him by an ex-partner about alleged drug use.
Hastie said:
double quotation markWarren Pickering, the One Nation candidate, has questions to answer about his past, and Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce have questions to answer about what they have known about his past. You could argue this is a magician’s trick.
Pickering has rejected his ex-partner’s claims as “false”. “They are extremely hurtful and I just hope the public can see through them,” he said in a statement, according to The Australian.
Andrew Hastie. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 03.08 EDT
Two people dead after light plane crash south of Brisbane
Police have confirmed two people have died following reports of a light aircraft crash after the plane plunged on to a property at Chambers Flat in Logan after 11am on Monday.
The crash sparked a fast-moving grass fire which saw at least a dozen fire trucks and multiple crews work to contain the blaze, which burned close to a farmhouse before being brought under control about 12.50pm.
Police have yet to release further information surrounding the circumstances of the pair’s deaths and are awaiting further details.
At a press conference, Ch Supt Mel Adams from Queensland police said officers are in the process of identifying and contacting the deceased’s next of kin.
double quotation markIt was a very confronting scene as you can imagine. So, our care at the moment is to our emergency service responders and of course the family when we can make contact with them and notify them.
Police have called on any witnesses of the incident to come forward to assist in investigations.
double quotation markWe’re still searching for witnesses in that matter. So I reiterate my call to the public. Please contact police if you have information to share in relation to this tragic incident today.
Updated at 02.23 EDT
Boy speared in back during unrest in remote NT community
Police say a 14-year-old boy has been speared in the back as tensions rise between family groups in a remote Top End community, AAP reports.
The spearing allegedly occurred in Ngukurr, one of the largest Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory’s Roper Gulf region, with a population of just over 1,000 people.
The community unrest started on Friday evening, with police receiving reports of a large disturbance between two family groups in the township. Police said in a statement:
double quotation markA number of people were allegedly armed with weapons during the disturbance.
No injuries were reported at the time.
More reports of disturbances involving weapons were received after tensions escalated on Saturday afternoon. Police said:
double quotation markAt around 5.35pm, police received a report that a 14-year-old boy had been speared in the middle of his back.
Officers went to the local health clinic where they spoke with the boy and his family. Police said:
double quotation markHe was subsequently medically evacuated by CareFlight for further treatment and remains in a stable condition.
Officers are working with local leaders and elders in a bid to prevent further violence.
Updated at 02.13 EDT
Light plane plunges into Queensland paddock, sparks grass fire
A light aircraft has plunged into a rural property in Queensland, sparking a fast‑moving grass fire and a massive emergency response, with grave fears held for the people on board, AAP reports.
The plane went down on a paddock south of Brisbane after 11am on Monday, with shocked residents raising the alarm as smoke billowed across paddocks.
Crews were called to a grass fire just after 11am and arrived to find plane debris scattered on the Chambers Flat property and flames racing through dry grass across an area about 300 by 400 metres, authorities said.
At least a dozen fire trucks and multiple crews worked to contain the blaze, which burned close to a farmhouse before being brought under control about 12.50pm.
No homes were damaged.
Police have cordoned off the crash site and have yet to confirm how many people were on board or whether anyone has been injured.
Paramedics and firefighters remain at the scene as investigators work to piece together what caused the accident.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has been notified and will investigate the crash.
Updated at 01.59 EDT
Arts Centre Melbourne workers take industrial action for the first time
Stephanie Convery
Workers at Australia’s largest performing arts venue, Arts Centre Melbourne, have taken industrial action for the first time in its history, with multiple work stoppages delaying performances last week, and more expected to come.
Ushers, food and beverage attendants, stage managers, ticketing staff, programmers, electricians, technicians, and other unionised employees of the VVictorian government-run Arts Centre walked out of the building as audiences took their seats for five shows last week.
The workers are calling for a 7% annual pay rise to make up for wage stagnation since 2022. The previous enterprise agreement saw wages increase by 1% every six months, and many of the band 1 wages in the expired agreement are now below the national minimums. The Arts Centre had to increase affected workers’ pay after the recent minimum wage review to ensure they were not paid less than the national baseline. The Arts Centre told the Guardian none of its workers were paid below minimum wage, and has offered a pay rise of 3% annually, the equivalent of the Victorian government wages cap.
Members of MEAA, the Community and Public Sector Union Victoria, and the Electrical Trades Union have been bargaining with the Arts Centre on a new enterprise agreement since March.
Aerial view of Arts Centre Melbourne. Photograph: James Ross/AAP
Footage posted to social media by the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) last week showed audiences applauding a worker announcement explaining that the delay to the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s performance of How to Train Your Dragon 2 was caused by industrial action.
The Symphony Orchestra Musicians’ Association, part of MEAA, has also expressed its support for the striking workers.
A union petition that had nearly 3000 signatures at the time of writing called on the Victorian government to “increase funding to Arts Centre Melbourne and give workers a real pay increase that reverses years of real wage decline”, linking worker pay to the broader issue of cultural funding.
A spokesperson for Arts Centre Melbourne said the organisation respected workers’ rights to take lawful industrial action, and continued to bargain in good faith with union representatives to reach an agreement that was “fair and financially sustainable outcome that is consistent with the Victorian Government Wages Policy”.
The spokesperson said:
double quotation markArts Centre Melbourne has reached agreement with unions on a range of detailed conditions within the proposed Enterprise Agreement. The main outstanding issue is wage increases … During this period of industrial action, our priority is to minimise disruption for presenters, artists, and audiences, while maintaining a safe working environment for our team.
Updated at 02.48 EDT
Tory Shepherd
That’s all from me, Achol Arok will guide you through the rest of the afternoon’s news.
Nationals call on government to ‘scrap the cap’ on veterans’ allied health services
Nationals MP Michael McCormack calls on the government to “scrap the cap” on veterans’ allied health services.
Albanese says the government is consulting on the changes; increasing the fees paid to allied health professionals; removing the need for veterans to get a new referral every 12 months; and making further care available if there is a clinical need beyond that $5,000 cap.
The existing cap is 12 allied health visits before a veteran needs a referral. Albanese says the new cap of $5,000 will allow more visits.
The resources minister, Madeleine King, wraps up question time with an ode to Australia’s critical minerals capabilities.
Updated at 01.29 EDT
Greens: Beetaloo fracking a ‘giant climate bomb’
Greens MP Elizabeth Watson-Brown asks the prime minister if he supports the resources minister, Madeleine King, on the fracking of the Beetaloo basin, describing it as a “plan to ignite this giant climate bomb”.
Anthony Albanese says he supports his ministers as well as “real action on climate change”. He says:
double quotation markUnless you have firming capacity, you won’t have the expansion of renewables that is important for the transition.
Updated at 01.14 EDT
Enforcement and compliance focus in tobacco war, Chalmers says
Nationals MP Llew O’Brien is demanding a yes/no answer on whether the government will rule out any reduction in the tobacco excise.
“The government’s priority is to deal with this as an enforcement issue, a compliance issue, a law enforcement issue,” Jim Chalmers says.
In answer to objections from the opposition about the relevance of his answer, the speaker, Milton Dick, says he can’t force the treasurer to say yes or no.
Updated at 00.58 EDT
Tim Wilson booted from chamber
Jim Chalmers is quoting the shadow treasurer, Tim Wilson – who was just booted from the chamber for being rowdy – saying he would “like to slow the growth in the price of housing”.
“Then he says he wrote a whole book about it,” Chalmers says.
And we’re back to another demand the government join the Coalition to “crush the organised crime gangs”.
The health minister, Mark Butler, talks about the opposition increasing the tobacco excise by far more than Labor did when they were in power.
“And they trousered every single dollar,” he says.
He says Queensland and South Australia have put extra enforcement powers in place and there’s a “completely different picture” to that playing out in NSW and Victoria.
Tim Wilson exits after being ejected from the chamber during question time. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 01.12 EDT
Taylor says tobacco excise cut would ‘crush’ organised crime
Now to the tobacco excise wars, sparked by the explosion in illegal tobacco.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor talks about the firebombing of small businesses and the need to “crush the organised crime gangs”. The opposition wants to cut the excise cut on cigarettes, so they would be more competitive on price.
Leader of the house Tony Burke says “the last thing this parliament should ever do is outsource its health policy to organised crime”.
It has to be dealt with through law enforcement, he says, adding:
double quotation markThey know all too well that the exact impact of what they are proposing would be an increase in tobacco consumption in Australia.
Angus Taylor during question time. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare
Updated at 01.07 EDT
Katter calls for income splitting
Crossbench MP Bob Katter asks the treasurer about the cost-of-living crisis. He talks about the “appalling inequality” in the disposable income between those with children and “dinks” (double income, no kids).
Income splitting is the answer, he says, “while a birthing payment will help arrest Australia’s plunging birthrates”.
Jim Chalmers says a similar proposal was costed and it found it would cost the nation more than $12bn over the forward estimates and would “primarily benefit higher wealth and income couples”:
double quotation mark[It would] cost the budget substantially, while denying the people it’s designed to help.
Income splitting would create a tax transfer system that encourages economic dependence, reduces initiatives for women’s workforce participation [and] would risk unwinding some of the gains that we’ve made as a country.
Jim Chalmers. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 00.39 EDT
Are house prices ‘softening’ or ‘plummeting’?
The shadow treasurer, Tim Wilson, says Sydney house prices are “plummeting so fast that they are on track for the biggest crash in 40 years” in a question to the government.
The housing minister, Clare O’Neil, says the government was transparent about the changes in the budget, with Treasury modelling suggesting there will be 75,000 new owner occupiers and a “small and temporary slowing in house price growth”.
House prices grew 400% in the past 25 years, she says:
double quotation mark[Wilson] is accurate in one sense that house prices are softening across the country … this is the fourth time that we have seen this occur in a decade in our country.
Clare O’Neil speaks during question time. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare
Updated at 00.44 EDT
It’s question time
After a moment of silence for Nepal, question time is up and running.
Up first is Angus Taylor, who asks Anthony Albanese about comments from the Property Council about the government’s taxes being “a ram raid on house prices”.
Albanese says the budget made no changes for people who already negatively gear property, and that investors are “borrowing to build more new homes than ever before”, citing a Herald Sun report and ABS data:
double quotation markGoing forward, negative gearing and the 50% capital gains tax can still be used for investment properties, but only on new builds, so when people choose to invest in housing, they’re not investing in their future wealth and assets, they’re investing in the future wealth and assets of the nation.
Anthony Albanese during question time. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAPShare
Updated at 00.18 EDT