1m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 4:47am
Pocock says older Australians cutting back on home care help
Independent Senator David Pocock has written to Aged Care Minister Sam Rae concerned older Australians are facing “significantly” higher fees under the new Support at Home program.
The program began on November 1 and has replaced Home Care Packages.
In doing so, Australians who were on a package before last September were promised they’d be “no worse off” under the new scheme.
But Pocock has heard from older people across the country who’ve had to cut back on their services because higher fees mean their package funds no longer stretch as far.
“[This] has led to people being either forced to stop services or pay more to receive the same mix of services each month,” Pocock told Rae in the letter.
He shared the story of six people, including a woman in her 80s who’s no longer getting help preparing food and doing laundry because the cost of her personal care has shot up.
The amount providers can charge for at-home services is uncapped until July next year, so Pocock is also seeking information about how much fees have risen in the interim.
15m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 4:33am
Foreign minister responds to US ‘mass migration’ demands
The foreign minister and the treasurer have responded carefully to questions about the Trump administration’s attempts to pressure Western nations — including Australia — to curb “mass migration”.
Earlier this week, the US State Department held a media briefing saying they’d instructed US embassies in several Western countries to gather data on crimes committed by migrants, with a senior US official calling large-scale migration an “existential” threat to the West and global stability.
The federal government said yesterday that the US hadn’t yet made any representations to Australia on the issue, suggesting US diplomats here weren’t exactly rushing to take up the cudgels on the fraught topic.
This afternoon, crossbench Senator Fatima Payman pressed the Foreign Minister Penny Wong to condemn the directive.
Senator Wong didn’t do that, but stressed Australia was a “pluralist” nation.
“This government will always make decisions about Australia’s policies based on what is best for Australia,” she said.
Earlier, Treasurer Jim Chalmers told journalists the government would “form our own views about the appropriate migration settings for our country” — while stressing that net migration was already falling.
26m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 4:21amEnvironment negotiations firm in favour of Greens
The ABC has heard from groups on both sides of negotiations over reforms to Australia’s environment laws that the government is close to reaching a deal on with the Greens.
The federal government maintains it is open to a deal with the Greens or the Coalition, having circulated compromises earlier this week in the event of either camp agreeing to a deal.
But with a soft deadline of this evening to strike an agreement, multiple sources suggest negotiations are leaning in favour of a Greens deal.
The Liberals, alongside consulting with stakeholders, must also ensure negotiations are amenable to their junior Coalition partner, the Nationals.
If that happens, watch for any changes that limit or exclude coal and gas projects from being able to access fast-track pathways under the reformed laws.
That is likely to be what will cause the greatest ire among business groups.
27m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 4:20am
Labor remains ‘firm’ in commitment to implement social media ban
Communications Minister Anika Wells says the federal government remains “firm” in its commitment to implementing a social media age ban despite the new laws facing a legal challenge.
“Despite the fact that we are receiving threats and legal challenges by people with ulterior motives, the Albanese Labor government remains steadfastly on the side of parents, and not platforms,” she said.
“We will not be intimidated by threats. We will not be intimidated by Big Tech on the behalf of Australian parents. We stand firm.”
Wells made the comments in Question Time on Wednesday shortly after advocacy group the Digital Freedom Project announced two “representative young Australians” had filed proceedings in the High Court challenging the social media ban.
15-year-olds Noah Jones and Macy Neyland are the plaintiffs in the case challenging the laws.
The basis of the case is that the social media ban “trespasses on the Constitutional right of freedom of political communication and is therefore unlawful”.
Digital Freedom Project president John Ruddick MLC said the “ban is disproportionate and will trespass either directly or indirectly upon the rights of every Australian”.
“This ban is a direct assault on young people’s right to freedom of political communication,” he said.
28m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 4:20am
📸 QT in pictures
Darren Chester is excited to be here. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Anthony Albanese strutted in with Mark Butler. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
No Barnaby, you won’t find a sandwich pressed steak up there. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Sussan Ley let Labor know what she thought of their answers! (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
35m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 4:12am
And that’s the end of Question Time
And with that final dixer to Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth, Question Time has come to an end.
Who would have thought a blackout would happen in the middle of questions without notice?
It surely had to be one of the more fiery Question Time sessions of the year!
36m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 4:11amMore funding on the way for CSIRO
Last week, the CSIROÂ announced it would cut 350 research positions to meet an ongoing funding squeeze.
Rebekha Sharkie asks if the government will invest the $75m needed to “stop the loss” of the jobs.
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland, who has the job of representing Science Minister Tim Ayres, gives us a little taste of what we can expect in the upcoming Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook.
“There has
been a decision taken by the government through the MYEFO process to provide additional funding for the CSIRO,” she says.
Rowland says more details will be made public at another time.
So watch this space, pals.
42m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 4:05am📹The moment the lights went out in the House of Reps
44m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 4:03am
McCormack asks about asbestos concerns in renewable imports
Nationals MP Michael McCormack asks about reports that asbestos has been found in imported materials from China used to build wind towers in Australia.
“What action is the minister taking to address this?” McCormack asks.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the matter relates to Goldwind Australia projects completed in 2020.
Bowen says it’s a “very serious matter” and that state regulators are undertaking checks to determine if other wind farms are impacted.
He says the government is working with states to ensure workplaces are safe.
“Work is being conducted to replace the affected parts under the comprehensive safety management plans. An independent industrial hygienist had been assessing the risk,” Bowen says.
“It’s the responsibility of importers and exporters to ensure that they do not import or export prohibited goods such as asbestos,” he says.
45m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 4:02am
PM sidesteps question on gambling ads
Helen Haines has the next crossbench question. She lobs her question to the prime minister on when the government will act to ban gambling advertising.
It comes after Anthony Albanese was asked if he’d allow a conscience vote on the issue. It’s also day two of the 16 days of activism to end gender-based violence.
The prime minister begins by saying activism to end gendered violence should happen every day, and then goes through a list of measures the government has put in place during its time in power.
Haines raises a point of order on relevance because Albanese still hadn’t referenced gambling.
Albanese insists he was directly responding to the question and acknowledges that gambling, along with alcohol, is one of the causes of violence.
But he still doesn’t say when he’ll act on gambling ads.
53m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 3:54am
Ayres: Matter of time before Joyce joins One Nation
Jumping in here to share a quick update from Senate QT.
There was a bit of an eruption on the floor just before when Labor’s Tim Ayres referred to Barnaby Joyce as a former Nationals MP. (He’s not. He’s not sitting in the party room at the moment, but is still a Nat).
Pointing to his watch, Ayres said it was a matter of time before he jumped ship.
If you’ve been closely following the blog this week, you’d know Joyce had a sizzling steak dinner with One Nation’s Pauline Hanson this week, as he flirts with the idea of moving to her party.
Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie rose to say Ayres had misrepresented the situation.
57m agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 3:51am
Coalition questions Bowen on signing of declaration
Liberal MP Garth Hamilton has asked the energy minister whether the declaration he signed up to will see critical industries “phased out of existence”.
“Whilst working as a part-time minister, did the full-time COP president consult the minister for resources before signing this executive order?” Hamilton says.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen has pointed to past statements from Shadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan and Opposition Leader Sussan Ley indicating support for the transition to renewable energy.
Hamilton has stepped up on a point of order, though, asking him to respond to “el presidente’s” negotiations (in reference to Bowen’s new COP31 president job).
Speaker Milton Dick has ruled Hamilton out of order and has kicked him out of the chamber under section 94a for abusing standing orders.Â
Bowen continues and says the transition to renewable energy is already underway.
“It’s happening in Australia. It’s happening in Australia with October being the first month in Australian history that we’ve got 50 per cent of our electricity from renewables. That’s what a transition looks like,” Bowen says.
He says he and the resources minister are “working closely” together on the gas market review.
1h agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 3:44amThe lights are BACK ON as Coalition turns focus to Bowen, Taylor given the boot
OK, the lights are back on (although I am sure there are a couple of Coalition MPs who have accidentally left their torchlight on) and it’s time for Nationals deputy Kevin Hogan.Â
He’s giving the “part-time energy minister” line a whirl, as he asks Chris Bowen if he consulted with the trade minister before signing an international declaration to phase out fossil fuels.
Speaker Milton Dick doesn’t even allow Bowen to get too far into his question before ordering Angus Taylor to leave the chamber.
Bowen says he can understand why signing up to the agreement would be “offensive” to the opposition.Â
“Because it says, ‘We reaffirm that the best available science must guide the implementation of the transition,'” he says.
“I know the word ‘science’ triggers those opposite, because they find that offensive. Other countries that called for a roadmap for a transition away from fossil fuel at the COP last week in Belen include:
Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Korea, which I note also announced they are closing all coal-fired power stations in 2040.”
1h agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 3:40am
📷 Lights out in the lower house
(ABC News: Matt Roberts)
(ABC News: Matt Roberts)
1h agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 3:38am
Ley quizzes Bowen on statement about fossil fuels
Just before the lights went out, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley asked the energy minister why he’s signed Australia up to a statement calling to phase out the import, export and usage of gas, and whether it is government policy.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen says it is government policy to phase out the use of fossil fuels.
“The declaration says we’re for a just, orderly, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels,” Bowen says.
He says renewable energy is a cheaper way to replace fossil fuels.
Ley questioned whether the opposition leader was misleading the House of Representatives by saying Bowen will be a “part-time minister” for taking up the COP31 presidency.
Manager of Opposition Business Alex Hawke jumps up on a point of order, asking the minister to withdraw his allegation.
Speaker Milton Dick says the energy minister posed the allegation as a question and therefore it is in order
The energy minister has listed off the number ministers and heads of government which have been COP president.
1h agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 3:37am
Sussan Ley waves Coalition energy policy in House of Reps blackout
(ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has held up a copy of the Coalition’s new energy policy during the House of Reps blackout.
Speaker Milton Dick is trying to mute the noise that has erupted in the chamber.
1h agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 3:32amTHE LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT IN THE HOUSE OF REPS
(ABC News: Matt Roberts)
The lights have just gone off in the House of Representatives and the chamber has erupted during Health Minister Mark Butler’s answer to a dixer.
Coalition MPs have jumped up, shouting and pointing at the government benches.
Some MPs have pulled out their phones and turned on their flashlights.
1h agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 3:24am
Labor not keen on crossbench proposal to stop windfarm on agricultural land
Andrew Gee has the first crossbench question of the day.
He’s concerned about Australia’s food security as residential, industrial and renewable developments are established on farmland.
Gee wants to know if the government will support his bill to stop windfarms being build on agricultural land and visit his electorate to chat with farmers.
Agriculture Minister Julie Collins says she agrees that it’s important to protect Australia’s food security but land use is primarily a responsibility for the states.
“Your proposed bill does seek to override those laws … raising significant property rights and constitutional concerns. Such implications do require careful consideration,” she told the chamber.
1h agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 3:14am
PM criticises Coalition’s attack on ‘culture of dependency’
(ABC News: Matt Roberts)
The next question is from Shadow Treasurer Ted O’Brien, who has asked the prime minister what he has to say to struggling mortgage holders who probably won’t get an interest rate cut after today’s inflation figures.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says there have been three interest rate cuts under the current Labor government.
But the prime minister deflected, and turned the fire on the Coalition for saying Australia has a “culture of dependency”.
“They think that Australians’ wages, Australians’ jobs, and support for Australians, deserves to be cut. That’s truly what they’re saying in their subliminal message — or not-so subliminal — when they speak about the culture of dependency,” Albanese says.
The shadow treasurer has stepped up on a point of order on relevance, asking the PM to respond to the mention of government spending in his question.
Albanese says the Coalition needs to detail what they’d cut if they were to return to government.
1h agoWed 26 Nov 2025 at 3:06am
Job not done on inflation: Albanese
(ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is up first today and it’s probably no surprise she’s taking a swing at the government over today’s inflation figures.
“The prime minister promised the Australian people that we had turned a corner on inflation … today’s numbers show that Australians were misled,” she says.
Anthony Albanese makes his way over to the mic. He acknowledges the figures show that Australians are still facing cost of living pressures.
“When it comes to inflation we also know that the work is never done, which is why my government is very focused on cost-of-living measures and on putting that downward pressure on inflation,” he says.
He says the lift inflation is part due to the end of state energy subsidies.
He then turns the focus back to the opposition and their handling of inflation during their time in government.