Politics news

• ‘He’s never liked her’: Palmer backs Nationals to take on Hanson and Rinehart

  19-08-2026 03:32 via smh.com.au
  
  Palmer surprised the Nationals by bidding on a guitar at a fundraiser, but is reported to be ready to pump in a lot more toblock One Nation.
  
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• Live: Taylor renews calls for Labor MP facing fresh bail charges to be stood down

  25-08-2026 23:12 via abc.net.au
  
  Angus Taylor renews calls for Labor MP Luke Gosling to be stood down from his role as special envoy after he was charged with breaching his bail conditions. Follow live. 
  
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• Domestic violence, guns, bird flu and data centres focus of leaders' talks

  25-08-2026 21:15 via abc.net.au
  
  Premiers are heading into national cabinet divided over how Australia should meet the rapidly growing energy demands of AI data centres, with fuel security, domestic violence rates and gun law talks on the table.
  
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• Albanese to stare down national cabinet data centre stoush

  25-08-2026 21:15 via abc.net.au
  
  Premiers are heading into national cabinet divided over how Australia should meet the rapidly growing energy demands of AI data centres, with fuel security, domestic violence rates and gun law talks on the table.
  
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• One Nation has again had to clear up its migration target, so exactly what is the NOM?

  25-08-2026 21:11 via abc.net.au
  
  Net Overseas Migration is a term that's often misunderstood, and the PM claims numbers are being thrown around 'like confetti'. So what exactly is the NOM, what kind of factors cause it to fluctuate, and where do the political parties stand?
  
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• 'Like confetti': One Nation confusion has thrust NOM back into the spotlight

  25-08-2026 21:11 via abc.net.au
  
  Net Overseas Migration is a term that's often misunderstood, and the PM claims numbers are being thrown around 'like confetti'. So what exactly is the NOM, what kind of factors cause it to fluctuate, and where do the political parties stand?
  
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• Why Labor’s carbon credit scheme’s an economist-conceived sham

  25-08-2026 21:00 via smh.com.au
  
  Environmental economists came up with the idea of the offset. The Albanese government’s using the mechanism to pretend it cares about climate change.
  
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• Call for MH17-style international probe into Zomi Frankcom killing

  25-08-2026 20:00 via smh.com.au
  
  Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada are being urged to consider launching a joint criminal investigation into the fatal Israeli drone strike.
  
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• Best of cartoons, August 26, 2026

  25-08-2026 12:27 via smh.com.au
  
  The news of the day as interpreted by our talented artists, illustrators and cartoonists.
  
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• Albanese tells Queensland to get with the program on AI revolution

  25-08-2026 12:00 via smh.com.au
  
  The prime minister urged business leaders at the annual dinner to stop forecasting the worst-case scenario and “be more optimistic”.
  
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• Federal Darwin MP charged with breaching bail after alleged assault on King’s representative

  25-08-2026 10:30 via smh.com.au
  
  Federal Labor MP Luke Gosling has been charged with breaching bail in relation to the ongoing allegations he assaulted Northern Territory Administrator David Connolly.
  
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• ‘The longer this goes, the harder it gets’: Industry scrambles as Labor agonises over immigration

  25-08-2026 09:53 via smh.com.au
  
  The federal government’s migration reforms could be pushed back up to a month, with industry group seizing on the delay to lobby against reducing temporary worker numbers.
  
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• ‘George will be George’: One Nation MP brushes off order to ‘shut up about immigration’

  25-08-2026 09:17 via smh.com.au
  
  Christensen, a one-time One Nation senate candidate who campaigned for David Farley, says David Farley was warned repeatedly about talking about immigration.
  
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• Good character references to be scrapped in all WA criminal cases

  25-08-2026 03:24 via abc.net.au
  
  The WA government will scrap the use of good character references in court cases, which allow convicted criminals to receive reduced sentences. 
  
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• ‘Farley needs to shut up’: George Christensen takes aim at One Nation MP

  25-08-2026 01:53 via smh.com.au
  
  Christensen, a one-time One Nation senate candidate who campaigned for Farley, says he warned the MP more than once to “shut up about immigration”.
  
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• PM defends attending $10k-per-head fundraising dinner — as it happened

  24-08-2026 23:09 via abc.net.au
  
  Anthony Albanese has defended his attendance at a $10,000-per-head fundraising dinner in Perth ahead of a cabinet meeting.
  
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• Live: Taylor indicates Coalition's migration target could fall 'well below' 200,000

  24-08-2026 23:09 via abc.net.au
  
  Angus Taylor says the Coalition's migration target could be "well below" 200,000 as the opposition develops a policy to tie migration to housing construction. Follow live.
  
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• Live: PM defends attending $10,000-per-head fundraising dinner in Perth

  24-08-2026 23:09 via abc.net.au
  
  Anthony Albanese has defended his attendance at a $10,000-per-head fundraising dinner in Perth ahead of a cabinet meeting. Follow live.
  
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• PM faces further GST backlash after standing by lucrative WA deal

  24-08-2026 22:22 via abc.net.au
  
  Anthony Albanese is still facing pressure from Labor and Liberal states to overhaul the GST carve-up after declaring he was sticking by Western Australia's lucrative funding deal.
  
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• SA Liberal president Leah Blyth in preselection battle as Antic supporters claim 'betrayal'

  24-08-2026 22:06 via abc.net.au
  
  Some supporters of rebel South Australian Senator Alex Antic want to demote SA Liberal President Leah Blyth to an unwinnable senate spot, claiming a "betrayal" on conservative causes.
  
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• The surprising figure One Nation supporters back more than anyone apart from Hanson

  24-08-2026 21:00 via smh.com.au
  
  No.1 among One Nation voters is, as you’d expect, Pauline Hanson. But No.2 is not Barnaby Joyce or Donald Trump or any conventional political figure.
  
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• Forecasts reveal effect of data centre rush on electricity grid

  24-08-2026 20:41 via abc.net.au
  
  The rush of AI data centres is expected to put a larger burden on the electricity grid than previously estimated, with projects in development more than doubling in a year.
  
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• Data centres to use nearly as much power as every NSW and Victorian home by 2036

  24-08-2026 20:41 via abc.net.au
  
  The rush of AI data centres is expected to put a larger burden on the electricity grid than previously estimated, with projects in development more than doubling in a year.
  
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• 1000 One Nation voters said why they were voting for Hanson – and what it would take to switch

  24-08-2026 16:05 via smh.com.au
  
  New research finds that about half of Pauline Hanson’s large, new support base could be persuaded back to the major parties if they address concerns about high migration.
  
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• 1000 One Nation voters said why they were voting for Hanson - and what it would take to switch

  24-08-2026 16:05 via smh.com.au
  
  New research finds that about half of Pauline Hanson’s large, new support base could be persuaded back to the major parties if they address concerns about high migration.
  
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• Tax attack: Business to serve it up to PM over dinner after Labor’s budget changes

  24-08-2026 14:30 via smh.com.au
  
  After years of claims that it has been hoodwinked into close cooperation by Labor, the business lobby is gearing up for a fight.
  
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• Tax attack: big business to serve it up to PM over dinner after Labor’s budget changes

  24-08-2026 14:30 via smh.com.au
  
  After years of claims that it has been hoodwinked into close cooperation by Labor, the business lobby is gearing up for a fight.
  
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• Best of cartoons, August 25, 2026

  24-08-2026 13:20 via smh.com.au
  
  The news of the day as interpreted by our talented artists, illustrators and cartoonists.
  
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• Unleashed | Barnaby Joyce

  24-08-2026 12:01 via abc.net.au
  
  Barnaby Joyce's defection to One Nation struck some as opportunism, others as evidence of an unrivalled political radar. But is the party big enough for him and Pauline Hanson?
  
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• Angus Taylor organised taxpayer grants for Brethren charity backing Pollie Pedal

  24-08-2026 11:29 via smh.com.au
  
  The Plymouth Brethren Christian Church’s charity organisation, the Rapid Relief Team, received hundreds of thousands of dollars in government grants, some in Taylor’s seat of Hume.
  
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