Politics news

• Libs consider slashing refugee intake in Coalition migration policy

  12-12-2025 03:05 via smh.com.au
  
  Sussan Ley moved quickly to release a migration policy as she faced pressure over the issue from her right flank and One Nation.
  
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• ‘His position is untenable’: Corruption watchdog boss stares down resignation demands

  12-12-2025 07:12 via smh.com.au
  
  The nation’s first federal anti-corruption commissioner is facing growing calls to resign after he became embroiled in another potential conflict of interest controversy.
  
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• Elder abuse 'under-reported' but no need for new laws, parliamentary inquiry says

  12-12-2025 05:32 via abc.net.au
  
  Elder abuse often occurs within families, with a parliamentary inquiry describing the issue as part of a wider systemic problem. 
   
  
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• Second minister referred to expenses watchdog, PM asks for advice

  12-12-2025 04:47 via smh.com.au
  
  Opposition leader Sussan Ley has written to the prime minister calling for Anika Wells to be investigated for breaching ministerial standard over the expenses scandal.
  
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• No deal: States won’t sign on to federal hospital funding offer

  12-12-2025 03:56 via smh.com.au
  
  State and territory health ministers released the report card into the “bed block crisis” as they prepared to meet their federal counterpart.
  
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• PM says he has asked for advice on expense rules

  12-12-2025 02:59 via smh.com.au
  
  Opposition leader Sussan Ley has written to the prime minister calling for Anika Wells to be investigated for breaching ministerial standard over the expenses scandal.
  
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• PM says he has asked independent watchdog for advice on politician perks

  12-12-2025 02:40 via abc.net.au
  
  Sports and Communications Minister Anika Wells referred her claims to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority for review after a stream of questions over her spending earlier this week.
  
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• Breaking: PM says he has asked independent watchdog for advice on politician perks

  12-12-2025 02:40 via abc.net.au
  
  Sports and Communications Minister Anika Wells referred her claims to the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority for review after a stream of questions over her spending earlier this week.
  
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• Ley plans to slash refugee intake in Coalition migration policy

  12-12-2025 01:53 via smh.com.au
  
  Sussan Ley moved quickly to release a migration policy as she faced pressure over the issue from her right flank and One Nation.
  
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• Treasurer approves Hanwha's double stake in Australian shipbuilder

  12-12-2025 00:44 via abc.net.au
  
  Jim Chalmers said there will be "strict conditions" on the South Korean defence conglomerate's stake in the strategic shipbuilder, in a nod to the diplomatic and security sensitivities surrounding the bid.
  
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• Swan River ferry terminals approved amid community backlash

  11-12-2025 23:53 via abc.net.au
  
  WA's planning authorities approve the construction of two new ferry terminals at Applecross and Matilda Bay as part of the state government's expansion of Swan River ferry services.
  
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• Show of anger at public meeting fails to halt Swan River ferry terminals

  11-12-2025 23:53 via abc.net.au
  
  WA's planning authorities approve the construction of two new ferry terminals at Applecross and Matilda Bay as part of the state government's expansion of Swan River ferry services.
  
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• Butler flags potential travel expense reform pending Wells investigation

  11-12-2025 23:10 via smh.com.au
  
  The government has given its clearest signal yet that reform to politicians’ travel entitlements could be on the table.
  
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• States and territories reject Commonwealth public hospital funding offer — as it happened

  11-12-2025 20:59 via abc.net.au
  
  States and territories have rejected a public hospital funding offer from the federal government.
  
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• Live: Tomago smelter to stay open post 2028 in federal government power deal

  11-12-2025 20:59 via abc.net.au
  
  Anthony Albanese has declared the government has reached a deal to keep the Tomago aluminium smelter running until 2028. Follow live.
  
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• Live: States and territories reject Commonwealth public hospital funding offer

  11-12-2025 20:59 via abc.net.au
  
  States and territories have rejected a public hospital funding offer from the federal government. Follow live.
  
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• Live: Mid-year budget update to show $12b spending blowout

  11-12-2025 20:59 via abc.net.au
  
  The treasurer and finance minister will need to find room for more than $12 billion in extra costs for "unavoidable" spending in the mid-year budget update. Follow live.
  
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• The mother who fought for social media ban in honour of late daughter

  11-12-2025 20:27 via abc.net.au
  
  Bathurst mother and lawyer Emma Mason's advocacy for Australia's social media ban has always been in honour of her late daughter, Tilly.
   
  
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• How a Bathurst mother stood up to world leaders on social media ban

  11-12-2025 20:27 via abc.net.au
  
  Bathurst mother and lawyer Emma Mason's advocacy for Australia's social media ban has always been in honour of her late daughter, Tilly.
   
  
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• Thousands ‘stranded’ in hospitals as ministers war over funding

  11-12-2025 20:17 via smh.com.au
  
  State and territory health ministers released the report card into the “bed block crisis” as they prepared to meet their federal counterpart.
  
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• Anika Wells is a talent. She could be PM one day, but Albanese should sack her as sports minister

  11-12-2025 19:00 via smh.com.au
  
  Imagine the booing of cricket fans if she dares to turn up at the Boxing Day Test.
  
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• Private school fees and luxury cars driving surge in bankruptcies

  11-12-2025 15:00 via smh.com.au
  
  Private schools chasing fees have driven 128 bankruptcy actions since 2021, of which 45 were last financial year.
  
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• Best of cartoons, December 12, 2025

  11-12-2025 12:39 via smh.com.au
  
  The news of the day as interpreted by our talented artists, illustrators and cartoonists.
  
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• Nation sheds 56,500 full-time jobs in a month, giving RBA a headache

  11-12-2025 12:30 via smh.com.au
  
  Just two days it appeared clear the Reserve Bank would lift interest rates next year. But new job figures suggest the economy may struggle.
  
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• Every second cigarette in Australia is now illegal

  11-12-2025 12:30 via smh.com.au
  
  The nation’s illicit tobacco commissioner has revealed the illegal trade is costing taxpayers up to $11.8 billion a year as it fuels organised crime.
  
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• Anti-corruption boss in open dispute with deputies over defence recusal

  11-12-2025 09:01 via abc.net.au
  
  The anti-corruption watchdog chief personally drafted lines in a media release saying his recusal from defence cases was "unnecessary". His deputies have publicly disagreed.
  
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• Albanese bristles at expenses questions, Wells faces having to hand over metadata

  11-12-2025 08:31 via smh.com.au
  
  The prime minister has ducked responsibility for the widening MPs’ expenses saga by claiming he was not in charge of the rules in a tense press conference in Canberra.
  
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• Usually confident Albanese puts a wrong foot forward

  11-12-2025 07:40 via smh.com.au
  
  Prime Minister Anthony Albanese passes the buck on MP expenses.
  
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• Albanese is getting close to his ‘I don’t hold a hose’ moment

  11-12-2025 07:35 via smh.com.au
  
  The prime minister’s sudden insistence the expenses saga has nothing to do with him has left even some of his own colleagues blinking.
  
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• ‘Wild conspiracies’: Anti-corruption boss under fire over potential conflicts of interest

  11-12-2025 06:49 via smh.com.au
  
  The head of the national anti-corruption body said he believed he was being targeted by people seeking to stymie investigations into alleged war crimes in Afghanistan.
  
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