Politics news

• ‘Oppressive’: Why this Liberal senator crossed the floor on expanding ASIO powers

  24-08-2026 04:03 via smh.com.au
  
  A bipartisan bid to expand ASIO’s powers was opposed by an unusual array of opponents, including two Liberal senators. One of them said he will do it again.
  
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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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• PM backs GST deal, leaves future taxpayers on the hook for billions

  24-08-2026 10:03 via smh.com.au
  
  An independent report into the $60 billion GST deal is still months away from being finished, but Anthony Albanese has left it dead in the water.
  
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• In a slump: Warning house prices won’t rebound until 2028

  24-08-2026 09:45 via smh.com.au
  
  House prices are turning down across the country. A prominent economist warns they could keep falling until the RBA puts rate cuts on the agenda.
  
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• ‘It’s made it worse’: Second aged care insider condemns Labor’s reforms as a failure

  24-08-2026 08:00 via smh.com.au
  
  Former acting inspector-general of aged care Ian Yates accused the government of playing down wait lists, which he said had blown out to “unprecedented” levels.
  
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• ‘Could see myself sitting here’: One Nation MP Farley gatecrashes Liberal meeting

  24-08-2026 07:30 via smh.com.au
  
  Farrer MP David Farley said his quip was a joke, but Liberals were astonished when he wandered into a private meeting.
  
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• Pauline Hanson’s deleted post deepens One Nation’s migration muddle

  24-08-2026 06:06 via smh.com.au
  
  While Barnaby Joyce said 130,000 had been One Nation’s migration target “all along”, Pauline Hanson deleted a social media post saying otherwise. The difference is more than 200,000 people.
  
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• Pauline Hanson’s deleted tweet deepens One Nation’s migration muddle

  24-08-2026 03:58 via smh.com.au
  
  While Barnaby Joyce said 130,000 had been One Nation’s migration target “all along”, Pauline Hanson deleted a social media post saying otherwise. The difference is more than 200,000 people.
  
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• PM 'signed people's body parts' that he would not change GST deal — as it happened

  23-08-2026 23:40 via abc.net.au
  
  Anthony Albanese says no changes will be made to GST distribution after a Productivity Commission report recommended an overhaul. 
  
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• Live: PM 'signed people's body parts' that he would not change GST deal

  23-08-2026 23:40 via abc.net.au
  
  Anthony Albanese says no changes will be made to GST distribution after a Productivity Commission report recommended an overhaul. Follow live.
  
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• Live: One Nation defends migration policy blunder

  23-08-2026 23:40 via abc.net.au
  
  Barnaby Joyce says One Nation's policy has been 130,000 net migration and has been "all along." Follow live. 
  
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• Live: Joyce claims One Nation consistent 'all along' despite migration mop up

  23-08-2026 23:40 via abc.net.au
  
  Barnaby Joyce says One Nation's policy has been 130,000 net migration and has been "all along." Follow live. 
  
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• Live: 'I've signed people's body parts': PM declares WA GST deal to stay

  23-08-2026 23:40 via abc.net.au
  
  Anthony Albanese says no changes will be made to GST distribution after a Productivity Commission report recommended an overhaul. Follow live.
  
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• ‘Never mind the Nazis’, Coalition says to the Brethren. ‘Just show us the money’

  23-08-2026 22:00 via smh.com.au
  
  Revelations that a group of so-called Christians had paid neo-Nazis to sway an election have not shaken the Coalition’s public support for a significant donor.
  
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• Brethren feed Angus Taylor, Tony Abbott days after Nazi revelations

  23-08-2026 21:30 via smh.com.au
  
  The pair are enjoying the hospitality of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church despite evidence its elders paid neo-Nazi affiliates to bully politicians at the last election.
  
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• Senator rejects calls to apologise for saying Labor ‘captured by Zionist interests’

  23-08-2026 21:00 via smh.com.au
  
  The Coalition’s push to extend the antisemitism royal commission has failed to attract the support of key Jewish community leaders.
  
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• 'He has inside knowledge': MPs sound alarm over defence industry lobbying

  23-08-2026 20:51 via abc.net.au
  
  New analysis by Four Corners shows the scale of Canberra's revolving door, where former government officials accept lucrative jobs in lobbying or the defence industry.
  
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• Dozens of defence insiders now lobbying for the industry, analysis shows

  23-08-2026 20:51 via abc.net.au
  
  New analysis by Four Corners shows the scale of Canberra's revolving door, where former government officials accept lucrative jobs in lobbying or the defence industry.
  
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• 'Business is good': Defence insiders now lobbying for industry

  23-08-2026 20:51 via abc.net.au
  
  New analysis by Four Corners shows the scale of Canberra's revolving door, where former government officials accept lucrative jobs in lobbying or the defence industry.
  
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• 'AUKUS is like a feast': MPs sound alarm over defence industry lobbying

  23-08-2026 20:51 via abc.net.au
  
  New analysis by Four Corners shows the scale of Canberra's revolving door, where former government officials accept lucrative jobs in lobbying or the defence industry.
  
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• ADF officer's move to Lockheed Martin part of growing trend

  23-08-2026 20:51 via abc.net.au
  
  New analysis by Four Corners shows the scale of Canberra's revolving door, where former government officials accept lucrative jobs in lobbying or the defence industry.
  
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• Best of cartoons, August 24, 2026

  23-08-2026 13:39 via smh.com.au
  
  The news of the day as interpreted by our talented artists, illustrators and cartoonists.
  
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• ‘Unbelievable’: Hanson intervenes after One Nation MP claims migration target ‘not too different’ from Labor’s

  23-08-2026 06:51 via smh.com.au
  
  David Farley sought to redefine the meaning of net overseas migration in an interview on Sunday morning – but he and his boss were about 100,000 people apart.
  
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• ‘Unbelievable’: Hanson intervenes after One Nation MP concedes migration target ‘not too different’ from Labor’s

  23-08-2026 05:56 via smh.com.au
  
  David Farley sought to redefine the meaning of net overseas migration in an interview on Sunday morning, arguing there was a “true form” of the figure.
  
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• One Nation pursuing migration rate 'not too different' to Labor

  23-08-2026 02:29 via abc.net.au
  
  One Nation MP David Farley also told Insiders One Nation would seek to redirect immigration to regional areas and away from cities.
  
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• Hanson intervenes after MP says migration plan 'not too different' to Labor

  23-08-2026 02:29 via abc.net.au
  
  One Nation MP David Farley told Insiders One Nation would pursue cuts to migration "not too different" to Labor. Pauline Hanson has stepped in to say the party's policy would actually slash immigration by about half current rates.
  
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• ‘Unbelievable’: One Nation immigration policy in chaos as MP concedes target ‘not too different’ from Labor’s

  23-08-2026 02:17 via smh.com.au
  
  David Farley sought to redefine the meaning of net overseas migration in an interview on Sunday morning, arguing there was a “true form” of the figure.
  
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