Politics news

• Whistleblower David McBride released from prison

  13-08-2026 02:38 via smh.com.au
  
  Attorney-general Michelle Rowland granted the former army lawyer parole on Thursday morning.
  
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• Australia on brink of record defence export deal with UK

  13-08-2026 04:17 via smh.com.au
  
  This masthead can reveal the contract to sell a Canberra-built radar system to the UK would be worth more than $10 billion.
  
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• 'Not my views': Hanson rejects former candidate's homophobic comments

  13-08-2026 03:20 via abc.net.au
  
  One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has distanced herself from a failed Western Australian One Nation candidate's homophobic statements, saying they are not her views.
  
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• Hanson rejects ex-One Nation candidate's claim homosexuality is a 'mental illness'

  13-08-2026 03:20 via abc.net.au
  
  One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has distanced herself from a failed Western Australian One Nation candidate's homophobic statements, saying they are not her views.
  
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• Taylor rebukes Coalition frontbencher after Bragg goes rogue on housing, migration, tax

  13-08-2026 01:50 via smh.com.au
  
  A Liberal senator has suggested substandard homes could fix the housing crisis and announced a new migration target that leader Angus Taylor did not repeat.
  
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• Ambitious Coalition frontbencher goes rogue on housing, migration, tax

  13-08-2026 01:50 via smh.com.au
  
  A Liberal senator has suggested substandard homes could fix the housing crisis and announced a new migration target that leader Angus Taylor did not repeat.
  
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• Moves to axe character references after Western Power rape case

  12-08-2026 23:48 via abc.net.au
  
  There are growing calls for the WA government to ban positive character evidence after three Western Power staff were stood down for offering references to a former colleague convicted of rape.
  
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• Advocate says banning character evidence 'critical' after Western Power rape case

  12-08-2026 23:48 via abc.net.au
  
  There are growing calls for the WA government to ban positive character evidence after three Western Power staff were stood down for offering references to a former colleague convicted of rape.
  
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• Live: Win for media giants as bill to force big tech to pay for news is introduced

  12-08-2026 23:09 via abc.net.au
  
  The federal government has revised its News Bargaining Incentive bill, which will lift the number of deals big tech companies enter into to be exempt from a 2.5 per cent tax. Follow live.
  
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• Live: Taylor staffer says questioning by journalist on ICAC a 'fricking disgrace'

  12-08-2026 23:09 via abc.net.au
  
  A staffer for Angus Taylor is filmed criticising a journalist's line of questioning over the Liberal leader's relationship with a man named in a NSW corruption watchdog probe. Follow live.
  
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• Live: Taylor counsels Liberal frontbencher after speech on migration, housing

  12-08-2026 23:09 via abc.net.au
  
  Angus Taylor has counselled Liberal frontbencher Andrew Bragg after his speech on migration and housing at the National Press Club yesterday. Follow live.
  
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• Live: Bragg backs substandard houses to get low-income Australians into homes

  12-08-2026 23:09 via abc.net.au
  
  Andrew Bragg says substandard homes will allow low-income Australians to break into the housing market. Follow live.
  
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• Live: 'Are your ratings that bad?' Taylor staffer attacks journalist's ICAC questioning

  12-08-2026 23:09 via abc.net.au
  
  A staffer for Angus Taylor is filmed criticising a journalist's line of questioning over the Liberal leader's relationship with a man named in a NSW corruption watchdog probe. Follow live.
  
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• Live: $2.5b Tomago aluminium smelter bailout 'vital', minister says

  12-08-2026 23:09 via abc.net.au
  
  The federal and NSW governments are set to unveil a $2.5 billion bailout of the Tomago aluminium smelter in the state's Hunter region. Follow live.
  
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• Six months into the job, Taylor is taking a detour

  12-08-2026 21:00 via abc.net.au
  
  Behind the scenes, Angus Taylor and Anthony Albanese have been engaged in a rare level of cooperation this week but in public the opposition leader is using the melon saga to mount an all-out assault on the prime minister's character. 
  
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• Feeling miserable? You’re far from alone – and our index proves it

  12-08-2026 21:00 via smh.com.au
  
  The misery index was created in the late 1960s to assess which circumstances make people – and their countries – feel pretty rotten. It didn’t consider the Australia’s Reserve Bank, our maestro of misery.
  
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• Angus Taylor plays a risky game in trying to capitalise on melon saga

  12-08-2026 21:00 via abc.net.au
  
  Behind the scenes, Angus Taylor and Anthony Albanese have been engaged in a rare level of cooperation this week but in public the opposition leader is using the melon saga to mount an all-out assault on the prime minister's character. 
  
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• Best of cartoons, August 13, 2026

  12-08-2026 15:50 via smh.com.au
  
  The news of the day as interpreted by our talented artists, illustrators and cartoonists.
  
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• Labor backs down on late change to get news scheme across the line

  12-08-2026 14:30 via smh.com.au
  
  Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reversed a late change to a scheme forcing tech giants to pay for news, with the laws set to pass next week.
  
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• Albanese makes deal with Taylor, denies gambling lobby had sway over reforms

  12-08-2026 11:30 via smh.com.au
  
  As Labor and the Coalition hash out a deal, a fresh sticking point has emerged over the government’s move to ban offshore lotteries, which is dividing Coalition MPs.
  
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• Liberal frontbencher ruffles feathers in own party by calling for ‘economic revolution’

  12-08-2026 10:05 via smh.com.au
  
  A day after John Howard called for bold policies to counter One Nation, Andrew Bragg freelanced on economic policy and announced a new migration target that Angus Taylor did not repeat.
  
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• Australia on brink of record $10b defence export deal with UK

  12-08-2026 10:00 via smh.com.au
  
  This masthead can reveal the contract to sell a Canberra-built radar system to the UK would be worth more than $10 billion.
  
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• Japanese ambassador moves to quash melon drama, defend Albanese

  12-08-2026 09:35 via smh.com.au
  
  As One Nation joined the Coalition demanding an apology for Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi, her ambassador issued a statement saying Japan took no offence.
  
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• How a conspiracy theory embraced by Trump became part of mainstream Australian politics

  12-08-2026 07:10 via smh.com.au
  
  The story that the far-right is telling is a compelling one. But its advocates are misidentifying who’s at risk. Since 2017, its believers have been responsible for over a dozen mass murders.
  
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• How a conspiracy theory embraced by Trump became mainstream in Australia

  12-08-2026 07:10 via smh.com.au
  
  The story that the far-right is telling is a compelling one. But its advocates are misidentifying who’s at risk. Since 2017, its believers have been responsible for over a dozen mass murders.
  
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• ‘Socialist’ teachers encouraging students to protest One Nation: Joyce

  12-08-2026 06:23 via smh.com.au
  
  ‘Students say no to Hanson’ protests will be held on Thursday, with organisers hoping for a national turnout of 10,000 young people.
  
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• Liberals pour cold water on frontbencher's migration comments

  12-08-2026 05:52 via abc.net.au
  
  In a wideranging speech to the National Press Club, Andrew Bragg accuses the Morrison government of "madness" and says the major political parties have "buggered it up".
  
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• Liberals pour cold water on Bragg's migration comments

  12-08-2026 05:52 via abc.net.au
  
  In a wideranging speech to the National Press Club, Andrew Bragg accuses the Morrison government of "madness" and says the major political parties have "buggered it up".
  
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• One Nation candidate says gay people have a mental illness

  12-08-2026 05:08 via abc.net.au
  
  A One Nation candidate in WA has described gay people as having a mental illness in an offensive new video posted onto social media.
  
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• Failed One Nation candidate says gay people have a mental illness

  12-08-2026 05:08 via abc.net.au
  
  A failed One Nation candidate in WA describes gay people as having a mental illness in an offensive new video posted on social media.
  
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