Oz Politics Writ Large
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Peter Dutton delivered Christmas messages acknowledging the financial struggles many Australians face this year, reports The Guardian.
Albanese expressed gratitude to medical and emergency workers for sacrificing their holidays to help others, while Dutton highlighted the resilience of Australians in difficult times and urged remembrance for those less fortunate.
News Corp has sold its Australian cable TV unit Foxtel to DAZN for A$3.4 billion, reducing its exposure to traditional media amid the rise of streaming platforms, reports Reuters.
As part of the deal, News Corp will retain a 6% stake in DAZN and gain a board seat while DAZN acquires streaming rights to major Australian sports leagues.
Simeon Boikov, known as the “Aussie Cossack,” has offered himself for a prisoner swap after the capture of Australian teacher Oscar Jenkins in Ukraine., reports thenightly.com.au.
Boikov, who has been living in the Russian consulate in Sydney to avoid arrest, expressed his support for the Russian military’s actions in a social media post.
From the ABC: The Western Australian Treasurer has reported a $3.1 billion budget surplus, credited to strong economic growth and mining royalties, positioning the state as the “envy of the nation.”
The government allocated $400 million to expedite housing supply infrastructure but has not introduced new cost-of-living relief measures amid rising financial hardship for many families.
A video circulating on social media shows Australian Oscar Jenkins, a 32-year-old biology teacher, being questioned by Russian soldiers in Ukraine, raising concerns among Australian officials, reports ABC News.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that the Australian embassy in Moscow and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade are investigating the situation.
Reported at www.theguardian.com: The draft charter of passenger rights announced by the government aims to improve airline accountability but fails to include compensation for flight delays, leaving passengers with limited recourse compared to other countries.
Monique Ryan argues that substantial compensation for delays would incentivize airlines to improve their service and reduce cancellations.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has rejected a peace offer from rail unions that sought to pause industrial action threatening Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations in exchange for fare-free travel for commuters, The Guardian reports.
Minns expressed concerns about a “trust issue” with the Rail Tram and Bus Union, citing past concessions that led to no progress and emphasizing the financial burden of fare-free days on the government.
Reported at johnmenadue.com: Australia’s wealth is heavily concentrated, with the top 10% of households controlling nearly 50% of total wealth, while a significant portion of the population struggles with poverty and housing insecurity.
The housing crisis highlights this disparity, as over 122,000 Australians lack shelter, and a significant impact is felt among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Reported at www.thenewdaily.com.au: Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto faces a possible leadership vote as early as Friday due to internal party tensions, particularly regarding the exclusion of expelled MP Moira Deeming.
A petition signed by senior MPs calls for a special meeting to resolve the issue, with former police officer Brad Battin positioned as a likely successor to Pesutto.
Following a court ruling against Pesutto for defamatory comments about Deeming, a leadership challenge could occur during the holiday period.
Reported at www.abc.net.au: The NSW state government has agreed to help fund the purchase of a boarding house in Paddington, home to 28 vulnerable residents, if the developer decides to sell the property instead of redeveloping it into luxury apartments.
The initiative comes as residents, facing eviction on February 1, struggle to find new housing
Reported at www.abc.net.au: The NSW government announced a $15 million emergency funding package to address a critical shortage of wheelchair accessible taxis, with plans to increase incentive payments for drivers and provide loans for vehicle conversions.
The number of such taxis in New South Wales has dropped by a third over the past five years, prompting advocates to seek long-term solutions.
Reported at smallcaps.com.au: Opposition leader Peter Dutton advocates for expedited approval and development of key Australian gas projects, emphasizing the importance of gas for energy supply and cost reduction.
He highlighted the stalled Narrabri gas project as a critical example of delayed resources, asserting that increasing gas supply is essential to lower energy prices.
Reported at www.itnews.com.au: The Communication Workers Union asserts that the ownership of the National Broadband Network is a national security issue, advocating for it to remain under government control to ensure its robustness and accountability.
In a submission to an inquiry, the union emphasized the necessity of a secure communications network for essential defense communications and the potential risks associated with privatization, including increased prices and deteriorating service quality.
Rising living costs and inflation create significant public concern, yet people’s perceptions often diverge from economic realities, writes Ross Gittins.
Voters tend to remember price increases vividly while minimizing wage increases, leading them to feel financially squeezed even when wage growth outpaces inflation.
Reported at www.theguardian.com: Daniel Duggan, an Australian pilot and former US Marine, will be extradited to the United States after Australia’s attorney general approved the decision.
Duggan faces charges related to allegedly training Chinese fighter pilots, which could result in a potential 60-year prison sentence if convicted.
Reported at www.abc.net.au: Victorian Opposition Leader John Pesutto is facing a leadership spill after four shadow ministers called for a special meeting, which will also discuss the readmission of expelled MP Moira Deeming to the party.
Pesutto has been under pressure following a defamation case he lost to Deeming, where the court ruled he defamed her as a Nazi sympathiser.
Reported at Pearls and Irritations: Think tank reviewer Peter Varghese defends his recommendations to ensure transparency and accountability in funding and functioning, emphasizing the need for clear priorities and fair competition for funding.
He rejects claims that his review was influenced by external factors, asserting that the focus remains on promoting diverse perspectives and policy contestability in a liberal democracy.
Reported at www.perthnow.com.au: The last One Nation member in NSW, Tania Mihailuk, has resigned apparently due to being uninformed about the party’s administrative arrangements.
Mihailuk expressed her resignation in a Facebook post, stating she could not continue representing the party without full information. She plans to remain on the crossbench as a conservative independent Member of the Legislative Council.
Reported at michaelwest.com.au: Australia’s economy has been performing well compared to global peers, with low inflation, low unemployment, and high wealth per adult, consecutive surpluses and debt reduction.
Mainstream media has been criticised for misrepresenting the economy’s performance and influencing public perception in favor of the Coalition.
Poverty levels in Australia have decreased to historic lows, with improvements in wealth distribution and reduced need for emergency assistance.
Reported at www.abc.net.au: Communities in regional Australia have expressed frustration over the lack of details provided by the federal Coalition regarding their plan to build seven nuclear reactors across the country.
Despite promises of job opportunities, residents remain skeptical and call for more transparency and consultation. A federal inquiry is ongoing, aiming to address unanswered questions and is set to deliver its report by April 2025.