New Australia’s Voice party party calls

Reported at www.theguardian.com: Fatima Payman’s new political party, Australia’s Voice, is seeking candidates to contest Senate seats in New South Wales and Victoria ahead of the federal election.

The party, launched after Payman’s departure from Labor, aims to target left-leaning voters dissatisfied with the Albanese government.

The party plans to establish itself as a third force in progressive politics under Payman’s leadership

Ministerial order limits international students

Reported at www.sbs.com.au: The Australian government introduced a new ministerial direction, labeled Direction 111, to control international student enrollments at universities after a bill to cap student numbers failed in parliament.

The changes aim to slow visa processing and set limits on student numbers, addressing concerns about the sector’s stability and fairness.

Treasury increases net migration forecast

Reported at independentaustralia.net: The Australian Treasury has revised its net migration forecast for 2024-2025, increasing it from 260,000 to 340,000 due to the strong labour market and ongoing sponsorship of new migrants.

The forecast indicates a decline in net migration for 2025-2026 to 255,000, with challenges in further reducing migration levels beyond that due to policy tightening implications and industry pushback.

MInister says no new coal mines after approving extensions

Reported at www.abc.net.au: Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has announced no new coal mines were approved in 2024, despite recommending a new “greenfield” coal mine and extensions to three existing mines.

These approvals will lead to over 900 million tonnes of carbon emissions over their lifetimes, with concerns raised about the impact on the environment and endangered species habitat.

Pacific Islands leaders and environmentalists have criticised the decisions, while the government emphasizes the need for steel production and renewable energy projects to support jobs and comply with emission reduction targets.

ASPI think tank: funding cut recommended

Reported at www.abc.net.au: A government review by Peter Varghese recommends cutting public funding for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) and ceasing funding for its Washington DC office, which has sparked criticism from the Coalition due to its timing.

ASPI, known for its critical stance on China, faces changes in funding processes and governance structures, with concerns raised about government control impacting the independence of think tanks like ASPI.

International students to be limited

Reported at www.abc.net.au: The federal government plans to limit international student numbers by implementing a “go-slow” approach to visa processing once a university hits 80% of the proposed caps, previously rejected by the Coalition and Greens.

The move follows the replacement of Ministerial Direction 107 criticized for negatively impacting universities.

Pollies getting Increasing threats

Reported at www.themandarin.com.au: The Australian Federal Police (AFP) reported a 42% increase in incidents involving harassment, threats, and offensive communications against parliamentarians, with a total of 1,009 reports in 2023-24 compared to 706 in the previous year.

The AFP has charged individuals for making threats to parliamentarians, with recent cases including a South Australian man facing charges for sending harassing emails to Commonwealth employees.

NSW Pill Testing In 2025

Reported at themusic.com.au: The NSW Government has announced a 12-month pill testing trial at music festivals in early 2025, aiming to reduce harm and save lives by allowing attendees to test their narcotics for purity, potency, and adulterants for free.

The $1 million trial follows similar initiatives in Queensland and Victoria, with industry experts praising the move as a significant step towards festival safety and evidence-based policy.

Mentally ill inmate dies

Reported at www.theguardian.com: Prison guards at Silverwater jail in NSW switched off water to the cell of mentally ill inmate Simon Cartwright, who suffered from schizophrenia and a treatable peptic ulcer, leading to his preventable death.

Cartwright’s family is taking legal action against the NSW government after a coroner found systemic failures in his care and the callous treatment of his family.

Extended deadline: kids’ access to adult websites

Reported at www.theguardian.com: Tech companies in Australia have been given an extension of two months to implement plans for restricting children’s access to adult websites due to upcoming social media ban laws for under-16s.

The legislation will require age verification for all users on social media platforms and explicit content sites.

Wong reportedly criticised by Israeli minister

Reported at www.theguardian.com: Australian foreign affairs minister Penny Wong was reportedly criticised by Israeli foreign affairs minister Gideon Sa’ar for Australia’s perceived distancing from Israel, amid clashes over humanitarian aid in Gaza and UN votes.

Sa’ar emphasized Israel’s adherence to international law and criticized Wong for comparing Israel to Russia and China.

HumeLink connecting Snowy Hydro approved

Reported at www.abc.net.au: The Australian government has approved the HumeLink transmission project connecting Snowy Hydro 2.0 to the energy grid, with an estimated cost of $4.8 billion to be completed by 2027.

This project aims to provide an additional 3 gigawatts of renewable energy, despite previous delays and cost overruns on the Snowy 2.0 scheme.

The initiative has faced resistance from some communities and farmers due to concerns about property acquisitions and environmental impacts.

Victoria’s first female treasurer

Reported at www.abc.net.au: Jaclyn Symes is set to become Victoria’s first female treasurer, following the resignation of Tim Pallas, the longest-serving treasurer in the state.

Symes, who previously served as Victoria’s attorney-general, is expected to be sworn into the role on Thursday.

Review raises interference with research concerns

Reported at thenightly.com.au: Labor-ordered review by former DFAT Secretary Peter Varghese may propose budget cuts for publicly-funded national security think tanks like ASPI, sparking concerns of government interference in research priorities and potential self-censorship to avoid budget reductions.

The review suggests giving bureaucrats more control over think tanks’ research agendas and imposing a government “observer” on their councils.

Carbon credit crunch: native forests

Reported at thepolitics.com.au: The NSW government is considering a carbon credits scheme to end native forest logging but may inadvertently allow continued carbon emissions and even timber extraction from national parks in exchange for protecting forests.

This initiative, championed by an NGO to generate billions of dollars in carbon credits, raises concerns about perpetuating fossil fuel consumption through offsets rather than transitioning away from them.

Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) 2024-25

Reported at Taxrates.info: The MYEFO 2024-25 report highlights Australia’s economy facing modest growth with fiscal challenges like increasing debt and a worsening cash balance.

Projections show a deteriorating fiscal outlook, with deficits estimated to be higher than initial budget figures, increased debt levels, and policy decisions impacting revenue and spending forecasts.

The MYEFO report can be downloaded here. The Treasurer’s media release is here.

Vic support for NDAs ban in sexual harassment cases

Reported at www.theguardian.com: About 90% of submissions to a Victorian government-led consultation recommended restricting the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of sexual harassment.

While most legal groups supported the ban, business groups argued against it, stating NDAs are a legitimate alternative to litigation.

Victoria: new body for construction sector

Reported at www.abc.net.au: The Victorian government has accepted all recommendations from a report on the state’s construction sector, aiming to address corruption and unlawful behavior.

They will establish a new body to handle complaints, tighten the “fit and proper person” test for union roles, and reform labor hire practices.

The investigation revealed infiltration by organized crime figures and bikies within the CFMEU, prompting actions to clean up the industry and ensure safety on worksites.

New rules ban councillors’ private briefings

Reported at www.themandarin.com.au: Relations between the New South Wales Minns government and the local government sector have deteriorated over new rules banning councillors from private briefings with council staff.

The Local Government Association of NSW criticized the ban, stating that state politicians have routine private briefings and arguing for transparency and informed decision-making at all government levels.