POLITICS

Reported at www.dailymail.co.uk: Peter Dutton has promised to extend the Coalition’s election plan, allowing first homebuyers, including divorced women, to use $50,000 from their superannuation to assist in purchasing a home.

Dutton also discussed plans to reduce permanent migration by 25% for two years, as well as reintroducing the Cashless Debit Card for Indigenous communities affected by drugs and alcohol.

Reported at michaelwest.com.au: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will hold the government’s first cabinet meeting of 2025, focusing on cost-of-living relief as Labor prepares for an election.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Ambassador Kevin Rudd will attend Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025, amid concerns that Australia might face punitive tariffs under Trump’s anticipated trade policies, the ABC reports.

Trump, set to become the oldest president at 78, has promised tariff increases on several nations, raising doubts about Australia’s trade arrangements following past negotiations that helped avoid tariffs on steel.

Reported at theconversation.com: Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s recent “soft launch” of his campaign focused on presenting his personal narrative and Coalition priorities, while attacking the Labor government’s leadership without introducing any significant new policies.

Dutton’s approach aimed to appeal to both party loyalists and undecided centrist voters, but critics pointed out the lack of detailed policy explanations, particularly regarding his nuclear plan, housing crisis solutions, and immigration strategies.

From the Treasury Ministers: The Albanese government launched the Fighting Scams Campaign, which runs until 22 March, aimed at raising awareness and providing actionable strategies against scams.

The campaign emphasizes three key steps: STOP before sharing personal information, CHECK the identity of the person or organization, and PROTECT by reporting scams to Scamwatch.

The government is also implementing a Scams Prevention Framework that imposes obligations on banks, social media companies, and telcos to prevent scams, contributing to a significant reduction in reported scam losses.

Reported at www.abc.net.au: Peter Dutton, the Opposition Leader, launched his campaign in Melbourne, emphasizing that the Coalition can make the current Labor government a one-term administration.

In his address, he highlighted key priorities such as addressing cost of living, supporting small businesses, establishing nuclear power, and committing to strengthening Medicare.

The Liberal Party aims to regain seats lost in previous elections, focusing on a fierce competition primarily in New South Wales and Victoria, amid concerns over inflation and living standards.

Teal independents face a changed political landscape in the upcoming 2025 federal election, moving from an environment fueled by anti-Scott Morrison sentiment to one where cost of living is the primary concern, the Guardian reports.

Climate 200’s executive director highlights that the incumbents’ track records and the ongoing decline of major party votes suggest potential opportunities for independents to expand their representation in Parliament.

Focused on supporting up to 30 candidates, Climate 200 has already raised $7.6 million for the campaign, indicating continued financial backing for the teal movement.

Reported at michaelwest.com.au: Peter Dutton faces a significant challenge in the 2025 election as he encounters both Labor’s Ali France and a Teal independent candidate in the marginal seat of Dickson, which could jeopardize his political future.

His history on women’s issues is expected to be a focal point for opponents, particularly with a demographic shift that may favor female candidates, and his controversial stances on nuclear energy could further alienate voters.

Reported at www.abc.net.au: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced his government will fund 80% of upgrades to the Bruce Highway, a key transport route in Queensland, with a budget of $7.2 billion as part of his campaign leading up to the 2025 federal election.

The announcement received support from Queensland Premier David Crisafulli, highlighting a rare consensus among local stakeholders, although the federal opposition’s response varied.

he Victorian Liberal Party has selected Steve Murphy, a real estate agent with 26 years of experience in the Werribee area, as their candidate for the upcoming by-election on February 8, following the resignation of former treasurer Tim Pallas, the ABC reports.

Labor has chosen local high school teacher John Lister as their candidate, while the Greens have introduced Rifai Raheem, who emphasizes community connections and proposals for public transport reform.

Murphy and Lister both highlight issues such as cost of living and infrastructure as central to their campaigns.

Jing Lee has announced her immediate resignation from the South Australian Liberal Party, relinquishing her roles as deputy leader of the opposition in the Legislative Council and shadow minister for tourism and multicultural affairs, the ABC reports.

She will serve as an independent member of the Legislative Council until the next state election in 2026, citing a need for change after reflecting on her responsibilities and how to best represent her community.

From www.sbs.com.au: Meta’s recent decision to eliminate third-party fact-checkers on its US platforms has raised concerns among Australian experts and politicians, warning of potential implications for content moderation.

Mark Zuckerberg framed the change as a move to enhance political content and free speech, which critics argue could amplify harmful rhetoric and misinformation, particularly ahead of Australia’s federal election.

While Zuckerberg states the policy is currently limited to the US, experts believe it signifies a broader ideological shift that could ultimately affect users globally.

High-profile Australians have urged the federal government to establish duty of care laws that require policies on climate change to consider the health and wellbeing of future generations, the ABC reports, despite a Senate inquiry rejecting such a proposal.

Prominent signatories of the letter include former Australian of the Year Grace Tame and author Tim Winton, reinforcing a collective call for urgent climate action amid record-breaking heat.

From the ABC: The federal government has pledged nearly $30 million for infrastructure upgrades in Wyndham, Western Australia, including granting the port First Point of Entry status, which aims to revitalize the town’s economy.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasised that these developments could enhance local exports, particularly from the growing cotton industry.

Reported at www.pollbludger.net: Roy Morgan’s latest poll shows Labor facing a significant two-party preferred loss, attributed to unusual preference flows where Labor’s support from the Greens dropped drastically.

Meanwhile, RedBridge Group’s ideological report indicates that 51% of respondents placed Labor on the left end of the political spectrum, while 62% identified the Liberals on the right.

Reported at www.abc.net.au: Tasmania Police have opted not to investigate former Launceston General Hospital director Dr. Peter Renshaw over allegations of improperly certifying death certificates, citing insufficient evidence for criminal charges.

While AHPRA has suspended Renshaw’s medical registration, the Health Department is conducting audits of death records but has not discovered additional cases necessitating referrals to the coroner.

Factors canvassed by www.rossgittins.com contributing to the recent depreciation of the Australian dollar include lower demand from China and expectations of stable or high-interest rates in the US, which discourage investment in Australia.

The dollar has depreciated from over US70¢ to around US62¢, impacting various sectors of the economy.

While a weaker dollar increases competitiveness for exporters and reduces competition from imports, it also raises costs for importers and travelers.

From The Conversation: The UN Human Rights Committee has ruled that Australia violated international human rights law by subjecting a group of young asylum seekers to “cruel and degrading” treatment in Nauru, where they faced indefinite detention under prison-like conditions.

Although the committee found Australia responsible for the human rights breaches, the ruling may not lead to immediate changes in Australia’s offshore detention policies due to the lack of enforceable remedies.

A judge has ordered Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to clarify the circumstances surrounding the deletion of certain documents related to the Julian Assange case, requiring a response by February 21, 2025, reports consortiumnews.com.

Italian journalist Stefania Maurizi has pursued these documents through a Freedom of Information request, as they potentially contain evidence of a politically motivated prosecution against Assange.

Reported at johnmenadue.com: Clive Palmer is claiming a total of $420 billion from the Australian government as a Singaporean investor under Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) rights linked to his mining projects.

His claims arise from unsuccessful attempts to obtain mining licenses, framing them as challenges to Australia’s environmental regulations, which has sparked concerns about ISDS’s impact on climate action and government authority.