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Albanese confirms government support for Tomago aluminium smelter
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has been speaking in Tomago, NSW, after announcing a deal to keep the country’s biggest aluminium smelter there open past 2028.
There has been a board meeting here that’s considered the proposals that were going forward, and what that will look like is Tomago agreeing to have more investment here in their capability, at the same time as we provide security of a guarantee of energy price going forward as well.
That’s the fundamentals, we’ll be working those issues through over coming weeks and months, including with New South Wales.
The industry minister, Tim Ayres, explained further:
The fundamental premise of this is a long-term power-purchasing agreement that delivers security at the right price for Tomago so they are internationally competitive.
This is Australia’s youngest aluminium plant. This is a good facility, this agreement will underwrite the development of new generation wind, solar storage projects and transmission accelerate that in NSW and mean that we are underwriting lower-cost electricity, not just for here but building the electricity grid and lowering costs for households and business at the same time.
Economics editor Patrick Commins has written recently on the issue of taxpayer funding of smelters such as Tomago:
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Attorney general Michelle Rowland asks watchdog to audit her expenses
Tom McIlroy
The attorney general, Michelle Rowland, has asked the independent watchdog for politicians’ travel expenses to audit her recent claims.
Rowland joins the communications minister, Anika Wells, in asking for a review.
The Australian Financial Review reported this week that Rowland billed taxpayers $21,685 for flights and travel allowance for a 2023 family trip to Perth.
The trip fell during the NSW school holidays.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, let slip the referral on Friday, after days of controversy over MPs use of the family reunion travel rules.
Rowland’s referral was not known publicly previously. The government will consider possible changes to the rules once the audits are complete.
First Tuvalu climate migrants arrive in Australia
The first climate migrants to leave the remote Pacific island nation of Tuvalu have arrived in Australia, hoping to preserve links to their sinking island home, Reuters reports.
More than one-third of Tuvalu’s 11,000 population applied for a climate visa to migrate to Australia, under a deal struck between the two countries two years ago. The intake is capped at 280 visas annually to prevent a brain drain in the small island nation.
Among the islanders selected in the initial intake of climate migrants is Tuvalu’s first female forklift driver, a dentist, and a pastor focused on preserving their spiritual life thousands of kilometres from home, Australian government officials said.
Tuvalu, one of the countries at greatest risk from climate change because of rising sea levels, is a group of low-lying atolls scattered across the Pacific between Australia and Hawaii.
Manipua Puafolau, from Tuvalu’s main island of Funafuti, arrived in Australia a fortnight ago. A trainee pastor with the most prominent church in Tuvalu, he plans to live in the small town of Naracoorte in the state of South Australia, where several hundred Pacific Islanders work in seasonal agriculture and meat-processing jobs.
In a video released by Australia’s foreign affairs department, Puafolau said:
For the people moving to Australia, it is not only for their physical and economic wellbeing, but also calls for spiritual guidance.
Read more about the program here:
Luca Ittimani
Forced bankruptcies on the rise
Private schools and car loan lenders are increasingly taking customers to court to force them into bankruptcy amid a nationwide surge in the mechanism’s use, new analysis from Financial Counselling Australia shows.
In the year to June, organisations filed 2,024 creditors’ petitions to the federal court, where the applicant asks the court to make bankrupt a person or business who owes them at least $10,000, have surged. Two in five applications successfully forced the debtor into bankruptcy.
Education providers accounted for 45 applications in the year, 13 of which were made by Sirius College, three by Overnewton Anglican Community College and two by Wesley College Melbourne – each Victorian private schools.
The finance arms of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Toyota and Volkswagen accounted for 24 of the applications in the four years to June.
The Australian Tax Office accounted for 13% of all cases in the year to June. Residential strata companies and non-bank business lenders accounted for 12% each, surging from the previous year.
Debt collectors and big banks rarely use the tool, FCA found. Filings have fallen from the 8,000 annually recorded in 2019-20, after the threshold for applications was lifted from $5,000 in debts to $20,000 temporarily before settling at $10,000.
However, success rates have risen, meaning the petitions are sending nearly as many people bankrupt as they were before the threshold rose, prompting FCA to call for it to be raised back to $20,000.
Two teens charged after alleged detonation of aerosol can in Sydney CBD
Two teen boys have been charged after an aerosol can was allegedly detonated in the Sydney CBD.
NSW police said officers responded to reports of an alleged explosion on George Street in the CBD about 7.30pm. On arrival, police were told the detonation was followed by a large fireball.
There were no reports of injury or property damage.
Police later arrested two boys, aged 17 and 14, who were then charged with possession, supply or making explosives for an unlawful purpose. They were refused bail and appeared in children’s court on Thursday.
The older boy will remain in custody until 19 January, while the younger was granted conditional bail and will appear in court next week.
Krishani Dhanji
Coalition offers government support to reform expenses rules
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, has offered bipartisan support for reforming expense entitlements for politicians, following days of reporting around MPs claiming travel for themselves and their partners to attend events including sporting grand final matches and concerts.
The PM has been under pressure to take a fresh look at the rules, and the government this morning signalled that they could consider changes to travel entitlement rules if they’re recommended by the independent watchdog.
Speaking to Sky News this morning, Ley says she has sent a letter to Anthony Albanese offering bipartisan support to go through the current arrangements:
I can sit down with the prime minister anytime and go through measures that he would like to propose to implement to restore that public trust in the system that delivers these entitlements to parliamentarians.
Ley says what Anika Wells has done is “scandalous” and questioned whether Wells should stand aside while her expenses are investigated. The Liberal leader also calls for Wells to be investigated for any breaches to the separate Ministerial Code of Conduct, telling Sky:
If he [Albanese] can’t stand there and tell the Australian people that this minister has not breached the code of conduct, then she should resign, stand aside. He should stand there and tell the Australian people clearly: no, she hasn’t breached my code.
Chalmers clears way for Korean firm to increase stake in Austal
Patrick Commins
Jim Chalmers has cleared the way for a Korean defence firm, Hanwha, to up its stake in Australia’s only major shipbuilder, the WA-based Austal.
Austal holds major federal defence contracts, including billions of dollars worth with the US navy, and Hanwha’s investment proposal had been subject to a lengthy nine-month review by the Foreign Investment Review Board.
The treasurer this morning issued a statement that he had agreed to FIRB’s “clear recommendation” to not stand in the way of the Korean firm increasing its share of Austal from 9.9% to 19.9% – but “subject to strict conditions”.
Assuming the deal goes ahead, those conditions include limits to Hanwha’s access to sensitive information, and “stringent criteria” around board nominees.
“This decision and associated conditions will protect our sovereign interests in this capability and ensure the company can continue to grow, invest, and deliver continuous shipbuilding in Western Australia,” Chalmers said in a statement.
The ASX-listed Austal had previously rejected a takeover bid from Hanwha.
More on Reddit’s high court challenge over the social media ban
Our technology reporter Josh Taylor has a detailed piece on Reddit’s challenge to the social media ban for under-16s.
If you want to know more, take a look here:
Green group says Beetaloo basin fracking project will put ‘everything we love about the Territory at risk’
Back to the announcement that Beetaloo Energy had reached final sign-off for a major fracking project in the Northern Territory …
The group Environment Centre NT says the move will put “everything we love about the Territory at risk”. Senior climate campaigner Bree Ahrens said in a statement:
This is just the beginning of a fracking rush that puts our water supplies and everything we love about the Territory at risk.
Territorians are being gaslit. This has nothing to do with keeping the lights on and everything to do with helping fracking companies boost their bottom line.
The Finocchiaro Government has gutted environmental regulation and stripped back the fracking code of practice – we can’t trust them to protect the NT from the risks of fracking.
Weight-loss drugs being considered for inclusion on PBS, Butler says
World-leading weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic could soon become cheaper in Australia as the federal government considers subsidies for the medications, AAP reports.
The health minister, Mark Butler, has indicated the drugs could be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme as soon as next year, paving the way for a significant reduction in price. He told Radio earlier:
That is being considered, really.
Governments across the world are trying to work out how we tap into the benefits of this drug, but do it in an equitable way as well.
Novo Nordisk, the company which manufactures Wegovy, has lodged a bid for its product to be listed on the scheme so it can be available to more Australians.
In response the government has asked for advice from an expert panel on whether so-called GLP-1 drugs, which include Ozempic and Wegovy, should be subsidised for people who need them.
Reddit seeks high court challenge for social media ban
Josh Taylor
Reddit is seeking to challenge the under-16s social media ban in the high court, filing its case on Friday morning, two days after implementing age restrictions on its website.
The company said in a post on Friday that while Reddit agrees with protecting people under 16 “this law has the unfortunate effect of forcing intrusive and potentially insecure verification processes on adults as well as minors, isolating teens from the ability to engage in age-appropriate community experiences (including political discussions), and creating an illogical patchwork of which platforms are included and which aren’t”. It added:
As the Australian Human Rights Commission put it, ‘There are less restrictive alternatives available that could achieve the aim of protecting children and young people from online harms, but without having such a significant negative impact on other human rights’.
Lastly, this law is applied to Reddit inaccurately, since we’re a forum primarily for adults and we don’t have the traditional social media features the government has taken issue with.
Reddit is challenging the law on the grounds it infringes on the implied freedom of political communication. It said it was not seeking to challenge the law to avoid compliance and has implemented age assurance measures since Wednesday. The company said the vast majority of Redditors are adults and advertising isn’t targeted to children under 18. The Apple app store age rating for Reddit is 17+.
Despite the best intentions, this law is missing the mark on actually protecting young people online. So, while we will comply with this law, we have a responsibility to share our perspective and see that it is reviewed by the courts.
The case sought is separate to the similar legal challenge on freedom of speech grounds filed by NSW Libertarian MP John Ruddick’s Digital Freedom Project group.
Social media ban sparks praise from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
While Australia’s social media ban has divided children and parents at home, high-profile international figures have come out in support of the new restrictions, AAP reports.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle say the ban is an “urgent intervention” that will help shield children from “unsafe and addictive platforms”, but argue it’s only a band-aid fix and does not tackle underlying issues with social media.
“This bold, decisive action to protect children at a critical moment in their development sends a strong signal that a child’s mind is not a commodity to be exploited,” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex said in a statement on their foundation’s website. The pair added:
The ban is an effective measure to stop imminent harm, but ultimately only works as a band-aid that does not address tech’s broken design and exploitative business incentives.
Tom McIlroy
Mark Butler signals Labor could consider changes to travel entitlement rules
Labor has signalled they could consider changes to travel entitlement rules for federal politicians, if they’re recommended by the independent watchdog.
The communications minister, Anika Wells, has referred her travel expense claims for review by the Independent Parliamentary Expenses Authority (IPEA), which oversees claims made by MPs and staff.
While the federal government and parliament set the rules for travel spending through legislation and regulation, the IPEA publishes data and sometimes requires politicians to repay or adjust their claims.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has said all week it is appropriate that expense claims are handled at arm’s length from the government but has so far not called for a review of the rules or any changes to the provisions, including generous family reunion travel allowances.
But on Friday, the health minister, Mark Butler, signalled the possibility of broader changes stemming from the Wells controversy and wider scrutiny of spending.
He told Channel Seven that the government might receive broader recommendations for changes from IPEA.
“I think the important thing now is that particularly Anika Wells’ claims have been referred to the independent parliamentary authority,” Butler said, adding:
That’s obviously an opportunity for them to have a look at those claims but also to provide any broader advice and recommendations about these rules.
I think these rules are important, these jobs place enormous pressure on our families, particularly on our partners who do so much of family work while we’re away for as much as 150 or 200 days a year, but they’ve got to be reasonable and they’ve got to be used in a sensible way.
Daisy Dumas
‘The whole thing disgusts me’: Australians ditch US travel as new rules require social media to be declared
Australians are abandoning travel to the US, and boycotting World Cup matches there next year, as the Trump administration flags new rules that will soon require visitors to hand over their social media history when applying to enter the country.
In a notice published on Tuesday, the US Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP) said tourists to the US from 42 countries including Australia would have to reveal all of their social media activity over the past five years under the new rules, which are up for a 60-day review before coming into effect. It would be a part of the application for a visa waiver under the ESTA application process.
The rules were drawn up in response to an executive order made by Donald Trump on the day of his inauguration in January which purported to “protect” the US from visitors, instructing that visas should be denied to anyone with “hostile attitudes toward its citizens, culture, government, institutions, or founding principles”.
Australian tourists have described the US mandate to sweep social media posts, as well as collect comprehensive “high-value data” on family members such as phone numbers, dates of birth and residencies, as “horrifying” and “draconian”.
Read more here:
State Library of Victoria scraps controversial restructure plan after public outcry
Stephanie Convery
The State Library of Victoria has canned a controversial restructure proposal, saying it had “created unintended concerns” after public outrage.
Many of Australia’s most prominent writers, researchers and artists and thousands of members of the public had expressed alarm over the proposal, which would have cut jobs – including more than halving the number of public-facing reference librarians – and refocused the 171-year-old institution on tourist-oriented digital experiences that staff had described as “digital vanity projects”.
In a statement issued this morning, SLV management said:
After careful consideration of feedback received during the consultation period, the Library has decided to withdraw the Reorganisation Proposal, so that we can refine our approach and ensure it best supports our community, our staff and our long-term vision.
Any revised proposal will be informed by what we have heard throughout this consultation. Our focus will remain on strengthening services, modernising operations and ensuring the Library continues to thrive as a leading home for history, arts, culture and knowledge for the next generation.
The turn-about comes after more than 220 writers, scholars and researchers – including Nick Cave, Helen Garner, Pulitzer, Booker and Nobel prize for literature winners – signed an open letter to the library’s board and executive expressing alarm about the proposal and calling for more public accountability, alongside a CPSU Victoria petition that had collected more than 4,600 signatures, and a separate public petition that had nearly 10,000 signatories as of Friday morning.
The reversal also comes just one day before a planned rally in support of State Library staff and against the proposed changes.
State Library management said in the statement that its “commitment to the people of this state has never been stronger”.
