2m agoFri 17 Oct 2025 at 12:30am
Communications minister outlines public education plan for social media ban
Communications Minister Anika Wells has just stepped up fresh from a meeting with state and territory ministers and the eSafety Commissioner on the government’s social media bans for teens.
She says the government will spend the next few weeks educating the public about the changes coming into effect on December 10.
“This law is happening. It is happening on the 10th of December and it will change lives. We want children to have childhoods. We want parents to have peace of mind, and we want young people, young Australians, to have three more years to learn who they are before platforms assume who they are,” Wells says.
eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant says the focus for parents now is to help children wean off of social media.
She says the government is releasing resources and webinars to help educate families on the social media minimum age.
“If they’re following an influencer … can they find them on a website? How do we start weaning them from social media now so it isn’t a shock on December 10th?” Inman Grant says.
25m agoFri 17 Oct 2025 at 12:06am
Defence in talks to support Gaza peace plan, but Australia says no request yet
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has had discussions with the United States about potential involvement in a future International Stabilisation Force (ISF), as part of President Donald Trump’s peace plan in Gaza.
However, the government insists no request for assistance has been made yet.
ADF Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones said he joined a video call with the United States Central Command — which defends its nation’s interests across the world — to discuss their plans in the Middle East.
Read the full story from political reporter Evelyn Manfield.
54m agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 11:37pm
‘Active discussions’ taking place about Tomago smelter bailout
Industry Minister Tim Ayres says there have been “active discussions” about a government bailout of the Tomago aluminium smelter in NSW.
The industry minister was asked on ABC Newcastle this morning whether the Tomago facility will receive assistance from the government to deal with high energy costs.
Ayres says while nothing is guaranteed, the government is working closely with the owners of the facility.
“There have been active discussions with this facility over the course of the last 18 months, 12 months. And since I have been the minister, of course, I’ve been directly engaged with all of the players here,” Ayres says.
“But I don’t want to project to your listeners that there is any certainty here. We are working the issues through in a careful way, Paul, because it’s, you know, these are very important issues, very big facility,” he says.
1h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 11:08pm
Analysis: Jim Chalmers and Tony Burke are in a long race for prime position
Chalmers will want, and need, this second term to be a showcase for his credentials for future leadership.
A few years ago, Labor’s talked-about potential leadership field was quite extensive: Chris Bowen, Tanya Plibersek and Jason Clare were among those on the list. Now it has narrowed, probably to Chalmers, Tony Burke and Richard Marles.
Of these, Chalmers, 47, and Burke, 55, are considered (at this stage) the leading contenders (although Marles certainly hasn’t given up). The two men are a study in contrasts, and the contest between them for long-term ascendancy may be tighter than it appears at first glance.
Read the full analysis from Michelle Grattan in the link below.
1h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 10:36pm
Australia shouldn’t commit troops to Gaza without Hamas dismantlement: Coalition
Shadow Communications Minister Melissa McIntosh says the Coalition believes there shouldn’t be any commitment to Australian troops on the ground in Gaza until Hamas is dismantled.
Speaking to ABC Radio Sydney, McIntosh says the situation on the ground is unstable and that any troop deployment needs to be in the national interest.
“I think it is really important that there is stabilisation there before any Australian troops are committed,” McIntosh says.
She has taken a jab at the prime minister for being on leave, saying he should be focused on the issues at home.
2h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 9:49pm
Amanda Rishworth defends government’s planned changes to FOI laws
Amanda Rishworth has defended the federal government’s planned changes the Freedom of Information (FOI) laws that would give the government the power to hide more government documents.
Labor’s bill would allow the public servants to blanketly refuse requests from journalists, advocacy groups and members of the public that would take more than 40 hours to collate.
The employment minister says automation is leading to vexatious, frivolous and anonymous requests being sent to government departments.
But the government hasn’t been able to put a number of how many FOI requests have allegedly been AI generated.
Rishworth says there has been a “significant” increase in the number of FOI requests that are causing a backlog in the public service.
“We want to be responding to FOI requests, we want to be responding to the genuine requests that people have,” Rishworth says.
“That’s what these laws are about, is making sure that the genuine requests are being prioritised and not this sort of automated, frivolous, vague requests that are going in and facilitated by technology.”
2h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 9:36pmRishworth says unemployment jump due to more jobs, economy settling from COVID
(ABC News: Callum Flinn)
Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth has called into ABC Radio National Breakfast where she’s been asked about yesterday’s jobs figures.
Australia’s unemployment rate jumped to 4.5 per cent in September, up from 4.3 per cent in August, in seasonally adjusted terms.
Rishworth says the figures are broadly in line with official forecasts.
Asked what’s behind the rising unemployment rate, Rishworth says there are more jobs available and the economy is still settling from the aftermath of COVID.
She says while the number is still at a historic low, but the government is looking at how it can support people into jobs.
“It is about settling back into settling into what is normal in our economy. But obviously, in terms of the impact on industries, that data will be coming out over future months,” Rishworth says.
3h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 9:27pm
Jane Hume backs calls to end Coalition ‘apology tour’
Liberal senator Jane Hume says she hasn’t been given a reason as to why she’s not part of the shadow ministry, following this week’s shadow cabinet reshuffle.
Hume missed out on a promotion during this week’s reshuffle, prompted by the resignation of Andrew Hastie from the Coalition frontbench.
Asked if there’s a cost to having inexperienced MPs and senators in shadow cabinet, Hume says its important to get renewal while maintaining “experienced and wise heads”.
The Liberal senator says she thinks her Victorian colleague James Paterson made some very good points at this speech this week.
Paterson said it would be a “disaster” for the Liberals to break up in pursuit of conservative or moderate ideologies and that the Coalition needs to end the “apology tour”.
Hume says she agrees the time for introspection is over and that it’s time to get on with the job.
She says talk of a split within the Liberal Party is “nonsense”.
“We need to line up that policy agenda, make sure that we build a compelling alternative for ordinary Australians because that’s what the Liberal Party is all about,” Hume says.
3h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 9:18pm
Hume blames absence of Victorian Liberals at Ley press conference a ‘logistical oversight’
(ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Liberal senator Jane Hume has joined ABC Radio National Breakfast and been asked if it was helpful for Sussan Ley to describe Melbourne as the crime capital of Australia at a press conference this week.
The Liberal senator says the opposition leader was just expressing the concerns of Victorians who believe crime to be a bigger problem than the cost of living.
“This is a very serious issue. There are home invasions every night, not just in Melbourne, but in regional Victoria too, with thugs armed with machetes and crowbars and knives,” Hume says.
Asked why there weren’t any Victorian members of the Liberal Party at this week’s press conference, Hume said it was a “logistical oversight”.
Questioned on what the Coalition’s policy is to address crime, Hume said the opposition was putting together a policy agenda.
But she says the federal government does have a responsibility to get involved and address crime in Victoria, starting with bail law reform.
3h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 9:03pmAustralia signs first ever tax treaty with Ukraine
(Supplied: Australian Government)
Australia has signed its first-ever tax treaty with Ukraine, which the government has said will strengthen economic ties between the two nations.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers signed the treaty with Ukraine’s Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko during a trip to Washington DC.
The federal government says the treaty will reduce compliance costs for taxpayers and allow businesses from both countries to invest more efficiently.
“Once in force, the treaty will make it easier and more efficient for Australian and Ukrainian businesses to trade and invest in each other through reduced withholding tax rates,” Chalmers says in a statement.
“It’s another strong signal of Australia’s steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.”
The ministers also had an informal discussion about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
3h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 8:57pmRequest for Australian troops to Gaza would be carefully considered: Mark Butler
Health Minister Mark Butler has stepped up for his usual spot on Channel Seven on a Friday mornings with Liberal Jane Hume.
Butler has been asked if Australia will send troops to Gaza to contribute to the International Stabilisation Force should the United States ask.
Chief of Joint Operations Vice Admiral Justin Jones told The Nightly he had been in discussions with US counterparts about operations in Gaza.
The health minister says no request has been made by the US, but that defence is undertaking planning, as is normal.
“Of course, the ADF is doing their job of making sure that if a request is made, they’re able to provide high-level advice, high quality to the government,” Butler says.
Asked how hard it would be for the government to reject a US request, Butler says that’s just speculation and that Australia has a strong reputation for peacekeeping.
“I don’t want to speculate about what request might or might not be made and what our process of consideration would be. It would be careful. It would be based on our national interest and our ability to make a contribution,” he says.
Jane Hume says the Coalition would not support the Australian Defence Force going into a place of “great danger” at this point in time, and would like to see the situation progress further.
3h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 8:49pmNo US request made for Australian troops in Gaza: Conroy
The defence industry minister has been asked whether Australia has been discussing the prospect of contributing to the International Stabilisation Force in Gaza with the United States.
Pat Conroy says no request has been made of Australia to make such a contribution.
He says if a request is received, the government will consider it as a normal course of action.
“Our military, as is appropriate, talks to other militaries about your contingency planning and that’s the normal course of action,” Conroy says.
3h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 8:44pm
Chalmers asked if govt is scared US is asking Australia to pick sides on critical minerals
The treasurer has been asked whether he’s scared the US is trying to force Australia to pick sides with Washington or Beijing on critical minerals.
Jim Chalmers says Australia engages with its trading partners in good faith and in Australia’s national economic interest.
“I think it’s well understood here in Washington DC that Australia has put a lot of effort into stabilising that economic relationship with China,” Chalmers says.
“I think it’s also well understood here that we see this economic relationship as one of mutual benefit here in the United States.
“It’s necessary and important that we do that because that’s in Australia’s national economic interest.”
4h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 8:31pmUS congressional leaders ‘evangelical’ about AUKUS: Conroy
Pat Conroy has been asked if he received any assurances in his meetings that the AUKUS agreement will be going ahead in its current form.
The defence industry minister says senior leaders in Congress have been “evangelical” about the importance of AUKUS and expressed confidence that it should continue.
He says he was met with the same positivity during his engagements at the Pentagon.
“Congress is a co-equal branch of the government, is very confident about AUKUS continuing and was really keen to talk about taking the next steps,” Conroy says.
4h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 8:28pm
Chalmers says Australia will be a ‘very reliable partner’ for the supply of critical minerals
The treasurer has been asked whether he agrees with the US treasury secretary’s assessment that the world will have to “decouple” from China if it applies export controls on rare earths and critical minerals.
Jim Chalmers says Australia’s interests are best served by more trade, not more trade barriers.
The treasurer says it is not the first time the treasury secretary has expressed views of that nature.
He says US companies need critical minerals and that Australia is well placed to service their needs.
“This will be an important part of the discussions that I have with Kevin Hassett tonight. No doubt it will be part of the discussions Prime Minister Albanese has with President Trump next week,” Chalmers says.
“When it comes to critical minerals, we are concerned that the market for critical minerals is not as robust as it should be,” he says.
He says Australia will engage with its partners to ensure Australia is a “very reliable partner” for the supply of critical minerals.
4h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 8:20pm
Pat Conroy meets with senior US congressional leaders in Washington
Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy is providing an update on his trip to the US, ahead of the prime minister’s meeting with Donald Trump.
Conroy says he’s met with the secretary of the US Navy, Air Force, senior representatives from the army and senior congressional leaders.
He says tonight (US time) he’ll be hosting an AUKUS industry update with Australia’s ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd.
“We’ve just passed the one-year anniversary of the AUKUS licence-free environment and it’s been a tremendous success. During that period, we’ve exported over $150 million worth of technology to the United Kingdom and United States license free,” Conroy says.
4h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 8:12pm
Jim Chalmers to meet with US National Economic Council chair
As I mentioned, Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy have just held a press conference in Washington DC.
Chalmers says he’s made the trip to Washington DC to engage with leaders in the United States ahead of Anthony Albanese’s upcoming trip.
He’ll also meet with colleagues and counterparts in the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and will be heading to APEC in Seoul to navigate “churn and change” in the world.
And tonight (US time) he’ll be meeting with the chair of the US National Economic Council Kevin Hassett.
“This is a time of great uncertainty. It’s a time of great opportunity for Australia. We have so much of what the world wants, when they want it, whether it’s critical minerals, whether it’s skills of our people, the resilience of our economy,” Chalmers says.
4h agoThu 16 Oct 2025 at 7:58pm
Good morning 👋
Hello and welcome back to our federal politics live blog!
I’m Josh Boscaini joining you live from Parliament House in Canberra, ready to bring you all of today’s federal politics news.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy are holding a press conference in Washington DC.
We’ll bring you more on that here very shortly.
And the federal government has just signed its first tax treaty with Ukraine in an effort to strengthen economic ties.
Chalmers signed the treaty with Ukraine’s Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko during his visit to Washington, where the pair also discussed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Let’s get straight into the day!
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