{"id":619419,"date":"2025-12-08T05:40:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-08T05:40:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/619419\/"},"modified":"2025-12-08T05:40:21","modified_gmt":"2025-12-08T05:40:21","slug":"news-live-energy-rebates-will-not-be-extended-chalmers-says-australians-credit-card-debt-at-four-year-high-australia-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/619419\/","title":{"rendered":"News live: energy rebates will not be extended, Chalmers says; Australians\u2019 credit card debt at four-year high | Australia news"},"content":{"rendered":"

Federal energy rebates will not be extended, Jim Chalmers says<\/p>\n

Treasurer Jim Chalmers<\/strong> is speaking in Canberra, where he just announced the federal government\u2019s energy bill rebates<\/a> will not continue.<\/p>\n

Chalmers is speaking to the press ahead of the release of the upcoming mid-year budget update, which he said would include \u201csavings\u201d and \u201cdifficult decisions\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd one of them is around these energy bill rebates,\u201d he said. \u201cThe main game for the budget is obviously May, a big focus there will be to balance these two challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n

He added:<\/p>\n

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There have been three rounds of electricity bill rebates, and there won\u2019t be a fourth. \u2026 These electricity bill rebates are an important part of the budget, but not a permanent feature of the budget.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Chalmers said changes to federal tax rates were a better system to permanently help with the cost of living.<\/p>\n

\"TreasurerTreasurer Jim Chalmers. Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a022.09 EST<\/p>\n

Key events<\/p>\n

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Hanson excited for \u2018new breed\u2019 of One Nation politicians<\/strong><\/p>\n

Pauline Hanson<\/strong> has said she\u2019s excited to have Barnaby Joyce<\/strong> in One Nation but downplayed his role in the minor party\u2019s growing political base.<\/p>\n

Polls have shown the share of voters who would put One Nation first on their ballot has tripled in the months since May\u2019s federal election, even before speculation around Joyce\u2019s move arose.<\/p>\n

Hanson told the ABC Joyce was a respected figure and a \u201cbig plus\u201d for the party but not the central part of her plan for One Nation, adding she had no plans to poach more politicians from the Coalition<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The party aimed to attract more community-based candidates, she said:<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s not about who is bringing in the ex-members of parliament across. I want to have grassroots Australians that want to come on board, join the branches, get the communities on side and stand for politics themselves. I want this new breed of Australians that have the fight in them \u2013 not just about a job, it\u2019s representing their communities.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

One Nation has launched about 70 branches since it adopted a branch system in August, Hanson said.<\/p>\n

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We\u2019re doing extremely well. \u2026 In Huonville in Tasmania on Saturday, that\u2019s a staunch Greens area, we had 70 people turn up there to a branch opening \u2026 We had over 100 at that branch launch in Yeppoon. So it is the Australian people that are fed up with the major political parties.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Updated at\u00a000.35 EST<\/p>\n

Hanson says Joyce won\u2019t be One Nation deputy leader<\/p>\n

Pauline Hanson<\/strong> has said Barnaby Joyce<\/strong> could take on a spokesperson portfolio but there\u2019s no plan for him to become her deputy as leader of One Nation.<\/p>\n

Hanson also said Joyce had told her in early 2024 he felt unhappy in the National party. Speaking to the ABC, she said:<\/p>\n

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I had a talk with Barnaby. He was not happy where he was in the National party and he said that it was quite obvious that they don\u2019t want him there. So he stuck loyal to them and he stood with them, but since this last election \u2026 he just said: \u2018they don\u2019t want me\u2019.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The Queensland<\/a> senator said she hadn\u2019t offered Joyce any incentives to join or discussed creating a position of deputy for Joyce to take, but added she would consider giving the former deputy prime minister a dedicated policy focus.<\/p>\n

Joyce\u2019s main contention with the Coalition<\/a> had been its commitment to net zero emissions, Hanson said.<\/p>\n

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Barnaby was really annoyed with the National party with this net zero and they wouldn\u2019t get out of the Paris agreement, same the Liberal party. He doesn\u2019t see a future for this country \u2026 He thought One Nation has been the only party that actually stood our ground from the very beginning, to get rid of net zero.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Pauline Hanson. Photograph: Lukas Coch\/AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a000.24 EST<\/p>\n

Credit card debt holding at four-year high<\/p>\n

Australians had nearly $18.3bn in outstanding personal credit card debts in October, after interest-accruing balances surged the prior month.<\/p>\n

The national total rose almost $1bn over the preceding 12 months, hitting its second-highest level since October 2021, new data from the Reserve Bank.<\/p>\n

A fall in credit card spending during the month saw total interest-accruing debt slip behind the $18.4bn recorded in September.<\/p>\n

Debit card transactions picked up, though, as consumers continued to spend their higher real incomes. Card spending totalled $84.5bn for the month \u2013 more than $500m higher than in September and $4.2bn higher than October 2024, according to Canstar analysis.<\/p>\n

Canstar spokesperson Laine Gordon<\/strong> said the rise in debt was a worrying sign:<\/p>\n

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It\u2019s concerning to see credit card debt climbing back to levels we haven\u2019t seen since July 2021 \u2013 a clear sign more households are leaning on plastic to get by.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Updated at\u00a000.04 EST<\/p>\n

Planned burn near Tasmania<\/a> bushfire under investigation<\/strong><\/p>\n

Firefighters are investigating a registered burn near the bushfire that destroyed 19 homes near Dolphin Sands, Tasmania.<\/p>\n

The former 700-hectare blaze near the Freycinet national park on the state\u2019s east coast was contained after overnight rain, allowing the Tasmania fire service to investigate its cause.<\/p>\n

Locals had planned to light a fire outside to burn off vegetation days before the fire broke out on Thursday, Matthew Lowe<\/strong>, the TFS deputy chief officer, said.<\/p>\n

The TFS had heard unverified suggestions there had been other burns on Thursday but was investigating only that preceding burn, which had been registered through the state\u2019s permit system, Lowe told reporters.<\/p>\n

Permitted burn-offs were an important part of fire prevention, the responsibility for which was shared between communities as well as firefighters, he said.<\/p>\n

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We encourage all our community members to undertake proactive reduction of fuel on their properties, whether that\u2019s simply cleaning out gutters, keeping grass low, removing clippings, and some of the bigger properties, fuel reduction burns.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a shared responsibility. We\u2019re proactive in our burning for our mitigation burns, but we expect community to pick up some of that responsibility.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The fire at Dolphin Sands in Tasmania on Friday. Photograph: Triabunna Fire BrigadeShare<\/a><\/p>\n

Updated at\u00a023.52 EST<\/p>\n

\"LucaLuca Ittimani<\/p>\n

Thanks Nick Visser<\/strong> and good afternoon, I\u2019ll be with you on the blog for the rest of the day.<\/p>\n

Share<\/a>\"NickNick Visser<\/p>\n

That\u2019s all from me. Luca Ittimani<\/strong> will take things from here. Enjoy the rest of your Monday.<\/p>\n

Share<\/a>\"DaisyDaisy Dumas<\/p>\n

Cronulla riots 20 years on: have attitudes changed since that hot December day when racial tensions exploded?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Julie Cutbush noticed the chanting first. At home in Cronulla, in Sydney\u2019s south, on 11 December 2005, the then high school teacher could hear shouting in the nearby beachside park.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo I took a walk,\u201d she says. \u201cI turned the corner at the surf life saving club and I saw this mass of young males.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was a hot afternoon and hundreds of young people \u2013 mostly men, many bare-chested, some with Australian flags draped over their shoulders \u2013 were streaming from the train station across Monro park and into Cronulla park. They ran, carrying eskies full of beer, and as the alcohol flowed the hundreds swelled to thousands and the chants grew louder and more aggressive.<\/p>\n

20 years on, some wonder if Australia has still failed to tackle racism, and worry social media is a more powerful tool than text messages and talkback radio that stirred rioters in 2005.<\/p>\n

Read more here:<\/p>\n

A police officer protects a man from another man trying to punch him during the Cronulla riots. Photograph: AAPShare<\/a><\/p>\n

Sydney to host Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur next year for Sydney Super Cup<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sydney will host two of the world\u2019s biggest football teams next year for the Sydney Super Cup.<\/p>\n

The NSW government says Chelsea FC<\/strong> and Tottenham Hotspur<\/strong> have both confirmed as the headline clubs for the event, a four-team tournament staged in Sydney with the English Premier League clubs taking on Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers before facing off against each other.<\/p>\n

The matches will be held at Accor Stadium and Allianz Stadium, beginning in July.<\/p>\n

Steve Kamper<\/strong>, the NSW minister for tourism, said:<\/p>\n

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Sydney has kicked another goal as Australia\u2019s home of football, with two of the world\u2019s best clubs coming to compete in the Sydney Super Cup 2026.<\/p>\n

These four matches will give visiting fans the chance an extended stay in our beautiful harbour city, taking in our iconic natural attractions and vibrant cultural experiences in one of the world\u2019s great sporting destinations.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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Updated at\u00a023.08 EST<\/p>\n

Pedestrian dies after car crashes into Melbourne medical centre<\/p>\n

A man has died after a car crashed into a medical centre in the Melbourne suburb of Niddrie this morning.<\/p>\n

Victoria police said<\/a> emergency services were called to the area about 9.30am amid reports a car had struck a pedestrian on the footpath before crashing inside the building. The male pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. A woman inside the medical centre was also struck by the vehicle and airlifted to hospital with serious injuries.<\/p>\n

The driver of the car, a 63-year-old man, was taken to the hospital with injuries under a police guard.<\/p>\n

No charges have been laid. Police have opened an investigation into the matter.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a022.53 EST<\/p>\n

\"JoshJosh Butler<\/p>\n

Anika Wells claimed more than $8,500 for family travel to Melbourne during AFL grand final weekends over three years<\/strong><\/p>\n

Anika Wells<\/strong> claimed more than $8,500 in family travel expenses to Melbourne during AFL grand final weekends in 2022, 2023 and 2024, when she received free suite tickets to the matches.<\/p>\n

The minister for communications and sport has stood by her use of family travel expenses as within the rules, but the Coalition<\/a> opposition is demanding reforms to expense rules and an inquiry into Wells\u2019 spending by the independent parliamentary expenses authority (IPEA), which tracks and reports politicians\u2019 spending on travel and office expenses.<\/p>\n

Anika Wells. Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AP<\/p>\n

On Monday, the Nine newspapers reported Wells had used family travel entitlements \u2013 available to all MPs to help politicians stay connected with their families \u2013 to fly her husband from Brisbane to Melbourne for the Boxing Day cricket test in 2022 and 2024.<\/p>\n

It came after revelations Wells had used the entitlement to fly family members to the Thredbo ski resort and the Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix, as well as scrutiny of her travel to France for sporting events, to Adelaide for meetings coinciding with a friend\u2019s birthday, and nearly $100,000 in air fares for the minister and two staff to fly to New York City.<\/p>\n

Read more here:<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a022.06 EST<\/p>\n

Ed Husic to lead new inquiry into credit card companies\"TomTom McIlroy<\/p>\n

Labor MP Ed Husic<\/strong> will lead a new parliamentary inquiry into how credit card companies and digital wallet providers treat their customers.<\/p>\n

The House of Representatives economics committee has announced the new inquiry, promising consumers will have the chance to give their views on fairness, competitiveness and affordability of the products.<\/p>\n

Ed Husic. Photograph: Mick Tsikas\/AAP<\/p>\n

Husic announced the inquiry as Christmas spending ramps up. Last year, Australians spent nearly $70bn online, a new record. Year-on-year spending grew by about 12% in 2024.<\/p>\n

The inquiry will take into account concerns raised by small business operators, and the way technology could shape the future of payments. It will also consider digital currencies and blockchain technology.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way credit card systems work, their costs and other impacts on everyday consumers really matters to Australians confronting cost of living challenges,\u201d Husic said, adding:<\/p>\n

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After spending up ahead of Christmas, many Aussie consumers will scan a sharp eye over their credit card statements and ask questions about how they\u2019re charged.<\/p>\n

Running a small business is hard work. Minimising costs and overheads is a priority for Australia\u2019s small business people who are always looking for payment systems that can offer a better deal and make their lives easier.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The closing date for submissions is 30 January 2026. A final report is expected by April.<\/p>\n

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Updated at\u00a022.54 EST<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Federal energy rebates will not be extended, Jim Chalmers says Treasurer Jim Chalmers is speaking in Canberra, where…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":619420,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3090],"tags":[51,1700,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-619419","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-economy","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-economy","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/115682347764000704","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/619419","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=619419"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/619419\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/619420"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=619419"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=619419"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=619419"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}