When Anthony Albanese is pondering the all-but-inevitable emphatic loss of this weekend’s referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, he might look to one of those things only prime ministers can do. Calling an early election would have a lot more upside than any contrary thought. It would change the political conversation with a loud-hailer. It would completely catch Peter …

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has denounced “horrific” displays of anti-Semitism in Sydney as an escalating crisis in the Middle East leads to warnings of further tensions in Australia. Demonstrators chanted “f— the Jews”, and burned an Israeli flag at the forecourt of the Opera House on Monday night, as its sails were illuminated in blue and white in what was intended as …

The ex-boyfriend of former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian faces ongoing court proceedings, charged with lying to the state’s corruption watchdog over his business dealings. Former Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire did not enter a plea when the matter was mentioned at Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Monday. He is charged with giving false or misleading evidence at a public inquiry, …

Australia’s status in the world has risen as the government invests in both defence and strategic relationships, Anthony Albanese says. Speaking after the ALP national conference, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring the nation acquired nuclear-powered submarines under a security pact with the US and UK. “I’m absolutely convinced that nuclear-powered conventional submarines are the way to go …

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe has accused the Greens of racism, and will lodge a case with the Australian Human Rights Commission. Senator Thorpe, who quit the Greens earlier this year, revealed she would take up her dispute with the party to the commission after receiving legal advice there was “enough ground”. “I’ve experienced racism all my life in every workplace, …

The Salvation Army’s National Multicultural Launch, as part of the annual Red Shield Appeal, was launched on Friday 5 May 2023 by Head of The Salvation Army Australia, Commissioner Miriam Gluyas and Jodi McKay, former Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs, former Leader of the Opposition, and business leader, bringing together business, community, and media leaders from 20+ multicultural community groups …

US President Joe Biden will address the Australian parliament when he visits Canberra and Sydney for security talks. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host the president alongside Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Indian President Narendra Modi for the Quad summit next week. It will be the first visit by a US president in almost a decade and marks the fifth time …

Australia’s banks have joined forces to unveil a new weapon to help save victims from transferring their money to scammers. The crucial tool means banks can communicate quickly to “freeze” the payments from one bank to another. The Australian Banking Association unveiled its Fraud Reporting Exchange (FRX) platform on Tuesday. “Given every minute can be crucial in disrupting scams, the …

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says a proposal to lift the working hours threshold for those on JobSeeker would allow them to earn more while putting less strain on the budget’s bottom line. The coalition has called for an increase of five to 10 hours to the time people on JobSeeker can work before their payment benefits are removed. Mr Dutton …

Federal Housing Minister Julie Collins has warned opponents of the government’s multibillion-dollar fund to build more homes to “get out of the way” as negotiations stall on the issue. The $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund remains stuck in parliament, with both the Coalition and the Greens not backing the proposal. The fund would allow 30,000 social and affordable homes …