Labor votes against Pocock’s climate duty of care bill and Liberal senator crosses the floor
Labor have been put into a slightly uncomfortable position in the Senate, on David Pocock’s bill that would insert a duty of care to young people and future children into the Climate Change Act.
The legislation would force decision-makers to consider the risk of future harm to children when considering the approval of facilities that would increase greenhouse gas emissions.
Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan, who has recently started speaking up strongly for climate action and net zero, is supporting the bill, calling it a “noble ambition”, and taking a swipe at his party.
I support the bill and commend senator Pocock for bringing it to the chamber for consideration … It’s very conservative, it’s actually more conservative than a liberal progressive position to care for the environment.
The Coalition initially sided with the crossbench and Greens to force a vote on the bill (initially it was just slated for debate). Labor has been outvoted a few times now in the Senate, where it doesn’t hold a majority.
But on the actual vote, Labor and the Coalition voted against the duty, while McLachlan crossed the floor to vote with the crossbench.
Key events
It’s question time!
We’re starting on the higher-than-expected inflation figures today, and opposition leader Sussan Ley accuses Labor of “economic vandalism” as food costs increase by 15%, insurance increases by 20%, and electricity costs increase by almost 40% over the last year.
Acting PM Richard Marles (Anthony Albanese is now in South Korea for the APEC meeting), defends the figures and, like Jim Chalmers, says the numbers are still about half what the inflation rate was when Labor came into power.
Marles acknowledges that, “Australian households are still under pressure and we understand that the work is never done”.
But let’s be absolutely clear. At the last election, those opposite went to the election promising higher taxes, bigger deficit, and bigger debt. And that’s not us saying it – that’s the PBO. Heaven knows what Robert Menzies would make of this lot.
Along with all the heckling comes a warning from Milton Dick, who says “I’ve got good hearing today”.
Latex giant Ansell bullish despite Trump’s tariff moves
Personal protective equipment giant Ansell is confident it can ride out a tariff storm, labour rights concerns in Malaysia, and a US investigation into medical imports, AAP reports.
The Melbourne-headquartered business staged its annual general meeting on Wednesday, with chairman Nigel Garrard reflecting on a “successful” year for the international company.
Ansell makes latex gloves and other PPE in nine countries, including Asian nations whacked with above-baseline tariffs by Donald Trump’s administration.
Key production hubs Malaysia (19%) and Sri Lanka (20%) carry the biggest exposure for Ansell, with a smaller footprint in China (30%). Given Ansell makes almost half of its $US2 billion ($A3.1bn) in annual sales in the United States, the tariffs are naturally a concern.
Garrard said its teams had “responded to the higher tariffs through price increases, while also reducing our sourcing exposure to China where imports are tariffed at a comparatively higher rate”.
Ansell is bullish on its place in the market, given most of its competitors also source from Asia and the “economics of shifting production to the US remain difficult” according to its annual report.
Caitlin Cassidy
AFP commissioner says she is ‘confident’ the force has the capacity to investigate alleged war crimes in Gaza
Our very own Sarah Basford-Canales asked Barrett about a new independent inquiry that found the Israeli Government and military were committing genocide in Gaza.
One of its commissioners, former Human Rights Commissioner Chris Sedodi, repeatedly said that Australia has an obligation to look into anyone who is returning from the conflict over the last two years. And I just wonder if the AFP has launched any investigations or taskforces into this matter … and do you feel confident that the AFP has the expertise to be able to investigate alleged war crimes?
Barrett said the AFP had a dedicated team which investigated war crimes within its special investigations command:
I am confident that we have the tools and we do have the capability where we receive reports of crime or where we identify that there’s a need to investigate, we absolutely do, and we will.
Pressed on whether and investigations or taskforces had been launched into the conflict, she said she would have to confirm the answer.
Caitlin Cassidy
AFP commissioner announces consultative board on social cohesion
As we mentioned earlier, the AFP commissioner, Krissy Barrett, is at the National Press Club today and is currently taking questions.
Barrett became the first woman to lead the body since its inception in the 1950s earlier this month, and announced an AFP social cohesion consultative board during her speech, whilst also detailing how the force would protect Australians from decentralised online crime networks in Australia and offshore.
She told the room:
These crimes are now spilling into the real world, and they have real-world consequences. While these networks do not have a centralised hierarchy or a single ideology, they are prolific and are attracted to violent extremism, nihilism, sadism, Nazism, and Satanism. They are crimefluencers, and are motivated by anarchy and hurting others, with most of their victims pre-teen or teenage girls.
I’m looking for solutions that find common ground by using trusted community voices to take a leadership position that prevents crime and protects people who do not traditionally trust police.
Jim Chalmers says end of state energy subsidies to blame for rise in inflation
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, has blamed the end of state energy subsidies for the rise in quarterly inflation.
The data, released today, shows inflation jumped 3.2% in the year to September, compared to a rise of 2.1% in the year to the June quarter.
In a statement, Chalmers said the inflation rate is still far lower than it was when Labor came into government in 2022.
While monthly headline inflation did tick up to 3.5%, the annual trimmed mean measure was in the band for the 10th consecutive month at 2.8%.
The progress we’ve made on inflation has given the Reserve Bank confidence to cut rates three times this year. The global economy is volatile and uncertain and that impacts inflation in economies around the world.
Application for AVO against Mark Latham ‘likely to settle’
An application for an apprehended violence order brought against controversial MP Mark Latham by his ex-partner is “very much likely to settle”, a court has been told.
Nathalie May Matthews, 38, applied for a private AVO against the one-time federal Labor opposition leader after accusing him of years of manipulation and sustained abuse.
Latham, who now sits as an independent in the NSW upper house, denied the allegations and has not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing.
After three months of negotiations, Matthews’ lawyer said the parties were nearing an agreement.
“[We are] very much likely to settle and resolve the matters in their entirety,” Daniel Wakim told Sydney’s Downing Centre local court on Wednesday.
He withdrew an application for an interim AVO, which, if granted, would have lasted until the matter returned to court for a three-day hearing in May 2026.
– AAP
The AFP commissioner, Krissy Barrett, is at the press club today, announcing efforts to crackdown on sadistic online exploitation and “crimefluencers”.
As we brought you a little earlier, Barrett is warning of the rise of online crime networks of young boys and men who are targeting vulnerable teen and preteen girls.
You can read more from my colleague Sarah Basford Canales (who’s at the press club right now):
Patrick Commins
What’s been driving higher inflation this last quarter?
As we have reported, annual inflation has jumped to 3.2% in September, from just 2.1% in June.
The ABS said the main contributor to the sharp rise – which was higher than the consensus forecast among economists – was a 24% year-on-year rise in electricity prices.
This was “primarily related to households in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania having higher out-of-pocket costs” than during the same period in 2024, the ABS said.
Petrol prices fell but there was plenty of evidence that the cost of living is continuing to bite.
Grocery items were 3.1% higher in the year to September, including a 15% rise in coffee, tea and cocoa prices thanks to issues with overseas suppliers of coffee beans.
Rents were up 3.8% in the year but that’s at least on an improving trend – this time last year they were climbing at an annual pace of 6.7%.
Homeowners were stung with a 6.3% jump in property rates in the three months to September – the biggest quarterly increase in more than a decade – as councils reset their rates.
Josh Butler
Tim Wilson says ‘nobody apart from the Canberra press gallery’ has brought up PM’s Joy Division T-shirt
Liberal MP Tim Wilson is the latest to not exactly give a full-throated endorsement of Sussan Ley’s criticisms of Anthony Albanese’s Joy Division T-shirt, saying he hadn’t received any community complaints about it.
Wilson and senator Maria Kovacic gave a press conference on questions around the CFMEU construction union and revelations in media reporting about alleged misbehaviour. Wilson and Kovacic have been calling on the industrial relations minister, Amanda Rishworth, to take stronger action, criticising Labor’s actions on the issues.
But Wilson was asked about Ley’s comments after a string of Coalition MPs who did not strongly back her in.
“I’m not in the business of engaging in these conversations. We’re focused on the CFMEU specifically,” Wilson said, adding those issues were “far more distressing to me”.
Asked if he had received any concerns directly – with his Goldstein electorate having a large Jewish community – Wilson replied: “I’m afraid nobody apart from the Canberra press gallery, that I have seen.”
I haven’t got a chance to read all my emails – I’ve been focused on issues within the parliament – have raised this issue with me.
Wilson declined to say whether he would join Ley’s calls for Albanese to apologise, then ended the press conference.
Elizabeth Lee and Peter Cain ‘suspended indefinitely’ from Canberra Liberals party room
Former ACT Liberals leader – turned backbencher – Elizabeth Lee and backbencher Peter Cain have been indefinitely suspended after crossing the floor on Tuesday, the ABC is reporting.
Lee reportedly confirmed the suspension at a press conference in Canberra this morning.
Peter and I have been suspended indefinitely – until further notice … I still stand by my position that I exercised my right as a Liberal party backbencher.
The two backbenchers crossed the floor over a move to reduce the number of sitting weeks in the parliamentary calendar from 13 weeks to 12 next year.
According to Liberal party policy, Liberal backbenchers are allowed to cross the floor (as we’ve seen many of them do in federal parliament), though ministers and shadow ministers are not.
Lee said it was “imperative” for an opposition to take every opportunity to hold the government to account.
We have a long history of allowing backbenchers to vote differently – to cross the floor.
For Peter and I to make a call, to exercise our right as Liberal party backbenchers, to cross the floor on that issue and be suspended indefinitely, for that, is unacceptable.
Queensland education minister ‘very unhappy’ about botched history exam preparation
Joe Hinchliffe
Queensland’s education minister has said the 140 high school students across the state who spent their final weeks in high school preparing for an exam on the wrong Caesar will not be asked for what they have not prepared.
But John-Paul Langbroek could not say what their final exam, worth 25% of their course mark and due to be sat this afternoon, would look like.
“The exam that they are doing … is something we’ll be resolving into the future,” Langbroek said in response to a question from the press.
But I can’t see how anyone would be expected to do an exam, having had two days’ preparation.
The minister said that the 75% of the course mark for which the students had already been tested would be “scaled up” to make sure they were not disadvantaged and that it was his “presumption” that if someone had perfect marks to date: “I’d suspect they’d get as close to 100.”
Langbroek said he wanted affected students to know “it was not the end of the world” but that he was “very unhappy” about the stress they had been put through.
For all of us as parents, or students who have been through situations like this, it would be extremely traumatic and I want to reassure those students and their parents and their teachers affected that we will be making every investigation into how this happened.
The schools affected are both state and private and range from Cairns to Brisbane. They are: Brisbane State High School, Flagstone Community College, Meridan State College, Redcliffe State High School, Yeronga State High School, St Teresa’s Catholic College, West Moreton Anglican College, James Nash State High School and Kuranda District State College.
