‘Brutus one and Brutus two’ sharpening their knives, deputy PM says
Labor are trying their darned hardest to keep the spotlight on the Coalition, and pressing the flesh on the deep divisions within the party.
During a dixer, the deputy PM, Richard Marles, takes us back a few years and brings up the Roman Empire (do people still think about this all the time?)
No matter what they are talking about, what fundamentally characterises the Coalition is that they are deeply divided … You have Brutus one and Brutus two up there, knives sharpening.
Key events
I’m starting a tally on the number of ‘part time minister, full time president’ mentions in the chamber – I’ll come back to you at the end.
Liberal MP Rick Wilson asks why Chris Bowen is “more concerned with the COP31 negotiation then he is with power bills?”
Jim Chalmers says the opposition is being “tricky” and that the Australian Energy Council has said in its report (that the Coalition has been quoting today), “the lowest impact pathway is an energy system dominated by renewables”.
Chalmers then turns the spotlight (and twists the knife) into the Coalition, and gives Nikki Savva’s new book a plug.
They (the Coalition) are all lining up to dump on the former leader, they are all trying to blame Peter Dutton for their woes, and in his defence, look what he had to work with over there. The least talented, most divisive, most divisive bench ever.
Nationals leader David Littleproud takes the next opposition question, and asks the government when its promised $275 cut to electricity bills will take effect when there are just five weeks left of the year.
The government abandoned that promise several years ago.
Jim Chalmers – representing Chris Bowen – takes the question (to the opposition’s chagrin). Alex Hawke says it’s “the biggest hospital pass from the prime minister to the Treasurer.”
Australia’s best chance to put downward pressure on illiteracy prices is from introducing cleaner, cheaper, more renewable, more reliable energy sources. Mr Speaker, that never used to be, for a long time it was not an especially controversial proposition.
There’s plenty of yelling in the chamber so Milton Dick tells everyone to calm down and stop shouting (but there have been no ejections as yet).
There are a couple of points of order on relevance but Dick bats them away and says the opposition can’t “can’t jump up and say whatever you feel like.”
‘Brutus one and Brutus two’ sharpening their knives, deputy PM says
Labor are trying their darned hardest to keep the spotlight on the Coalition, and pressing the flesh on the deep divisions within the party.
During a dixer, the deputy PM, Richard Marles, takes us back a few years and brings up the Roman Empire (do people still think about this all the time?)
No matter what they are talking about, what fundamentally characterises the Coalition is that they are deeply divided … You have Brutus one and Brutus two up there, knives sharpening.
Albanese goes for joy as Coalition attempt attack on energy prices
Keeping on energy, shadow energy minister Dan Tehan asks the PM about comments by an energy sector CEO who said the current price rises are just the “calm before the storm” – so how much further will electricity bills rise?
Anthony Albanese quotes the Australian energy council who, he says, warned that keeping coal operating for longer “can increase costs rather than decrease cost.”
The Australian industry group I’ve quoted before said there was no interest in going backward on net zero. The Business Council of Australia CEO said this: ‘we need to make sure that we continue to keep Australia as a competitive place to do business … we need to a clear plan, a pathway towards what that net zero looks like’.
Pushed on a point of order to talk directly about the possible increase in power prices, Albanese says he’s already spoken about what the lost cost of transition is.
Those opposite have 23 plans, they’re still fighting each other. Still fighting each other, Mr Speaker. One thing is very clear, love will not stop them from tearing each other apart.
Labor LOVE referencing Joy Division (context below for those who might have missed the reference).
Spender questions housing minister over interim payments
Over to the crossbench:
Allegra Spender says the latest rental data shows just 2% of rentals are affordable to essential workers like teachers. She asks the government if it would reconstruct its $3bn new home bonus scheme, which provides money to the states, to provide interim payments to accelerate rezoning, speed up approvals and build infrastructure.
The housing minister, Clare O’Neil, says the housing issue has been “cooking” for more than 40 years, and that she is in “constant negotiation and discussion with the states” on home building.
She won’t say specifically whether the new home bonus will be changed to provide those interim payments:
We have a problem in our country when it has become too hard, too difficult and too lengthy to have a home built in this country.
She adds that the $3bn new home bonus is one part of the $43bn spend on housing in total which also provides money through other housing programs to the states,
Labor and Liberals tussle over climate action
Sussan Ley goes on the attack again, with the “part time minister, full time president” line.
This time she asks how long Chris Bowen will spend overseas in his COP role. Albanese says the “crunch points” on negotiations on climate will come when the summit is held this time next year.
The PM also brings up this infamous moment when Tony Abbott, Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton joked about rising sea levels in the Pacific. Albanese said:
(Climate action is) the first priority, the second priority, and the third priority because without action on climate change, countries like Kiribati and Tuvalu will disappear, they will disappear underwater. Those opposite aspire to make jokes about water lapping, lapping at the doors. That is what they did when they were in government.
Opposition calls Bowen ‘part-time minister, full-time president’
Sussan Ley starts the questions today taking a firm jab at energy minister Chris Bowen, who under an agreement with Turkey will lead climate negotiations at the COP conference next year.
Why is it that this part-time minister, full-time president, isn’t using this unprecedented influence to lower energy bills for Australians?
Bowen isn’t in the chamber today.
Anthony Albanese says the Coalition consistently talks Australia “down”. He says countries in the Pacific have welcomed Australia’s involvement in next years’ COP.
Over recent days, there are communique issued by every single country supporting the Paris agreement, supporting a reduction in emissions, recognising that it is not a choice between a strong economy and sustainability, that in order to have a strong economy, you need to deal with the challenge the threat of climate change which is real.
Josh Butler
The shadow cybersecurity minister, Claire Chandler, has raised concern about possible cyber threats, after advice given to parliamentarians to turn off their phones and devices during a visit from a delegation from China.
As we reported earlier, MPs and staff in Parliament House have been urged to turn off their electronic devices during a visit by Chinese officials today, with parliament administrators telling building occupants to switch off wi-fi and bluetooth on their phones and laptops.
Chandler, in written comments to Guardian Australia, said she was alarmed by the advice.
“It’s incredibly concerning that parliamentarians and their offices are expected to go to extreme lengths like locking down or shutting down devices and disabling Wi-Fi just to protect our data in Parliament House during this visit from Zhao Leji,” Chandler said.
ASIO has warned that China state-backed actors are targeting Australia’s critical infrastructure, and Parliament House is the heart of our democracy. We’ve already seen CCP-linked cyberattacks on parliamentarians, including myself.
It’s fair to expect all parliamentarians to be vigilant about their own cybersecurity, but the measures in place today go far beyond what’s usually expected for a visiting delegation. It’s a stark reminder of the reality of the cyber threats we’re facing.
It’s question time!
It’s the last week of parliament so anything could happen here today.
Just a sartorial note before we get into it: Dan Repacholi – who was previously in a suit that looked like what can only be described as melted smarties, including during his 90-second statement to the chamber – has now changed into a much more muted olive green suit for QT.
Repacholi is raising awareness for men’s mental health.
Snapshot of rental affordability in Australia
Housing is unaffordable, we already knew that, and now the 2025 National Shelter–SGS Rental Affordability Index shows us what it looks like across the country.
The index compares rents with incomes and has found Perth, Sydney, regional Queensland and regional NSW are the least affordable places in Australia to rent.
Affordability has improved 1% in Sydney and 4% in Canberra, while remaining steady in Melbourne and Adelaide, over the last year. Affordability declined 1% in Hobart, 2% in Brisbane and 4% in Perth.
Greens senator Barbara Pocock says the data is a “wake-up call” and that the government should stop prioritising property investors over renters.
Record rent hikes and record vacancy lows. This is a crisis for anyone out there looking for rental accommodation, especially in our regional areas, our country towns, in cities like Perth, where we see a spike right now in rental prices … in Sydney, in Adelaide and in every country town, police officers, teachers, nurses, who want to live and work in their communities cannot do it.
Some MPs and staff warned to turn off phones when Chinese delegation visits Parliament House
Josh Butler
Some politicians and staff in Parliament House have been urged to turn off their electronic devices during a visit by Chinese officials today, with parliament administrators telling building occupants to switch off wifi and Bluetooth on their phones and laptops.
An email from the Department of Parliamentary Services, sent to parliamentarians and their staff on Monday morning, states that the visit from Zhao Leji – chairman of the National People’s Congress of China – may cause disruptions to building occupants on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning. It says the delegation will travel through parts of the House of Representatives wing and the prime minister’s courtyard.
“There may be intermittent disruptions to wifi access,” reads the email, seen by Guardian Australia.
Within the identified areas, internet connected devices including phones, tablets and laptops should be powered down. Where devices must be used, please ensure phones and iPads are updated with the latest software version and placed in lockdown mode, and laptops should have wifi and Bluetooth switched off.
The email does not state why this advice was given – but states the information is for “parliamentarians, their staff and other building occupants only”.
“Please do not distribute further,” it continues.
The email includes a map of Parliament House with the route of the delegation’s travel through the building marked. Building occupants in those parts of the building had been advised to use “alternative routes” and recommended to close their doors and blinds “for privacy”.
Leji will meet with the president of the Senate and Speaker of the House at Parliament, and will also meet the governor general, Sam Mostyn, and the prime minister, Anthony Albanese.
Sarah Henderson coy around rumours of Sussan Ley’s leadership
Conservative Liberal senator Sarah Henderson is keeping coy around Sussan Ley’s leadership as rumours to replace her continue to swirl.
Henderson, in recent weeks, has said Ley is “losing support” in the party, and told Sky News on 7 November, “I am just going to say at the moment that I cannot support the way things are.”
Returning to the Sky News interview chair today, Henderson was asked whether she would push for a leadership spill during a party room meeting on Tuesday.
I made some comments a few weeks ago, Kieran (Gilbert), we’ve got a very big mountain to climb. We’ve got a lot of work to do to win back the trust and faith of all Australians.
I certainly have no plans to do anything this week other than to prosecute really good policy in the best interests of the Coalition.
Josh Butler
Greens want gambling ad ban inquiry
The Greens want the Senate to open an inquiry into a potential ban on gambling ads, as government progress remains stalled on long-awaited reforms to promotion of wagering.
Labor is under pressure to finally respond to late MP Peta Murphy’s 2023 report recommending a total ban on gambling ads. Industry sources anticipate an announcement could arrive in coming months, but a full ad ban is not expected.
Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young will push for an inquiry into how such a ban could work, saying there was momentum inside parliament and in the community for strong action.
If the Albanese government was willing to work with the Greens and crossbench we could ban harmful gambling advertising tomorrow. But Labor has repeatedly put the interests of the gambling lobby ahead of the community and families.
Despite their own inquiry led by Peta Murphy calling for a complete ban on gambling advertising two years ago, the government has gone soft on the online gambling and tech companies, at the expense of the wellbeing and safety of Australians.
This week we will see if Labor and Liberal senators have the courage to take a small step forward and hold an inquiry into what a ban on gambling advertising could look like.
Hanson-Young’s proposed inquiry would seek to prove the impact of gambling on Australian communities, families and children, the harm caused by gambling ads, and the financial relationship with media companies and sporting codes.
Josh Butler
Crossbench attempt to split controversial social security bill in Senate
The crossbench looks likely to fail in attempts to split up a controversial social security bill, which would give police the power to recommend the cancellation of welfare payments for people charged with serious crimes.
As we’ve reported previously, the government added the surprise amendment to an unrelated welfare bill, which has been strongly opposed by numerous civil society, law and human rights groups.
Groups including Acoss, the Human Rights Law Centre, Economic Justice Australia, Community Legal Centres NSW and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre joined more than 100 other academics and welfare groups in opposing the change – which the government says is necessary to limit assistance to serious criminals on the run from the law, who have outstanding warrants but have not been arrested or convicted.
The Senate crossbench pushed to cut out those specific sections from the bill. Senator Lidia Thorpe claimed the proposal “breaches fundamental legal principles and will cause serious harm”; Greens’ senator Penny Allman-Payne claimed it “criminalises people before they have even been convicted”, calling it “abhorrent” and “shameful”.
But the crossbench push to split the bill has failed. The Coalition has abstained from votes to split the bill, leaving Labor to oppose the push against the crossbench, with the Greens, One Nation and independents failing in votes so far.
It seems unlikely the Coalition will oppose Labor’s plan, seeing it likely to pass through in whole.
Jordyn Beazley
NSW police have now provided an update
NSW police have said the police operation in Beaumont Hills has now concluded after they found a man reported to be walking along the footpath carrying firearms was in fact carrying toy guns.
Police said:
A police operation at Beaumont Hills has concluded.
About 10.24am today … police were called to Guardian Avenue following reports a person was seen walking along the footpath carrying firearms.
Police commenced a large search of the area and, following inquiries, were able to speak to the person and established the firearms seen were toys that had been picked up from a local cleanup.
Several nearby schools were placed into lockdown as a precaution. Those lockdowns have since been lifted.
Police treat all reports seriously and thank the community for their assistance.
Jordyn Beazley
NSW police operation sees schools locked down
NSW police have said there is a police operation in the north-west of Sydney, with several nearby schools locked down as a “precaution”.
Police have not yet confirmed what the police operation is that’s under way in Beaumont Hills.
There is a large police presence and the public has been urged to avoid the area.
Police said:
Further information will be provided when available.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
‘What’s the rush?’ Littleproud chastises Labor for trying to ram through new nature laws
The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, is in no rush to ram through new nature laws, downplaying the prospects of a quick-fire Labor-Coalition deal in federal parliament’s final sitting of the year.
As we reported earlier, the environment minister, Murray Watt, is desperate to pass reforms to the EPBC Act before parliament rises on Thursday and is open to a deal with either the Coalition or the Greens to make it happen.
The opposition leader, Sussan Ley, has offered to work with Labor if it agrees to a raft of concessions that would water down environmental protections and strip back the powers of its proposed environment protection watchdog.
But even if Labor agrees to all of Ley’s demands, there is speculation the Nationals might still not support a deal.
The country party vehemently opposed the Albanese government’s first attempt to rewrite the EPBC Act, the so-called nature positive plan, in particular the creation of a new government agency to police nature laws.
The Nationals will debate the laws at a routine party-room meeting on Monday morning before the shadow cabinet meets this afternoon to discuss a position.
Speaking to reporters in Parliament House, Littleproud questioned why Watt was so adamant that the laws must pass this week, particularly given a Senate inquiry into the bill wasn’t due to report until March.
What’s the rush? Why wouldn’t you explore such a complex bill in an appropriate way where the parliament can understand every facet of it, whether it be tree clearing or whether it be any other facet of it? Why wouldn’t you take that time?
Why such the rush today that they’re prepared to trade away values, trade away industry, between the Greens and the Coalition?
The question to Murray Watt is, this is probably a bad bill. Why are you trying to do it in such a hurry, so quickly? It’s more about a political win at the end of the year, rather than good policy for the Australian people.
Dan Repacholi gets colourful for mental health awareness
Labor MP Dan Repacholi has worn an incredibly lurid suit to federal parliament today.
It’s not a fashion statement, but instead part of a broader campaign to encourage tradies and blue-collar workers to openly discuss mental health.
The bright colours – also seen on workwear in the background – are designed to make mental health as visible as physical safety in the workplace.
