October 2024
The five crossbench MPs who could make Peter Dutton PM
South Australian independent MP Rebekha Sharkie says her constituents would expect her to negotiate with Peter Dutton first in a hung parliament. These are the MPs he would be calling on.
November 2023
The seats that bear the brunt of infrastructure cuts
Michelle Landry accused Labor of “cutting the guts” out of regional Australia, part of more than $7 billion in savings and reallocations.
July 2023
Bowen hits back over battery pork barrelling claims
Crossbench MP Rebekha Sharkie says Labor’s community solar scheme should be probed by the Auditor-General.
Labor denies pork barrelling on battery grants
Documents released under freedom of information laws show that 40 per cent of grants in a community battery program went to marginal electorates.
June 2022
Wilkie vows to hold Labor to account on climate action, integrity
The crossbench will still play a crucial role in parliament despite Labor’s outright majority, says independent MP Andrew Wilkie.
May 2022
Labor frontbench takes shape as independent Speaker considered
Rebekha Sharkie and Andrew Wilkie will be considered for elevation to the Speaker’s chair if the Albanese government opts to install a crossbench MP.
April 2022
Push to expand NDIS to over 65s awaits election winner
Calls to add care for older Australians to the National Disability Insurance Scheme come amid major cost increases and a review by Labor.
March 2022
No ‘gags’ or political fundraisers in Parliament House, independents urge
Independent MPs Helen Haines, Rebekha Sharkie and Zali Steggall are backing proposals including a ban on fundraisers in Parliament House.
November 2021
Voter ID plan faces fresh roadblock in Parliament
Centre Alliance could thwart Scott Morrison’s push for the new laws to be in place before next year’s federal election.
Key MPs want progress on corruption body before backing voter ID push
Tasmanian independent Jacqui Lambie says the government’s urgency on voter ID laws is a “slap in the face”.
October 2020
University funding plan set to pass after special deal for SA
After securing more funding for places on South Australian campuses, the minor party Centre Alliance will support the government's shake-up of university payments.
August 2020
The power of one: Rex Patrick's solo move shakes up the Senate
Senate powerbroker Rex Patrick's belief he needs to be a solo act for his political survival has thrown another wildcard into Senate horse-trading.
June 2020
Fees for degrees plan faces uncertain Senate ride
Plans by the Morrison government to use higher education fees to steer university students away from the arts and towards science and maths are not guaranteed passage through the Senate.
February 2020
Urgent meetings sought after Rex plans exit from rural routes
The Centre Alliance MP for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie, said the decision risked the creation of an airline monopoly on bushfire-ravaged Kangaroo Island.
August 2019
Canberra's silence on Crown is deafening
The Crown revelations this week have exposed for all to see the problems with the existing structures for investigating corruption at a national level.