Politics Now: ALP urged to embrace Abbott-style climate plan
Tony Burke has called for Labor to consider Tony Abbott-style direct action climate policies.
- Albo flags tax cut showdown
- ‘Inclusive’ Albo’s faith appeal
- Marles seeks deputy role
- Morrison heads to Qld
- Labor’s Adani headache
Hello and welcome to PoliticsNow, The Australian’s live commentary on the aftermath of the federal election. Qld Labor MP Jim Chalmers has revealed he won’t challenge Anthony Albanese for the party leadership.
• Top story: Anthony Albanese has called on the PM to split his income tax cut package, at odds with Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
Greg Brown 4.44pm: Push for ALP to embrace Abbott-style climate plan
Opposition environment spokesman Tony Burke has called for Labor to consider Tony Abbott-style direct action climate policies, declaring the public had repeatedly rejected market-based emissions schemes.
Mr Burke said Labor should keep its 45 per cent emissions target but achieve it through direct action, which his party had previously ridiculed.
“The Right and the environmental movement have shifted to a direct action model. Every other theory will tell you it is less efficient and it is less efficient,” Mr Burke told the ABC.
“But we are heading down the path now, once we get to the end of the next term, we will have inaction for the last 15 years and that is not counting the 12 years the Howard government did nothing.
“We now need to be at the table of working through what are the other ways of reaching targets beyond simply saying we’ll have a market mechanism. Because while I still believe it is the most efficient policy, every academic will tell you it is the most efficient policy. You sit down and look at it, business knows it is the most efficient policy.
“But you have got to a point and say ‘it is not happening’. And then you have (to) say (to) the Australian people, ‘we are not listening back to you and won’t compromise’. Or you compromise on the science, and I think that would be unthinkable.”
Greg Brown 4.16pm: ‘Don’t play politics with tax cuts’
Anthony Albanese has called on Scott Morrison to split his income tax cut package, calling the $158 billion plan a “triumph of hope over experience and reality”.
The incoming opposition leader said Labor would support stage one of the package, which will increase the low and middle-income tax offset for people earning less than $126,000.
The government’s package has three stages, with 94 per cent of taxpayers to be on a 30 per cent marginal tax rate by 2024-25.
“We are preparing to support the first tranche, which is about lower and middle income earners. The government shouldn’t play politics with this,” Mr Albanese said.
“The idea that you make a decision in 2019 about what happens in the middle of the next decade is quite frankly a triumph of hope over experience and reality. The truth is that our international global economic circumstance is very vulnerable.”
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, meanwhile, wants the entire seven-year tax plan legislated together.
“It is important that this is dealt with as a package because we are talking about not just immediate tax relief but also long-term structural reform,” Mr Frydenberg said.
With AAP
Greg Brown 3.17pm: ‘Inclusive’ Albo’s faith appeal
Anthony Albanese has outlined his leadership style as “inclusive” and “respectful” as he attempts to distance himself from Bill Shorten’s class war agenda.
The NSW Left MP, who is set to be elevated to opposition leader next week, said he was determined rather than in despair following Labor’s abysmal 34 per cent primary vote at Saturday’s poll.
“In terms of my leadership style, one of the things that I have done this week is spoken to colleagues in an inclusive manner. I’ve tried, as well, through forums like this, to speak to the Australian people, again, in an inclusive manner,” Mr Albanese said.
“I hope that’s one of the things that defines my leadership, if I am, indeed, successful in being elected a member to lead the Labor Party.
“One of the things that we need to do as a party is to recognise …the magnitude of the challenge that we face. A magnitude which is on the basis of winning just the votes of one in every three Australians’ first preference last Saturday.”
Mr Albanese said he would respect people of faith, after Chris Bowen yesterday declared religious people did not feel welcomed by Labor.
“One of the things that I think is regrettable about the nature of what has happen in politics in recent times is that rather than our diversity being seen as a positive, it is being seen, perhaps, that we are a divided country,” Mr Albanese said.
“I think very clearly that we’re not. What unites us is much greater than what divides us. One of the things I intend to do, if I’m elected leader of the Labor Party, is to put forward a positive vision, positive messages, positive policies, about what I am for, rather than just what I am against.”
Rosie Lewis 2.46pm: Nats prove ‘trolls, lefties wrong’
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has declared the Coalition proved the “trolls and all the lefties wrong” after Saturday’s surprise election result, as he and Bridget McKenzie are unanimously re-elected as leader and deputy leader of the Nationals.
Convening his first partyroom meeting in Parliament House, a fired up Mr McCormack offered a “real vote of thanks” to Scott Morrison for his campaign, as Nationals concede last year’s change in prime ministership significantly helped their vote in the regions.
A glaring absence from the room was former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce.
The Nationals retained all 14 of its lower house seats and will welcome at least two extra women — Susan McDonald and Sam McMahon — in the Senate.
Nationals candidate Perin Davey, who is No 3 on the Coalition’s Senate ticket in NSW, is also on track to pick up a seat. On current figures there will be 21 Nationals in the new parliament.
“It has been a team effort. It shows that hard work, that decency and delivery pays off. Thank you, one and all. The National Party have been fantastic in this election. We have helped the Liberals to, again, form government. They couldn’t do it without us,” Mr McCormack said.
“(Mr Morrison) has done a mighty job, a mighty job. And when all the polls, when all the pundits, when so many in the media and all the trolls and all the lefties and all those on Twitter said we would never do it, we proved them wrong.”
Senator McKenzie thanked her colleagues for their endorsement of her deputy leadership and said the election was a rejection of a Labor party “that wanted to shut down our mining industry”.
“(Labor wanted to) shut down our agriculture industries and they are the backbone of our communities and they are indeed the backbone of our nation and contribute so much to the national economy,” she said.
“Don’t believe the hype, we’re loud and proud of who we are, where we come from and who we represent. I’m really looking forward to bringing that to Canberra and fighting on behalf of our communities for the next three years. Bring it on.”
2pm: Every vote counts
More than 60,000 votes repatriated home from more than 80 countries – from Accra in Ghana to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia – are now being swiftly sorted for further distribution to their “home divisions†for inclusion in the election count. https://t.co/jl7uDZ6y89 #auspol #AUSVote19
— AEC (@AusElectoralCom) May 23, 2019
1.50pm: Palaszczuk ‘risks being conned’
The CFMEU, which represents miners, has warned the premier she could be duped in her haste to settle the Adani coalmine approval, AAP reports.
“Before Ms Palaszczuk even thinks about pushing this project any further forward she must extract iron clad guarantees from Adani that the mine will bring long term, permanent jobs for Queenslanders,” the CFMEU’s Michael Ravbar said.
He said the premier risked being taken for a ride and state Labor had to guard against the prospect of workers being shipped in from India.
“Without enforceable guarantees on secure local jobs and procurement - along with sureties relating to water security - the premier risks being conned by corporate carpetbaggers.”
Ben Packham 1.30pm: Public service put on notice
Scott Morrison warns the public service his new government will address bureaucratic “blockages” to policy delivery. Read more here
1.15pm: Adani boss optimistic
The Australian boss of mining giant Adani says he feels “emboldened” following a meeting with Queensland government representatives, AAP reports.
Adani Australia CEO Lucas Dow said he had productive talks with the officials after Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk ordered the meeting to thrash out a timeline on the coal mine approvals process.
But he plans to leave it to the premier to make an announcement about the timeline tomorrow.
— AAP
Greg Brown 1pm: Another deputy hopeful?
Labor MP Clare O’Neil says she is considering running as deputy Labor leader.
The move would put two Victorian Right candidates in the race, with Richard Marles also expected to contest.
“Many Labor people — particularly Labor women — have contacted me in recent days encouraging me to run for Labor Deputy Leader to ensure there is a women in the Leader/Deputy team,” Ms O’Neil tweeted.
“One of the best things about Labor is that women are encouraged to put themselves forward for leadership roles and I know that will continue. I’m going to talk to a few colleagues about whether it’s possible for me at this point.”
Rachel Baxendale 12.30pm: More on Marles
A factional ally of Bill Shorten, Mr Marles has known the vanquished opposition leader since the pair were involved in student politics as part of Labor Unity at the University of Melbourne and Monash University respectively in the 1980s.
Educated at Geelong Grammar School, where his father Donald was a housemaster, Mr Marles completed a Bachelor of Laws with Honours and a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne and was General Secretary of the National Union of Students in 1989.
He began his career as a solicitor at labour law firm Slater and Gordon, before becoming a legal officer and later national assistant secretary of the Transport Workers’ Union and later of the ACTU.
Mr Marles’s father was a headmaster of Trinity Grammar School in Melbourne and his mother, Fay, was Victoria’s first equal opportunity commissioner and later chancellor of the University of Melbourne.
Mr Marles was previously married to Victorian Police, Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville and the pair had a son.
He has since married and had three children with Gordon Legal principal lawyer Rachel Schutze.
Rachel Baxendale 12.10pm: Race for deputy is on
Mr Marles, a member of the Victorian right faction, entered parliament in 2007 and served as trade minister in the second Rudd government.
Members of the Victorian right say the 51-year-old has entered the race to offer generational change, as a fresh face who was not part of the previous leadership team.
He holds the Geelong seat of Corio and was Labor’s spokesman on immigration between 2013 and 2016 before swapping that role for the defence portfolio in the last term of government.
Rachel Baxendale 12.05pm: Marles set to seek ALP deputy role
Sources close to Labor defence spokesman Richard Marles have confirmed he will nominate for the position of deputy leader.
Mr Marles’s entry into the race for deputy leader makes a female deputy less likely, given fellow Victorian right frontbencher Clare O’Neil would have to compete for the same numbers.
Greg Brown 12pm: Way clear for Albanese
Anthony Albanese is set to become leader of the Labor Party unopposed as Queensland Right MP Jim Chalmers decides not to contest the position.
Mr Chalmers said he spoke to Mr Albanese this morning and offered his support to the NSW Left faction powerbroker.
Mr Chalmers is expected to run as deputy leader when caucus meets next week.
“I won’t be putting my hand up for the leadership of the Australian Labor Party this time around,” Mr Chalmers tweeted.
“I want to thank the many parliamentary colleagues, branch members, activists, and people from the broader labour movement and from communities right around Australia who contacted me and urged me to run on a platform of generational change.
“I gave it very careful consideration and I didn’t take it lightly. There were good reasons to run.
“But in the end I couldn’t be assured of winning, and if I did win the extra responsibilities of leadership would make it much harder to do my bit at home while the youngest of our three little kids is only five months old.
“I do want to play a substantial role in rebuilding, renewing and refreshing our Party and its policies after Saturday’s stinging defeat, and as a Queenslander I want the best state in Australia to have a more prominent voice in the alternative government.
“I spoke to Anthony Albanese this morning and told him I will enthusiastically support him and work tirelessly with our team to give Australians the Labor Government they need and deserve at the next opportunity.”
Greg Brown 11.55am: Chalmers won’t challenge
Queensland Labor Right MP Jim Chalmers will not contest the Labor leadership. The Australian understands he has this morning decided to pull out of the contest.
Anthony Albanese is expected to be elected Labor leader next week unopposed.
Greg Brown 11.15am: ‘Don’t give up class war’
Outgoing Labor senator Doug Cameron has warned Anthony Albanese against dropping class warfare policies if he becomes leader, declaring class was a “huge issue”.
The member of Mr Albanese’s NSW Left faction said the party should hold the line on climate change and economic policies.
“The Labor Left must not be diverted from critical analysis of inequality climate change and the power and privilege of the big end of town,” Senator Cameron tweeted.
“Class is a huge issue and calls to abandon class warfare must not lead the Left to capitulate to the excesses of capitalism.
“Warren Buffet (sic) said: ‘There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning’.”
Greg Brown 11.05am: Palaszczuk’s backflipping ridiculed
Nationals MP Keith Pitt says Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is “backflipping her way to try and get some success” as the Queensland government announces the timeline for the Adani coalmine approvals will be released tomorrow.
“I think enough is enough. I mean how much more time does the Queensland Labor government need?” Mr Pitt told Sky News.
“This has taken a very long time and I think that anyone, any of your listeners with any common sense out there know that this has just become a political football for the Queensland government.
“Premier Palaszczuk is just backflipping her way to try and get some success.”
10.45am: One Nation fire not suspicious
A discarded cigarette started a blaze which destroyed a One Nation campaign truck in Hobart, discrediting claims by the party that the “left” was to blame, AAP reports.
A discarded cigarette started a blaze which destroyed a One Nation campaign truck in Hobart, discrediting claims by the party that the “left” was to blame.
The party said Senate candidate Adam Lambert had been driving the truck on Sunday with the faces of Pauline Hanson and her team on it, and was inside a Howrah shop when the fire began.
On Thursday, police said investigators “have determined there is no evidence to suggest a crime has been committed”.
The white Holden ute caught fire at Shoreline Plaza shortly before 5.30pm on Sunday, the day after the federal election.
Mr Lambert posted a video on Facebook saying he walked out of the shop to discover the fire.
“If you don’t like us don’t vote for us, but for those magnificent supporters who have voted for us, this is a little more encouragement on how we have to work a bit harder for you guys next time,” he said.
Senator Hanson said “someone was seen torching it before fleeing”.
Police thanked those who had provided witness statements and said people could still contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 if they had information about the incident.
— AAP
10.15am: PM’s team taking shape
Scott Morrison is finalising his ministerial line-up ahead of likely swearing in ceremonies next week, AAP reports.
Key positions are expected to stay the same but the retirement of several ministers means the Prime Minister has spots to fill for ambitious backbenchers.
Peter Dutton is expected to keep Home Affairs, while Treasurer Josh Frydenberg and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann are also set to stay in the same roles. Attorney-General Christian Porter will be Leader of the House, replacing Christopher Pyne in managing the day-to-day of parliament tactics.
Health Minister Greg Hunt, Education Minister Dan Tehan and Foreign Minister Marise Payne are likely to keep their spots.
Ken Wyatt is tipped to take on indigenous affairs, becoming the first indigenous Australian to hold the role.
There is speculation Environment Minister Melissa Price’s portfolio could be scaled back.
Promotion could be on the cards for Liberal MPs Alan Tudge, Michael Sukkar and Tim Wilson, as well as Sussan Ley, who was health minister from 2014 to 2017.
— AAP
Sascha O’Sullivan 9.55am: Treasurer’s China plea
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has urged US Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to work towards easing trade tensions with China for the sake of the global economy.
“Today I had a very constructive and productive conversation with US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin having received his call after the re-election of the Morrison government,” Mr Frydenberg said in a statement.
“We ... talked about global trade tensions in particular the imposition of tariffs by the US and China,” Mr Frydenberg said, “I emphasised how important free trade was to Australia and that our consistent message is that we hope trade disputes notwithstanding the legitimate issues at play are resolved as amicably as possible for the benefit of the global economy.”
Mr Frydenberg and Mr Mnuchin have agreed to meet in Japan at the G20 Finance ministers meeting next month.
9.30am: Return of the Mac
Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack is expected to be confirmed as Nationals leader when MPs meet in Canberra today, AAP reports.
Pressure on Mr McCormack’s leadership has all but been erased after the government’s upset win on Saturday. Victorian senator Bridget McKenzie is also expected to be returned as Nationals deputy leader after the party maintained its 16 seats in the lower house. The junior Coalition partner’s cabinet representation is likely to drop one minister to four, with positions carved up based on overall numbers in the two party rooms.
Tasmanian Nationals senator Steve Martin is on track to lose his seat. Nationals federal director Larry Anthony wants Senator McKenzie to get a promotion, noting trade is a portfolio the party has held in the past.
He’s expecting the Nationals to have four cabinet ministers, two outer ministries and three more junior frontbench roles.
Barnaby Joyce has ruled out a tilt at the leadership despite raising the prospect before the election, which was widely expected to be lost by the coalition.
“That’s not going to happen because they’ve just won the election,” Mr Joyce told the Tamworth-based Northern Daily Leader.
“If they hadn’t won, it would be a completely different story — just like what is happening in Labor at the moment.” He’s also not expecting to return to the frontbench.
The Nationals will have a record number of women in its parliamentary team, tripling female representation to six.
In the Senate, Perin Davey (NSW), Susan McDonald (Queensland) and Sam McMahon (NT) are on track to be elected.
Victorian Anne Webster has picked up the lower house seat of Mallee, with the new faces joining Senator McKenzie and Queensland MP Michelle Landry in the party room.
— AAP
Greg Brown 9.05am: All policies on the table
Anthony Albanese says all of Labor’s policies — including its 45 per cent emissions target — will be reviewed if he becomes party leader.
“We will look at all of our policies. What we won’t look at is our values. They are eternal the Labor values. They do change over time but our commitment to working people and lifting living standards does not,” Mr Albanese told Sky News this morning.
Mr Albanese said he would only review Labor’s ambitious emissions target through the context of taking action on climate change.
“It will be in the frame of the need to take action on climate change. We accept the science. We accept also it is good economics and good job creation to have strong climate change policy.
“But we need to look at all of it. You don’t go through an election campaign, lose as we did, going backwards — we lost seats, we lost votes in terms of where our primary vote stands — and say ‘we are going to take that policy to the next election’.”
Mr Albanese, from the NSW Left, said he would “welcome” a challenge from Queensland Right MP Jim Chalmers to debate the future of the Labor Party.
“On another level, of course, I and everyone else I think in politics is pretty exhausted at the moment. So it would be a challenge on a personal level to go through a number of weeks,” he said.
.@AlboMP on Labor’s emissions reduction target:
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 22, 2019
We will look at all our policies before the next election, but what we won’t look at is our Labor values.
MORE: https://t.co/yfpxH0u0Ea #amagenda pic.twitter.com/FEBNZzEXTl
8.45am: The count goes on
Scott Morrison remains on track to win 78 seats in the lower house, as electoral officials continue to count votes, AAP reports.
Tight counts are underway in three electorates, with the Australian Electoral Commission adding Queensland’s Lilley to its list of “close” seats.
Labor leads there, with AEC figures this morning showing candidate Anika Wells leading her Liberal National Party rival Brad Carswell with 50.5 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.
Ms Wells is trying to replace Labor stalwart Wayne Swan, who has gone on to become the ALP’s national president.
The Coalition remains in the lead in the other two close counts, in Tasmania’s Bass and Macquarie in NSW.
Figures this morning show Liberal candidate for Bass, Bridget Archer, sits on 50.4 per cent of the two-party vote in her electorate — 499 votes ahead of incumbent Labor MP Ross Hart.
Nearly 90 per cent of votes for Bass have been counted.
The Liberals’ Sarah Richards is ahead of Labor MP Susan Templeman in Macquarie, with the AEC website showing a 196-vote gap in the most recent figures with 88 per cent of the vote counted.
— AAP
Greg Brown 8.30am: Adani tops the agenda
Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad says Labor needs to learn lessons from its federal election loss, as the state government moves to fast-track the approvals of the Adani coalmine.
“I certainly think the election result on Saturday night has messages for Labor at a state and federal level,” Ms Trad told the ABC.
“I think that the Carmichael mine in the Galilee Basin was part of that message but it wasn’t the entire message. We are listening to Queenslanders regardless of where they live and I think the Premier demonstrated that yesterday.”
Greg Brown 8.10am: Labor’s lost faith
Anthony Albanese says Labor needs to do more to appeal to religious people.
“You shouldn’t put someone in a position of choosing between the faith that they genuinely hold and the love that they have for the Labor Party,” Mr Albanese told Sky News last night.
.@AlboMP: We have to acknowledge our defeat. We have to accept responsibility, not blame others. It was a terrible primary vote and in Queensland, our primary vote had a two in front.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) May 22, 2019
MORE: https://t.co/ykweMevBOK #Richo pic.twitter.com/Hx6XF5vDQi
Greg Brown 8am: Doubt over Chalmers tilt
Labor MP Stephen Jones says he would be “very surprised” if Jim Chalmers decides to contest the Labor leadership.
Mr Jones, from the NSW Left, said Anthony Albanese was the best person to bring the party together.
“I will be very surprised if we are still talking about this, this time next week,” Mr Jones told Sky News.
“I think Anthony has got significant support within the caucus and within the rank and file. I fully expect that he will be the Labor leader as parliament resumes.
“He is the guy who can unite the party, bring the policy platform together and ensure that we can get out there and do our best job of winning the next election.”
7.30am: Morrison heads to Qld
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will turn his attention to drought-stricken areas of Queensland for his first trip after being re-elected, AAP reports.
Mr Morrison will travel to the north of the state this afternoon, drawing attention to areas rebuilding after being hit by floods and Cyclone Oma. “Pastoralists, graziers and their communities are getting back on their feet. The rebuilding, restocking and replanting has started,” the Prime Minister told The Courier Mail.
“More than $3.3 billion has been paid or committed to help our farmers respond and recover.” The visit mirrors the first trip Mr Morrison made when he became Prime Minister last year, citing drought as the main priority for his government.
Queensland proved vital to the coalition’s win at Saturday’s election, holding onto its seats while gaining Herbert and Longman from Labor.
— AAP
Senior MPs back Chalmers bid
Several senior Queensland federal Labor MPs have backed Mr Chalmers for the party leadership, saying he is needed if the opposition wants any hope of winning government.
Labor frontbench MP Shayne Neumann, backbencher Milton Dick and senator Anthony Chisholm — all members of Mr Chalmers’s Right faction — are encouraging the opposition finance spokesman to contest the leadership against Sydneysider and Left faction MP Anthony Albanese.
Labor suffered a slump in its primary vote in Queensland to 27.3 per cent at the weekend election, losing two seats, and is now certain of holding just five of the 30 federal seats in the state, although it is ahead in the count in Wayne Swan’s former seat of Lilley.
Labor insiders estimate that Anthony Albanese would have 75 per cent support of the Labor Party branches, as well as a clear majority of the caucus, in any party leadership ballot.
Party sources said Mr Chalmers was seriously considering contesting the leadership and was being encouraged by caucus colleagues in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.
Mr Neumann, who holds Labor’s only remaining regional seat of Blair, said he was encouraging Mr Chalmers to contest the leadership.
The opposition immigration spokesman said Mr Chalmers, a father of three who holds the Logan-based seat of Rankin, was “like me, from the working class” who could connect with Queenslanders.
“Unless Labor can break the LNP stranglehold in Queensland politically, we will not form government,’’ he said. “We need a Queenslander like Jim to connect with people in the regions and rural areas in the state.”
Oxley MP Milton Dick told The Australian he would support Mr Chalmers if he decided to run.
“I think it is vitally important that a Queenslander is in the leadership group,” he said. “Ultimately it is a decision for Jim.
“If he chooses to be a candidate, I’ll back him 100 per cent because I have known him for 20 years and he is 100 per cent for Queensland.”
Right-wing Senator Chisholm said having a Queensland leader would be good for Labor’s support in the state. “I’m certainly someone who has been talking to him. I do know he’s been getting some strong support from the caucus. And I think, interestingly, branch members as well,” he told the ABC.
The Australian understands Mr Albanese would support Mr Chalmers running as his deputy, with Left-faction powerbroker Penny Wong and Kristina Keneally, of the NSW Right, as possible leaders in the Senate.
The ALP national executive last night initiated the process of electing the next Labor leader. National secretary Noah Carroll said nominations for the leader’s job would open today from 10am and close on Monday at 10am.
“In accordance with the caucus rules, a candidate for the position of leader must be nominated in writing by at least 20 per cent of members of the federal Labor caucus,” he said.
“In the event that there is more than one nomination, the leader will be elected through a combined ballot of the Labor Party membership and the federal Labor caucus.
“A postal ballot of all ALP members will open on Friday, May 31, and conclude on Thursday, June 27.”
Mr Carroll said following the conclusion of the postal ballot, the Labor caucus would vote on July 1.
Victoria’s Industrial Left — which includes the CFMEU — had been leaning towards Mr Albanese, despite a long-held hostility in the faction to him, if Mr Bowen ran.
“Our position will probably be anyone but Albo, unless he runs against Bowen,” a source said.
What’s making news
• Anthony Albanese has vowed to end Labor’s class war.
• Labor may need to heed the Liberal Party lessons from 1993.
• Religious Australians believe ‘the ALP has abandoned them’.
• The party’s gloomy Senate outlook has been laid bare.
• Labor has done a dramatic U-turn on the Adani coalmine.
• The Greens warn Labor of any shift to the Right.
• How Shorten’s plan hopes of an intergenerational war backfired.
• Josh Frydenberg says the economy needs a turbocharge.
Additional reporting: Michael McKenna, AAP
Free market path to lift Indigenous
Labor has handed its new tsar for Aboriginal business extraordinary powers that could make remote-community residents the owners of defence infrastructure and the funders of energy projects.
Red alert for AUKUS submarine reactors
A Rolls-Royce program set to supply reactor cores for Australia’s nuclear submarines has been branded as ‘unachievable’ in a blow to the nation’s AUKUS ambitions.