Crossbench
Queensland senator Gerard Rennick quits LNP for crossbench
The move reduces the number of Coalition senators to 30 and increases the crossbench to 10 members.
- by Shane Wright
Latest
‘Payman is correct’: Senators call for parliament staff overhaul
Crossbench senators who would not usually agree on anything are united. They want the prime minister stripped of the power to decide MPs’ staffing levels.
- by Matthew Knott
Crossbench demands Labor pork-barrel-proof $22 billion policy
Future Made in Australia is in limbo unless the Albanese government provides assurances the centrepiece policy will not be used to buy votes.
- by David Crowe
Senator Tammy Tyrrell quits the Jacqui Lambie Network
The senator said she will become an independent after Lambie told her she should leave the party.
- by Rachel Clun
‘Banning big money, just not theirs’: Teal MPs accused of seeking to protect wealthy donors
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and senior minister Don Farrell have turned their sights on a group of crossbenchers in a debate over big money in politics.
- by Paul Sakkal
Exclusive
Factional politics
Veteran Liberal Party MP Russell Broadbent quits party, moves to crossbench
The 72-year-old told Coalition MPs in a private party room meeting on Tuesday that he had quit the party straight after he lost his preselection over the weekend.
- by Paul Sakkal and Kieran Rooney
Pocock and Lambie outflank Labor as they split IR reforms
David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie teamed up with the Coalition to pass some of Labor’s proposed reforms, daring the government to vote against its own legislation.
- by Angus Thompson and Olivia Ireland
Exclusive
Political expenses
Teals condemn Labor on transparency as Marles faces questions over VIP flights
Six teal MPs and fellow independent MP Andrew Wilkie have united to express disappointment about Labor’s commitment to transparency.
- by David Crowe and Paul Sakkal
‘They’re scared’: Crossbenchers raise concerns about 60-day medicine scripts
A popular budget measure to double the length of common medicine scripts is facing an unexpected hurdle, with crossbench senators joining the Coalition in pushing the government to go back to the negotiating table with pharmacists.
- by Natassia Chrysanthos
Albanese accused of workplace law breach in Rugg v Ryan lawsuit
In court documents filed in her case against Monique Ryan, Sally Rugg has directly blamed the PM’s decision to slash crossbench staff numbers for her allegedly unreasonable work hours.
- by Angus Thompson and Paul Sakkal
Opinion
Australia votes
Hung parliaments are terrible, but only for our fading political duopoly
We’re changing how we vote but don’t believe our major parties when they say it’s bad for democracy. It IS democracy.
- by Ross Gittins
Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/topic/crossbench-6fo1