Home battery bonanza to blow through budget forecasts
The huge uptake of Labor's Cheaper Home Batteries scheme since July 1 has smashed expectations, according to consumer comparison site SolarQuotes, in a development that could have broader benefits for Australia's energy transition.
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7NEWS
4 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Kmart dragged into landmark legal case over alleged links to Uyghur forced labor in China
In an Australian legal first, Uyghur community leaders have launched Federal Court action demanding transparency from retail giant Kmart over its potential links to forced labour in China. The Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women's Association (AUTWA) has filed a motion demanding Kmart hand over internal documents related to two of its clothing suppliers allegedly involved in forced Uyghur labour in the Xinjiang region. Both suppliers are listed in Kmart's 2024 and 2025 factory disclosures, AUTWA said. The legal action, led by Maurice Blackburn Lawyers and supported by the Human Rights Law Centre, aims to test whether Kmart's ethical sourcing claims hold up under scrutiny. Speaking outside the court in Melbourne on Tuesday, AUTWA President Ramila Chanisheff said the case marks a historic milestone. 'We just filed a document into the Federal Court asking for records from Kmart about two supply chains that could be linked to Uyghur forced labor,' she told 'It is the first of its kind in Australia to bring a case against an Australian retailer, and it's not just a small retailer, it's actually a major. 'We want to make sure that the products that are made in China and sold in Kmart are not linked to forced labour.' Kmart publicly markets itself as an ethical business. 'We aim to provide great products at the lowest prices for our customers while respecting human rights,' the retailer states on its website. Kmart said it is continually working to improve its ethical sourcing standards and processes, and is collaborating with suppliers, NGOs, trade unions, and government representatives to help improve working conditions in the regions where it sources its products. The court action now centres around whether the company may have breached Australian Consumer Law by engaging in misleading or deceptive conduct about the sourcing of its products. AUTWA is seeking access to documents that could demonstrate what Kmart knew — or should have known — about the origins of products made in factories with ties to Xinjiang, where widespread human rights abuses, including state-sponsored forced labour, have been well-documented. 'If it's found that Kmart's products are linked to forced labour, they must divest from those supply chains, not just in Xinjiang, but across China, where Uyghur people are often trafficked into mainland labour camps,' Chanisheff said. The goal is not only to hold Kmart accountable, but to put other industries on notice, she added. 'Australians deserve to make informed choices.' Retailers on notice Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Jennifer Kanis, who is leading the case, said the legal action aims to hold Kmart accountable for its ethical sourcing claims. She said the company must be transparent about its supply chain practices, especially given the known risks of forced labour in Xinjiang. 'Kmart tells customers that it supports ethical sourcing and the protection of human rights — but we know there are credible links between two of its factories and the use of Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang,' Kanis said. 'Documents will be sought from Kmart to determine whether it engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct about this issue.' She added the Federal Court will be asked to compel Kmart to provide evidence of what due diligence it has conducted on suppliers with links to the region. Associate legal director at the Human Rights Law Centre Freya Dinshaw said the case underscores significant weaknesses in Australia's approach to modern slavery. 'The alarm bells have been ringing for a long time in relation to the risk of forced labour in the Chinese garment sector, and Australian retailers have been on notice,' she said. 'This court case is about Kmart coming clean on whether it is really doing everything it claims to be doing to ensure that its products are slavery free.' Dinshaw argued it should not be up to the public to force companies into transparency through legal action and called for stronger laws that require businesses to investigate and prevent forced labour. She also noted that, unlike countries such as the US and Canada, Australia has not banned the importation of goods made with forced labour, allowing them to reach store shelves unchecked. What happens next? The Federal Court will consider AUTWA's request in the coming weeks. If successful, the outcome could pave the way for further legal action against Kmart or other major retailers. 'Kmart, and all companies, must ensure they are not profiting from forced labour in China.,' Chanisheff said. The case is expected to fuel growing public pressure on retailers to lift the veil on their offshore operations.
The Australian
4 hours ago
- The Australian
Chalmers' economic reform summit downgraded to red tape focus
Jim Chalmers has put a lot of effort into an economic reform roundtable that his government is now talking down as an ideas vehicle to cut red tape and drive housing productivity. Both the Treasurer and Anthony Albanese are lowering expectations to a point where major tax reform and proposals to rein in structural spending will be thrown in the 'too hard' basket. Chalmers can't be faulted for his energetic approach to the Prime Minister's productivity roundtable, which the Treasurer rebadged as an economic reform roundtable open to big tax, investment and growth policy ideas. By Friday, Chalmers would have met 75 chief executive and senior industry representatives. After meeting the Business Council of Australia this week, he would have met the BCA and ACTU twice since his June 18 National Press Club speech outlining Labor's priorities for 'economic reform in our second term'. From July 8 to August 15, Albanese government ministers will have held 41 ministerial roundtables that will feed in to Chalmers' three-day economic reform summit at Parliament House between August 19 and 21. There have been 900 submissions to Treasury ahead of the roundtable, which won't be publicly released. In addition to messaging the PM almost every day about the roundtable, Chalmers has also spoken with Treasury secretary Jenny Wilkinson for about 30 to 40 hours about ideas being floated to lift sluggish productivity. Despite Chalmers slaving away on what could have been a seminal moment for the second-term government's economic reform agenda, the roundtable is in danger of becoming a talkfest with generic promises of action. The 23 'core attendees', who include CBA chief executive Matt Comyn, former Treasury secretary Ken Henry, Tech Council of Australia chair Scott Farquhar, NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey, ACTU secretary Sally McManus, BCA chief Bran Black and opposition Treasury spokesman Ted O'Brien, will be joined by 24 others invited to specific sessions. New invitees include ATO commissioner Rob Heferen, Tesla chair Robyn Denholm and Macquarie Group managing director Shemara Wikramanayake. At the end of three days of talks – which will not be subject to Chatham House rules, meaning participants can speak their minds – Chalmers is not expected to unveil a communique or secure broad agreement across a range of economic reform proposals. Instead, he will give the nation an update on the top issues and commit to going away and working on them. Major tax reform is expected to play second fiddle to a new primary focus: deregulation, cutting red tape, and sparking productivity in the housing sector. There is no doubt all levels of government need to axe red and green tape that is stifling productivity and stalling economic activity and investment. But that surely could be progressed without so much rigmarole. An alliance of up to 30 business and industry groups is calling for the government to match decisive action taken by British Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer and slash red tape by as much as 25 per cent by 2030. Without speeding up approvals, Labor's housing, renewables, emissions reduction and net zero targets will fall short. After one term of not moving aggressively enough, Chalmers must bring governments with him and rid the country of red tape and slow bureaucratic processes.
The Australian
4 hours ago
- The Australian
Port Pirie, Hobart Nyrstar smelters bailout a boost for critical mineral capacity
Australia will develop new sovereign capacity in critical mineral production, under a $135m bailout of two key Nyrstar smelters in two states. The rescue package for Nyrstar's Hobart zinc and Port Pirie lead smelters, revealed exclusively in The Australian last month, secures 1400 jobs and could create hundreds more. A rare bipartisan, multi-jurisdiction plan, confirmed on Tuesday, will see critical minerals antimony and bismuth produced at Port Pirie, South Australia, and germanium and indium in Hobart. These minerals are critical in the production of key products for defence, clean energy, transport, advanced manufacturing and technology. 'Through this transformation, Nyrstar aims to explore possible production of antimony, bismuth, tellurium, germanium and indium – minerals vital to clean energy, defence and hi-tech sectors,' federal Industry Minister Tim Ayres said. 'An antimony pilot plant will be deployed in Port Pirie as a priority … This would position Port Pirie as Australia's only producer of antimony metal and one of the few globally, supporting sovereign capability in defence and advanced manufacturing.' Federal taxpayers will contribute $57.5m to the package, the Labor South Australian government $55m and the Tasmanian Liberal caretaker government – with state Labor support – $22.5m. As well as the critical mineral projects, the funding – a mix of new and pre-committed money – will help finance a major maintenance project at Port Pirie and major furnace and wharf upgrades in Hobart. SA Premier Peter Malinauskas hailed the outcome, which follows Nyrstar's claims of market sabotage by Chinese-subsidised industry, as 'an opportunity to transform the Port Pirie smelter and secure its future for the long term'. 'We can modernise the Port Pirie smelter and take advantage of the world's desire for critical minerals,' Mr Malinauskas said. 'The Port Pirie operations have faced challenges from global forces largely beyond its control. But the transformation of the smelter into a producer of critical minerals like antimony would put our state at the forefront of a global supply chain that is vital to clean energy, defence and hi-tech manufacturing.' Nyrstar Australia chief executive Matt Howell said the company's operations in this country had a century of history and could now become 'a new hub for the supply of critical metals – not only to Australia but globally'. 'Port Pirie and Hobart represent a key part of Australia's metals processing infrastructure,' Mr Howell said. 'We have an opportunity to build upon this to create a new source of economic growth, producing metals for defence industries, renewable energy and high-technology manufacturing. 'Through this partnership, Australia is demonstrating that it is at the forefront of taking meaningful steps to retain nationally strategic smelters and partner with industry to provide urgent short-term support, as well as work on solutions for their long-term viability.' As Australia's only lead refiner and the largest zinc refiner, Nyrstar contributed about $1.7bn to the economy each year, he said. The first stage of the package would require an additional 350 contractors and 90 suppliers at Port Pirie, and about 200 in Hobart. While welcoming the support, the Australian Workers' Union called for a broader national smelter strategy to provide longer-term sustainability across the metals industry. Coalition industry spokesman Alex Hawke said the bailout 'ignored deeper challenges with Australian industry'. 'High energy costs and stifling regulation must be addressed to improve productivity and boost competitiveness,' he said. Politics The Productivity Commission has proposed giving tech giants free access to Australian content for AI training, sparking fears creators will miss out on compensation. Economics New regulation risks $116bn in economic gains at risk, Productivity Commission warns Jim Chalmers.
