Liberals and Nationals reach new Coalition agreement following crisis talks
The Liberals and Nationals have reached an agreement over a new Coalition deal following discussions.
This comes after a brief period of a split between the two parties over the Nationals' demands.
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The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Farmers hit by disasters to get financial counselling
Disaster-stricken farmers will be able to access free financial counselling, as the prime minister warns of more extreme weather events. The federal government will commit an extra $2 million to the Rural Financial Counselling Service to allow them to hire more staff and deliver increased support to farmers on the ground. While some in south-eastern Australia are battling historic droughts, those in NSW have been forced to contend with 'one-in-500 year' floods, putting significant strain on farmers across the country. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged they were "doing it tough". "People put their heart and soul into their farms," he told reporters near Wasleys, north of Adelaide, on Monday. "Australia has always had droughts, we've always had flooding rains, and that has occurred throughout our history on this great continent that we're privileged to live on, but the truth is that there are more extreme weather events and they're more intense. "We need to adjust to that." The government has already promised $36 million to help farmers and producers prepare for, and respond to, drought conditions while expanding its disaster recovery allowance to more areas affected by floods. But Nationals Leader David Littleproud has called on Labor to bring back interest-free loans from the Regional Investment Corporation to help farmers experiencing hardship. The commitment, introduced by the coalition in 2020 according to Mr Littleproud, gave farmers access to a $2 million loan with an initial two-year interest-free period, then three years interest-only before five years principal and interest, offering breathing space and allowed them to restock and replant. Some members of his party have urged Australia to abandon its pursuit of net zero emissions by 2050. Mr Albanese said the science was clear about the increased frequency and ferocity of natural disasters. "Climate change is real and we need to respond to it," he said. "The science has been proven, unfortunately, to be playing out." Unusual weather has also continued to transform the east coast, with heavy fog and dust storms both blanketing Sydney in the span of one week. The prime minister maintained his government had a plan to deal with climate change, noting Australia's bid to co-host the United Nations's climate change conference with Pacific nations in 2026. Australia also remains on-track to meet its legislated 43 per cent emissions reduction target by 2030, according to Energy Minister Chris Bowen. Mr Bowen has said Woodside will be required to ensure the project meets net zero emissions by 2050. Disaster-stricken farmers will be able to access free financial counselling, as the prime minister warns of more extreme weather events. The federal government will commit an extra $2 million to the Rural Financial Counselling Service to allow them to hire more staff and deliver increased support to farmers on the ground. While some in south-eastern Australia are battling historic droughts, those in NSW have been forced to contend with 'one-in-500 year' floods, putting significant strain on farmers across the country. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged they were "doing it tough". "People put their heart and soul into their farms," he told reporters near Wasleys, north of Adelaide, on Monday. "Australia has always had droughts, we've always had flooding rains, and that has occurred throughout our history on this great continent that we're privileged to live on, but the truth is that there are more extreme weather events and they're more intense. "We need to adjust to that." The government has already promised $36 million to help farmers and producers prepare for, and respond to, drought conditions while expanding its disaster recovery allowance to more areas affected by floods. But Nationals Leader David Littleproud has called on Labor to bring back interest-free loans from the Regional Investment Corporation to help farmers experiencing hardship. The commitment, introduced by the coalition in 2020 according to Mr Littleproud, gave farmers access to a $2 million loan with an initial two-year interest-free period, then three years interest-only before five years principal and interest, offering breathing space and allowed them to restock and replant. Some members of his party have urged Australia to abandon its pursuit of net zero emissions by 2050. Mr Albanese said the science was clear about the increased frequency and ferocity of natural disasters. "Climate change is real and we need to respond to it," he said. "The science has been proven, unfortunately, to be playing out." Unusual weather has also continued to transform the east coast, with heavy fog and dust storms both blanketing Sydney in the span of one week. The prime minister maintained his government had a plan to deal with climate change, noting Australia's bid to co-host the United Nations's climate change conference with Pacific nations in 2026. Australia also remains on-track to meet its legislated 43 per cent emissions reduction target by 2030, according to Energy Minister Chris Bowen. Mr Bowen has said Woodside will be required to ensure the project meets net zero emissions by 2050. Disaster-stricken farmers will be able to access free financial counselling, as the prime minister warns of more extreme weather events. The federal government will commit an extra $2 million to the Rural Financial Counselling Service to allow them to hire more staff and deliver increased support to farmers on the ground. While some in south-eastern Australia are battling historic droughts, those in NSW have been forced to contend with 'one-in-500 year' floods, putting significant strain on farmers across the country. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged they were "doing it tough". "People put their heart and soul into their farms," he told reporters near Wasleys, north of Adelaide, on Monday. "Australia has always had droughts, we've always had flooding rains, and that has occurred throughout our history on this great continent that we're privileged to live on, but the truth is that there are more extreme weather events and they're more intense. "We need to adjust to that." The government has already promised $36 million to help farmers and producers prepare for, and respond to, drought conditions while expanding its disaster recovery allowance to more areas affected by floods. But Nationals Leader David Littleproud has called on Labor to bring back interest-free loans from the Regional Investment Corporation to help farmers experiencing hardship. The commitment, introduced by the coalition in 2020 according to Mr Littleproud, gave farmers access to a $2 million loan with an initial two-year interest-free period, then three years interest-only before five years principal and interest, offering breathing space and allowed them to restock and replant. Some members of his party have urged Australia to abandon its pursuit of net zero emissions by 2050. Mr Albanese said the science was clear about the increased frequency and ferocity of natural disasters. "Climate change is real and we need to respond to it," he said. "The science has been proven, unfortunately, to be playing out." Unusual weather has also continued to transform the east coast, with heavy fog and dust storms both blanketing Sydney in the span of one week. The prime minister maintained his government had a plan to deal with climate change, noting Australia's bid to co-host the United Nations's climate change conference with Pacific nations in 2026. Australia also remains on-track to meet its legislated 43 per cent emissions reduction target by 2030, according to Energy Minister Chris Bowen. Mr Bowen has said Woodside will be required to ensure the project meets net zero emissions by 2050. Disaster-stricken farmers will be able to access free financial counselling, as the prime minister warns of more extreme weather events. The federal government will commit an extra $2 million to the Rural Financial Counselling Service to allow them to hire more staff and deliver increased support to farmers on the ground. While some in south-eastern Australia are battling historic droughts, those in NSW have been forced to contend with 'one-in-500 year' floods, putting significant strain on farmers across the country. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged they were "doing it tough". "People put their heart and soul into their farms," he told reporters near Wasleys, north of Adelaide, on Monday. "Australia has always had droughts, we've always had flooding rains, and that has occurred throughout our history on this great continent that we're privileged to live on, but the truth is that there are more extreme weather events and they're more intense. "We need to adjust to that." The government has already promised $36 million to help farmers and producers prepare for, and respond to, drought conditions while expanding its disaster recovery allowance to more areas affected by floods. But Nationals Leader David Littleproud has called on Labor to bring back interest-free loans from the Regional Investment Corporation to help farmers experiencing hardship. The commitment, introduced by the coalition in 2020 according to Mr Littleproud, gave farmers access to a $2 million loan with an initial two-year interest-free period, then three years interest-only before five years principal and interest, offering breathing space and allowed them to restock and replant. Some members of his party have urged Australia to abandon its pursuit of net zero emissions by 2050. Mr Albanese said the science was clear about the increased frequency and ferocity of natural disasters. "Climate change is real and we need to respond to it," he said. "The science has been proven, unfortunately, to be playing out." Unusual weather has also continued to transform the east coast, with heavy fog and dust storms both blanketing Sydney in the span of one week. The prime minister maintained his government had a plan to deal with climate change, noting Australia's bid to co-host the United Nations's climate change conference with Pacific nations in 2026. Australia also remains on-track to meet its legislated 43 per cent emissions reduction target by 2030, according to Energy Minister Chris Bowen. Mr Bowen has said Woodside will be required to ensure the project meets net zero emissions by 2050.
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
What will Albanese give Trump on defence? Not much
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's demand for Australia to nearly double defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP has gone down like a bucket of cold sick in Canberra. Anthony Albanese, who chose to ignore the Coalition's calls earlier this year for him to travel post-haste to Washington and prostrate himself before President Donald Trump to secure Australia a tariff exemption, feels his judgment has been vindicated. Fresh from being re-elected with a historic majority, Albanese is in no mood to bow down to the Americans, especially when dislike (or at least distrust) of the current US administration aided Labor's victory. At present, Australia spends about 2 per cent of GDP on defence, or about $59 billion a year, and that figure will rise to 2.3 per cent by 2030. Going to 3.5 per cent would mean spending an extra $40 billion each year, approximately the annual cost of the entire NDIS. Delivering this would require significant tax rises or a big increase in federal borrowing – maybe both – and potentially swingeing cuts to the expanded social programs that Australians just voted for. Loading The prime minister's response on Monday was cautious, measured and a polite rejection of our closest ally's request. 'What you should do in defence is decide what you need, your capability, and then provide for it. That's what my government's doing ... we've provided an additional $10 billion of investment into defence over the forward estimates [four years],' he said. 'What we don't do is do what the opposition did during the election campaign, where they announced an amount of money, they couldn't say where the money was coming from and they couldn't say what it was for. That makes no sense.'
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
What will Albanese give Trump on defence? Not much
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth's demand for Australia to nearly double defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP has gone down like a bucket of cold sick in Canberra. Anthony Albanese, who chose to ignore the Coalition's calls earlier this year for him to travel post-haste to Washington and prostrate himself before President Donald Trump to secure Australia a tariff exemption, feels his judgment has been vindicated. Fresh from being re-elected with a historic majority, Albanese is in no mood to bow down to the Americans, especially when dislike (or at least distrust) of the current US administration aided Labor's victory. At present, Australia spends about 2 per cent of GDP on defence, or about $59 billion a year, and that figure will rise to 2.3 per cent by 2030. Going to 3.5 per cent would mean spending an extra $40 billion each year, approximately the annual cost of the entire NDIS. Delivering this would require significant tax rises or a big increase in federal borrowing – maybe both – and potentially swingeing cuts to the expanded social programs that Australians just voted for. Loading The prime minister's response on Monday was cautious, measured and a polite rejection of our closest ally's request. 'What you should do in defence is decide what you need, your capability, and then provide for it. That's what my government's doing ... we've provided an additional $10 billion of investment into defence over the forward estimates [four years],' he said. 'What we don't do is do what the opposition did during the election campaign, where they announced an amount of money, they couldn't say where the money was coming from and they couldn't say what it was for. That makes no sense.'
