logo
HECS and childcare Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's first order of business as parliament returns

HECS and childcare Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's first order of business as parliament returns

7NEWS4 days ago
Through church services, smoking ceremonies and ceremonial dragging of MPs, the 48th federal parliament has been opened in a flurry of pomp and ceremony.
Veteran MPs and fresh-faced senators gathered in Canberra on Tuesday for the formal opening of parliament before official business could get under way.
The day began with an ecumenical service at a Wesley Uniting Church, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promising to get down to business quickly.
'Every day is an opportunity to deliver for Australians and this week we will have legislation to do that,' he told reporters outside the church.
'We'll continue to work hard each and every day in the interest of Australians.'
Albanese will command a large majority in his second term as leader, with Labor holding 94 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives.
The size of the majority was on display on the floor of parliament for the first time since the election, with Labor MPs now sitting on both sides of the aisle in the lower house.
Across the chamber, Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will preside over just 43 lower-house MPs after an election wipeout for the coalition.
'We got smashed at the last election and the number of seats that we now hold is a demonstration that we are at a low point,' Ley said.
'But we're here to work hard, we're here to put the interests of the Australian people that we come here to represent front and centre.
'And we know that aspiration connects every single threat of Australian society.'
After a ceremonial Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony on the forecourt of Parliament House, MPs and senators were one-by-one sworn in at their respective chambers.
Business soon turned to the election of a speaker for the House of Representatives.
Labor MP Milton Dick was re-elected to the role with bipartisan support before he was ceremonially dragged to the speaker's chair by MPs.
The prime minister said Dick would continue to conduct the role with 'fairness, with humour and with intellect'.
The returning speaker said it was a 'profound honour' to carry on in the position.
'My view is the role of speaker is not one of partisanship, but of stewardship, and it's my solemn responsibility to ensure that democracy is not only practiced here, but it's strengthened here,' Dick said.
In the Senate, Sue Lines was re-elected as president of the chamber, but not before One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's surprise nomination of political rival David Pocock for the position.
The independent ACT senator declined the nomination.
Later, Governor-General Sam Mostyn will deliver a speech in the Senate outlining the priorities of the term, followed by a ceremonial 19-gun salute.
Legislation due to be introduced in the first week of parliament includes a 20 per cent reduction in HECS debt for university students, penalty rate protections and increased safety measures at childcare centres.
The coalition is still reviewing many of the policies it took to the election, but the opposition has flagged it is likely to support the student debt reduction measures, along with childcare protection laws.
The Greens, who hold the balance of power in the upper house, are set to introduce a private senators bill to reform Australia's main environment laws.
Labor's main policies
The Albanese government will look to implement a long list of promises it made at the election when parliament resumes.
COST OF LIVING:
$1,000 tax deductions from 2026-27 for work-related expenses.
Cap prescription medication at $25 and $7.70 for concession cardholders.
HOUSING:
Five per cent deposits and 100,000 new homes for first-home buyers.
Electricity bill rebates of $75 per household for the final quarters of 2025.
HEALTH:
$8.5 billion over four years for Medicare to expand bulk-billing and create 50 extra urgent care clinics.
Free mental health services, new training facilities for professionals, upgrading mental health centres and improvements to mental health organisation Headspace.
GENDER:
$573 million in funding for women's health, including spending on long-term contraceptives and expanding endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics.
Men's mental health support measures, which will include training for primary health care workers and support programs.
CHILDCARE:
Three days of subsidised child care for every family.
A $1 billion fund to build new childcare centres.
EDUCATION:
20 per cent off HECS debt for university students and graduates.
100,000 fee-free TAFE placements.
DEFENCE:
Grow defence spending by $50.3 billion over the next decade, expanding spending from 2 per cent of GDP to 2.33 per cent by 2033/34.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Aussies told to avoid more parts of Thailand as locals flee fighting along border
Aussies told to avoid more parts of Thailand as locals flee fighting along border

9 News

time2 hours ago

  • 9 News

Aussies told to avoid more parts of Thailand as locals flee fighting along border

Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Australians are being warned to avoid more parts of holiday hotspot Thailand , as conflict with neighbouring Cambodia increases. More areas have been added to the list of places Aussies should "reconsider" going to, as tens of thousands of local people sought refuge as border fighting entered a second day, heightening fears of an extended conflict. "Armed conflict between Thai and Cambodian forces along the Thai-Cambodian border has increased," Smartraveller says. Thai residents evacuate from their homes following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers in Sisaket province, Thailand, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (AP) "We now advise reconsider your need to travel to eight districts in the Chanthaburi and Trat provinces. Martial law has been declared in these areas." Chanthaburi is a town on the Chanthaburi River famous for growing durian. Trat is Thailand's eastern-most province, about 315km from Bangkok. Earlier warnings were made against going to the areas of Buriram, Si Saket, Surin and Ubon Ratchathani provinces along the Cambodia border. Smartraveller also warned Australians to reconsider their need to travel to the Cambodian border provinces of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey. The Cambodian provinces are just north of Siem Reap, a historic city globally famous for stunning temples such as Angkor Wat. Smartraveller reports military strikes, violence and landmines and says there have been casualties. Border crossings in the area are closed. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting behind closed doors on Friday in New York, while Malaysia, which chairs the 10-nation regional bloc that includes both countries, called for an end to hostilities and offered to mediate. A Thai resident prepares to evacuate from home following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers in Sisaket province, Thailand, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (AP) The council did not issue a statement but a council diplomat said all 15 members called on the parties to deescalate, show restraint and resolve the dispute peacefully. The council also urged the regional bloc, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations known as ASEAN, to help resolve the border fighting, the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private. Cambodia's UN Ambassador Chhea Keo told reporters afterward that his country, which called for the emergency meeting, "asked for immediate ceasefires, unconditionally, and we also call for the peaceful solution to the dispute." He responded to accusations that Cambodia attacked Thailand asking how a small country with no air force could attack a much larger country with an army three times its size, stressing, "We do not do that." Keo said the Security Council called for both sides to exercise "maximum restraint and resort to diplomatic solution" which is what Cambodia is calling for as well. Cambodians who fled their villages take refuge in Wat Tham Kambar in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, Friday, July 25, 2025, as Thai and Cambodian soldiers have clashed along the border between their countries in a major escalation. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (AP) Asked what he expects next, the ambassador said: "Let's see how the call can be heard by all the members there." Thailand's UN ambassador left the meeting without stopping to talk to reporters. The Thai Health Ministry said more than 58,000 have fled from villages to temporary shelters in four affected border provinces, while Cambodian authorities said more than 23,000 people have evacuated from areas near the border. The latest flare-up in a long-running border dispute between the two countries has killed at least 19 people in Thailand — mostly civilians —while Cambodia confirmed its first fatality on Friday. Thailand's acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, said on Friday that Cambodia may be guilty of war crimes due to the deaths of civilians and damage caused to a hospital. He said Thailand had exercised the "utmost restraint and patience in the face of provocations and aggression" from Cambodia. Tensions over a disputed border area erupted into fighting after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers on Wednesday. Thai forces examine a landmine near the Cambodian border. (AP) The Thai military reported clashes early on Friday in multiple areas along the border, including near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple claimed by both sides. Associated Press reporters near the border could hear sounds of artillery from early morning hours. The Thai army said Cambodian forces had used heavy artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket launchers, prompting what Thai officials described as "appropriate supporting fire" in return. Thailand said six of its soldiers and 13 civilians were killed, including children, while 29 soldiers and 30 civilians were wounded. Cambodia's chief official in Oddar Meanchey province, Gen. Khov Ly, said a man died Thursday after a Thai rocket hit a Buddhist pagoda where he was hiding. At least four civilians in the province were also wounded on Thursday. The Cambodian Education Ministry claimed that on Friday two Thai rockets had hit a school compound in Oddar Meanchey but caused no injuries. It said all schools in the province have been closed. The Thai army denied it targeted civilian sites in Cambodia, and accused Cambodia of using "human shields" by positioning their weapons near residential areas. Thai people who fled clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers take shelter in Surin province, northeastern Thailand, Thursday, July 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Sunny Chittawil) (AP Photo/Sunny Chittawil) As the fighting intensified, villagers on both sides have been caught in the crossfire, leading many to flee. Around 600 people took shelter at a gymnasium in a university in Surin, Thailand, about 80 kilometres from the border. Evacuees sat in groups, on mats and blankets, and queued for food and drinks. Seamstress Pornpan Sooksai was accompanied by four cats in two fabric carriers. She said she was doing laundry at her home near Ta Muen Thom temple when shelling began on Thursday. "I just heard, boom, boom. We already prepared the cages, clothes and everything, so we ran and carried our things to the car. I was frightened, scared," she recalled. Rattana Meeying, another evacuee, said she had also lived through the 2011 clashes between the two countries but described this flare-up as worse. "Children, old people, were hit out of the blue," she said. "I never imagined it would be this violent." At the nearby Phanom Dong Rak hospital, periodic explosions could be heard on Friday, and a military truck arrived with three injured Thai soldiers, including one who had both legs severed. Thursday's shelling shattered windows at one of the hospital's buildings and damaged its roof. In the neighboring Sisaket province, more villagers took their belongings and left homes in a stream of cars, trucks and motorbikes after they received an evacuation order on Friday. Across the border in Cambodia, villages on the outskirts of Oddar Meanchey province were largely deserted. Homes stood locked, while chickens and dogs roamed outside. Some villagers earlier dug holes to create makeshift underground bunkers, covering them with wood, tarpaulin and zinc sheets to shield themselves from shelling. Families with children were seen packing their belongings on home-made tractors to evacuate, though a few men refused to leave. A remote Buddhist temple surrounded by rice fields accommodated several hundred evacuated villagers. Women rested in hammocks, some cradling babies, while children ran about. Makeshift plastic tents were being set up under the trees. Veng Chin, 74, pleaded with both governments to negotiate a settlement "so that I can return to my home and work on the farm." A convenience store at a gas station is damaged after Cambodia fired artillery shells in Sisaket province, Thailand, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (AP) The conflict marks a rare instance of armed confrontation between ASEAN member countries though Thailand has tangled with Cambodia before over the border and has had sporadic skirmishes with western neighbour Myanmar. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Friday that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to a ceasefire and to withdraw their troops from the border, but requested more time before implementing the action, according to a report by Malaysia's Bernama national news agency. Anwar said he had spoken to both Cambodian leader Hun Manet and Thailand's Phumtham and urged them to open space for "peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolution," while offering to have Malaysia facilitate talks. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also called for restraint and urged both countries to resolve disputes through dialogue, according to U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq. It's the latest flareup in longstanding border tensions The 800-kilometre frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The last major flare-up in 2011 left 20 dead. The current tensions broke out in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics. Things got worse when a land mine wounded five Thai soldiers on Wednesday, leading Bangkok to close the border and expel the Cambodian ambassador. The next day, clashes broke out along the border. Thailand Cambodia World conflict Travel CONTACT US

Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell interviewed by US Justice Department official
Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell interviewed by US Justice Department official

7NEWS

time3 hours ago

  • 7NEWS

Jeffrey Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell interviewed by US Justice Department official

Interviewing Ghislaine Maxwell is the Trump administration's first big move to allay concerns about its hugely unpopular handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche on Friday wrapped up two days of interviews with Epstein's convicted associate. But there were already all kinds of reasons to be sceptical of this move and what it could produce, given the motivations of the two sides involved. And President Donald Trump epitomised all of them in a major way on Friday. While taking questions on his way to Scotland, Trump repeatedly held open the possibility of pardoning Maxwell for her crimes. 'Well, I don't want to talk about that,' Trump said initially. When pressed, he said, 'It's something I haven't thought about,' while conspicuously adding, 'I'm allowed to do it.' This wouldn't be the first time Trump has appeared to dangle a pardon over someone providing evidence that could impact him personally and politically. (In this case, he has demonstrated past personal ties to Epstein, and his administration is scrambling to clean up its botched handling of the Epstein files after previously promising to release them.) A similar situation played out during the Russia investigation, when Trump repeatedly left open the possibility of pardoning key witnesses like Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn and Michael Cohen. Critics alleged this amounted to obstruction of justice. Special counsel Robert Mueller's report didn't draw conclusions on possible obstruction, but it did cite Trump's pardon comments as 'evidence' that Trump's actions 'had the potential to influence Manafort's decision whether to cooperate with the government.' Manafort indeed wound up being a decidedly uncooperative witness, with a bipartisan Senate report saying his repeated lies hamstrung its own investigation. And Trump later pardoned him, in a move that could certainly be understood as a reward for his lack of cooperation. That bit of history looms large here, given the parallels. But Trump is really just exacerbating an already dubious situation. There were already plenty of reasons to be sceptical of this move to interview Maxwell, and nobody involved seems particularly bothered to address those problems or even combat the perception of them. The first reason is the state of play in Maxwell's criminal case. It might seem far-fetched that Trump would ever pardon a convicted child sex-trafficker like Maxwell (even though he did 'wish her well' after she was charged). But there are other things his administration could do to help her. Among them would be taking actions in her ongoing appeal of her 2021 conviction. The Trump Justice Department has already taken highly suspect actions in another criminal case involving someone Trump wanted something politically from: New York Mayor Eric Adams. The administration earlier this year moved to dismiss the charges against Adams, while suggestively citing its desire for the New York Democrat to assist in its crackdown on illegal immigration. Multiple prosecutors resigned in protest, with one claiming it was a 'quid pro quo' in her resignation letter. And the judge in the case appeared to sympathise. 'Everything here smacks of a bargain: Dismissal of the indictment in exchange for immigration policy concessions,' the judge said. Maxwell's lawyer, David Oscar Markus, has also been remarkably solicitous of Trump and the administration. Openness to a pardon Last week he called Trump the 'ultimate dealmaker' while claiming that the Justice Department had violated a deal with Maxwell. This week, he praised the Trump administration's 'commitment to uncovering the truth in this case' and said he and Maxwell were 'grateful that the government is trying to uncover the truth.' Markus on Friday also suggested an openness to a pardon. 'The president this morning said he had the power to do so,' Markus said, 'and we hope he exercises that power in a right and just way.' Indeed, also relevant here are the lawyers involved. Critics have cried foul that the DOJ official interviewing Maxwell was Blanche, rather than a non-political prosecutor who has been involved in the case who would have much more expertise. Not only is Blanche a top political appointee of Trump's; he's also his formal personal lawyer. 'The conflict of interest is glaring,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said Thursday on X. 'It stinks of high corruption.' What's more, Blanche appeared on a podcast last year with Markus and labelled him a 'friend.' 'You are by far the best out there,' Blanche said. But one of the biggest reasons to be sceptical is that Maxwell is someone the Trump Justice Department – the first one, at least – labelled a brazen liar. Back in 2020, the DOJ charged Maxwell with two counts of perjury – on top of the more serious charges she faced – while citing a 2016 civil deposition she gave. In the deposition, Maxwell claimed no knowledge of Epstein's 'scheme to recruit underage girls for sexual massages,' despite later being convicted of helping in the effort. She also claimed she didn't know about Epstein possessing sex toys, which was contradicted by witnesses at her trial. Maxwell's lawyers at the time said 'the questions asked were confusing, ambiguous, and improperly formed.' She was never actually tried for perjury. After her conviction on the more serious charges, prosecutors agreed to dismiss the perjury charges if her conviction stood, citing a desire to avoid further emotional trauma for the victims. But the Trump Justice Department in 2020 still called her credibility into question. In a 2020 filing, it said Maxwell's lies 'should give the Court serious pause' about trusting her. It also said Maxwell's 'willingness to brazenly lie under oath about her conduct … strongly suggests her true motive has been and remains to avoid being held accountable for her crimes.' All of that would seem relevant to today, especially given Trump's demonstrated willingness to wield his power to help people who help him – whether using pardons or anything else. Maxwell, who has years left in her 20-year prison sentence, clearly has motivation to say things Trump wants. That doesn't mean the interviews of Maxwell couldn't glean something important. Even witnesses with credibility problems can provide important information, if it's corroborated with other evidence. But right now, Trump and Co. aren't trying very hard to make this situation look kosher. And Trump's pardon comments take that to another level.

Ken Henry says tax system is failing young Australians and warns the case for lifting tax-to-GDP ratio is now ‘much, much stronger'
Ken Henry says tax system is failing young Australians and warns the case for lifting tax-to-GDP ratio is now ‘much, much stronger'

Sky News AU

time5 hours ago

  • Sky News AU

Ken Henry says tax system is failing young Australians and warns the case for lifting tax-to-GDP ratio is now ‘much, much stronger'

Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has urged Australia to 'prepare ourselves for the worst,' cautioning that while he hopes the government can avoid lifting the nation's tax-to-GDP ratio, the argument for doing so is now 'much, much stronger'. Mr Henry made the comments at a tax reform roundtable hosted by independent MP Allegra Spender on Friday, where he outlined the need to reduce reliance on income tax and flagged concerns about the growing economic burden on younger Australians. 'Tax reform packages must be revenue neutral, and I suggest that we should be thinking about designing the tax system that would do least economic damage as we lift the revenue-to-GDP ratio over time,' Mr Henry said. 'I can understand that some people don't want to quantitate that prospect, but we've been aware of the need to avoid that prospect for 23 years since the first intergenerational report was published in 2002 and the case for having to lift the tax-to-GDP ratio is much, much stronger, but I still hope we can avoid it.' Mr Henry, who served as Treasury boss from 2001 to 2011, said the current tax mix was too heavily dependent on personal income tax and offered little fairness between generations. He argued the system should do more to support productivity growth, warning that bracket creep – where inflation pushes workers into higher tax brackets – placed disproportionate pressure on the young. 'We need to reduce reliance on bracket creep,' he said, adding that boosting productivity was essential for raising wages and lifting national revenue without further tax hikes. Mr Henry also didn't shy away from politically sensitive areas, calling for reforms that could improve housing affordability. He said the government should be open to examining negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions for property investors. 'Anything that makes housing more affordable,' he said, should be on the table. In a stark assessment of Australia's preparedness for a changing global economy, Mr Henry said the tax system was no longer suited to today's challenges. 'The current tax system is not fit for today's increasingly dangerous times,' he said. 'I used the word dangerous quite deliberately.' He also raised concerns about high corporate tax rates deterring overseas investment, while suggesting that politically favoured sectors were under-taxed. Ms Spender, the Member for Wentworth, echoed Mr Henry's concerns and said younger Australians were bearing the brunt of a tax system stacked against them. 'We have a tax system that taxes people most heavily when they are young and under most financial pressure – paying off student loans, trying to buy a house, starting families, paying childcare – and less when they can afford it,' she said. 'Young people are the group that can least afford it.' Speaking ahead of the roundtable, Ms Spender said her goal was to make tax reform more relatable to the broader public, even if that meant stepping outside her comfort zone. 'We're actually doing lifestreaming on YouTube. I've been doing some slightly cringe-worthy Instagram videos on tax reform recently, just trying to bring more people into this conversation,' she said on ABC Radio National. 'Because tax matters to all people, it influences our country, but it's sometimes pretty hard to get your head round and I do want people to be able to get informed.' Ms Spender said Friday's discussion was part of a broader push, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers set to convene his own tax roundtables in the coming weeks. 'The Treasurer has now opened the door to tax reform,' she said. 'I feel that tax reform has the opportunity to help Australia solve some of its biggest problems like sluggish productivity growth, like the fact that young people can't get ahead, like the fact that we need to make this climate transition as cheap as possible. 'But to be honest tax hasn't really been on the table until now.' Treasurer Jim Chalmers has welcomed Ms Spender's initiative, saying he would 'obviously listen to and respect the views put forward'.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store