‘Difficult terrain ahead' for Sussan Ley as Liberal leader
Senior Liberal figures have declared that the Liberal and National parties are better together amid ongoing negotiations to determine the future of the Coalition partnership.
Fallout from the election result has put the partnership on the chopping block after the Nationals held all their lower house seats while the Liberals lost more than a dozen.
'I wish Sussan Ley well but it's going to be a difficult terrain ahead for her,' Mr Barnett said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
MARK RILEY: Coalition must adopt cautious approach as it bids for relevance in new-look Parliament
If Jim Chalmers wants to see what real productivity looks like, he needs only wander into the basement at Parliament House and visit the name-plate makers. Tucked away behind the wood shop and the paint shop, off the subterranean corridor known as 'Bourke Street', the plate makers are beavering away at an unprecedented mountain of work. The unexpected enormity of the Albanese Government's election win has created a plate-making boom. When the 47th Parliament has its ceremonial opening on Tuesday, 49 new members of the House of Representatives and 17 new senators will assume their seats for the first time. There have also been 17 ministerial and assistant ministerial changes to the Government team since the election. All those new MPs and senators and ministers, and assistant ministers require name plates to hang outside their offices and display on their desks. The plate-making team has been flat-strap keeping up with demand. The change in the complexion of the Parliament will become unavoidably obvious on Wednesday when the houses sit for the first time to consider business. Tuesday is purely a ceremonial day. There aren't enough seats on the Government benches to accommodate all 94 Labor MPs. Many will have to relocate across the aisle to claim spots normally reserved for Opposition members. And there will be so few Coalition MPs that those who haven't snared a shadow ministry position will all huddle in a bunch behind the leader to fill her camera shot and create the illusion of numbers that don't exist. In between that huddle and the expanded crossbench will be a vast emptiness, an electoral crater blasted into the landscape by the conservative forces' catastrophic defeat. That void will serve as a constant reminder to Sussan Ley and her team that they are effectively powerless to stop any Government legislation passing through the House. Their only opportunities will come during question time. But they should use them wisely. The temptation will be to go hell for leather after everyone and everything that moves on the Government benches in a desperate quest for relevance. But it is a temptation they should resist. Those who have been around for a while will know what happens when impatient oppositions overplay their hands. Think Malcolm Turnbull and the ute-gate disaster. Real opportunities will present themselves. Big governments can overplay their hands, too, just as John Howard did with WorkChoices when he controlled both houses between 2004 and 2007. The main game, as always, will be the economy. The Opposition should concentrate on that. The Budget presents them with rich pickings, like the heroic assumption that government spending will halve from a vertiginous 6 per cent last financial year to 3 per cent. Independent observers know there is little chance of Treasurer Jim Chalmers achieving that without increasing tax revenues. Some of those observers suspect the coming productivity roundtable has been designed to create cover for him to do that. That should be easy to exploit for an Opposition that is already framing the second Albanese Government as a 'typical tax-and-spend' Labor outfit. And although a massive majority is a good problem for a government to have, it can still be a problem nonetheless. Labor's gains in the Senate mean it no longer has to negotiate with a fractious crossbench to pass its bills. It only needs the Greens. But that is as perilous as it sounds. The Greens will routinely attempt to drag Labor's legislation to the left as the price for its balance of power votes. Over time, that will build the impression of a Labor Party shifting inexorably leftwards from its preferred position closer to the centre. And that will present the Coalition with a critical choice. It can either allow Labor to make that drift and attempt to claim the vacant centre itself, or it can offer its own balance of power numbers on legislation and drag the Government in the other direction — towards the values of the conservative right. The best approach? Make that choice on a case-by-case basis. So, while the most visible theatre of the 48th Parliament might still be in House of Representatives question time, the big show will be in the Senate. And how the Opposition performs there will largely determine how many of the name plates after the next election are made for Coalition MPs.
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Skipper plans to appeal conviction for creating waves at Labor Party fundraiser
A power boat skipper who targeted a century-old passenger ferry carrying Labor Party MPs as part of a protest against the party's offshore wind policy has been convicted and fined $500. Jared Luke Banek, 47, who previously pleaded guilty to interfering with the use of the Port Stephens waterway, indicated that he would appeal the sentence. Labor senator Deborah O'Neill, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and about 50 Labor party supporters were aboard the 102-year-old Wangi Queen in waters off Lemon Tree Passage to raise money for then Port Stephens mayoral candidate Leah Anderson on August 11 last year. Two federal police officers were also on board. A number of anti-wind farm protesters were in the vicinity when the ferry left the Lemon Tree Passage wharf at about 10.30am. Facts tendered to the court said Mr Banek attended the area to protest in his 17.5m power boat, Reel Issues. Mr Banek, who had three passengers on board, made the first of three passes of the Wangi Queen at 11.33am The first two passes created wakes of about a metre while the third wake was less than a metre. The skipper was forced to take evasive action on each occasion in order to minimise the wakes' impact. Several of those on board the ferry said they were alarmed as the vessel rolled when the waves struck. The Wangi Queen skipper contacted the water police following the first pass to complain about the conduct of Reel Issues and a number of smaller vessels that were swarming the vessel. Reel Issues was intercepted, and Mr Banek was spoken to. He was later charged with menacing navigation, reckless navigation and negligent navigation. Mr Banek pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were subsequently withdrawn in June. Instead, he pleaded guilty to the lesser, rarely used charge of operating a vessel in a manner that interferes with the use of waters under the Marine Safety Act 1998. The maximum penalty for the offence is a $5500 fine. Raymond Terrace Local Court heard on Thursday that Mr Banek was of prior good character and had held a maritime licence for 32 years. Seven references attested to his volunteer work in the community and involvement in maritime rescue operations. Despite that, Magistrate Gregory Moore said Mr Banek's actions towards Wangi Queen were not a trivial matter. "I do not regard it as trivial. I regard it as a serious example of this type of offending," he said. Mr Banek told the Newcastle Herald that he planned to appeal the sentence because an expert maritime report, which showed the Wangi Queen had not been placed in danger during the protest, had not been taken into account. "The truth is going to come out," he said. Mr Banek's boating licence, which was suspended following the incident, was reinstated in June. A power boat skipper who targeted a century-old passenger ferry carrying Labor Party MPs as part of a protest against the party's offshore wind policy has been convicted and fined $500. Jared Luke Banek, 47, who previously pleaded guilty to interfering with the use of the Port Stephens waterway, indicated that he would appeal the sentence. Labor senator Deborah O'Neill, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and about 50 Labor party supporters were aboard the 102-year-old Wangi Queen in waters off Lemon Tree Passage to raise money for then Port Stephens mayoral candidate Leah Anderson on August 11 last year. Two federal police officers were also on board. A number of anti-wind farm protesters were in the vicinity when the ferry left the Lemon Tree Passage wharf at about 10.30am. Facts tendered to the court said Mr Banek attended the area to protest in his 17.5m power boat, Reel Issues. Mr Banek, who had three passengers on board, made the first of three passes of the Wangi Queen at 11.33am The first two passes created wakes of about a metre while the third wake was less than a metre. The skipper was forced to take evasive action on each occasion in order to minimise the wakes' impact. Several of those on board the ferry said they were alarmed as the vessel rolled when the waves struck. The Wangi Queen skipper contacted the water police following the first pass to complain about the conduct of Reel Issues and a number of smaller vessels that were swarming the vessel. Reel Issues was intercepted, and Mr Banek was spoken to. He was later charged with menacing navigation, reckless navigation and negligent navigation. Mr Banek pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were subsequently withdrawn in June. Instead, he pleaded guilty to the lesser, rarely used charge of operating a vessel in a manner that interferes with the use of waters under the Marine Safety Act 1998. The maximum penalty for the offence is a $5500 fine. Raymond Terrace Local Court heard on Thursday that Mr Banek was of prior good character and had held a maritime licence for 32 years. Seven references attested to his volunteer work in the community and involvement in maritime rescue operations. Despite that, Magistrate Gregory Moore said Mr Banek's actions towards Wangi Queen were not a trivial matter. "I do not regard it as trivial. I regard it as a serious example of this type of offending," he said. Mr Banek told the Newcastle Herald that he planned to appeal the sentence because an expert maritime report, which showed the Wangi Queen had not been placed in danger during the protest, had not been taken into account. "The truth is going to come out," he said. Mr Banek's boating licence, which was suspended following the incident, was reinstated in June. A power boat skipper who targeted a century-old passenger ferry carrying Labor Party MPs as part of a protest against the party's offshore wind policy has been convicted and fined $500. Jared Luke Banek, 47, who previously pleaded guilty to interfering with the use of the Port Stephens waterway, indicated that he would appeal the sentence. Labor senator Deborah O'Neill, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and about 50 Labor party supporters were aboard the 102-year-old Wangi Queen in waters off Lemon Tree Passage to raise money for then Port Stephens mayoral candidate Leah Anderson on August 11 last year. Two federal police officers were also on board. A number of anti-wind farm protesters were in the vicinity when the ferry left the Lemon Tree Passage wharf at about 10.30am. Facts tendered to the court said Mr Banek attended the area to protest in his 17.5m power boat, Reel Issues. Mr Banek, who had three passengers on board, made the first of three passes of the Wangi Queen at 11.33am The first two passes created wakes of about a metre while the third wake was less than a metre. The skipper was forced to take evasive action on each occasion in order to minimise the wakes' impact. Several of those on board the ferry said they were alarmed as the vessel rolled when the waves struck. The Wangi Queen skipper contacted the water police following the first pass to complain about the conduct of Reel Issues and a number of smaller vessels that were swarming the vessel. Reel Issues was intercepted, and Mr Banek was spoken to. He was later charged with menacing navigation, reckless navigation and negligent navigation. Mr Banek pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were subsequently withdrawn in June. Instead, he pleaded guilty to the lesser, rarely used charge of operating a vessel in a manner that interferes with the use of waters under the Marine Safety Act 1998. The maximum penalty for the offence is a $5500 fine. Raymond Terrace Local Court heard on Thursday that Mr Banek was of prior good character and had held a maritime licence for 32 years. Seven references attested to his volunteer work in the community and involvement in maritime rescue operations. Despite that, Magistrate Gregory Moore said Mr Banek's actions towards Wangi Queen were not a trivial matter. "I do not regard it as trivial. I regard it as a serious example of this type of offending," he said. Mr Banek told the Newcastle Herald that he planned to appeal the sentence because an expert maritime report, which showed the Wangi Queen had not been placed in danger during the protest, had not been taken into account. "The truth is going to come out," he said. Mr Banek's boating licence, which was suspended following the incident, was reinstated in June. A power boat skipper who targeted a century-old passenger ferry carrying Labor Party MPs as part of a protest against the party's offshore wind policy has been convicted and fined $500. Jared Luke Banek, 47, who previously pleaded guilty to interfering with the use of the Port Stephens waterway, indicated that he would appeal the sentence. Labor senator Deborah O'Neill, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and about 50 Labor party supporters were aboard the 102-year-old Wangi Queen in waters off Lemon Tree Passage to raise money for then Port Stephens mayoral candidate Leah Anderson on August 11 last year. Two federal police officers were also on board. A number of anti-wind farm protesters were in the vicinity when the ferry left the Lemon Tree Passage wharf at about 10.30am. Facts tendered to the court said Mr Banek attended the area to protest in his 17.5m power boat, Reel Issues. Mr Banek, who had three passengers on board, made the first of three passes of the Wangi Queen at 11.33am The first two passes created wakes of about a metre while the third wake was less than a metre. The skipper was forced to take evasive action on each occasion in order to minimise the wakes' impact. Several of those on board the ferry said they were alarmed as the vessel rolled when the waves struck. The Wangi Queen skipper contacted the water police following the first pass to complain about the conduct of Reel Issues and a number of smaller vessels that were swarming the vessel. Reel Issues was intercepted, and Mr Banek was spoken to. He was later charged with menacing navigation, reckless navigation and negligent navigation. Mr Banek pleaded not guilty to the charges, which were subsequently withdrawn in June. Instead, he pleaded guilty to the lesser, rarely used charge of operating a vessel in a manner that interferes with the use of waters under the Marine Safety Act 1998. The maximum penalty for the offence is a $5500 fine. Raymond Terrace Local Court heard on Thursday that Mr Banek was of prior good character and had held a maritime licence for 32 years. Seven references attested to his volunteer work in the community and involvement in maritime rescue operations. Despite that, Magistrate Gregory Moore said Mr Banek's actions towards Wangi Queen were not a trivial matter. "I do not regard it as trivial. I regard it as a serious example of this type of offending," he said. Mr Banek told the Newcastle Herald that he planned to appeal the sentence because an expert maritime report, which showed the Wangi Queen had not been placed in danger during the protest, had not been taken into account. "The truth is going to come out," he said. Mr Banek's boating licence, which was suspended following the incident, was reinstated in June.
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
'Respect never cost anything': PM defends China outcome
Anthony Albanese has hit back at the coalition over claims of "indulgence" during his China trip, saying his rivals don't understand the importance of respect in diplomacy. The prime minister's itinerary has included retracing the steps of Gough Whitlam on the Great Wall of China and a panda research centre in the southwestern city of Chengdu as his visit nears the end. Back home, the optics of visiting popular tourist sites attracted sniping from the opposition. Coalition frontbencher James Paterson suggested the prime minister was enjoying himself too much. "I do wonder whether a Gough Whitlam history tour on the Great Wall of China, whether a visit to Chengdu to pose with some pandas, and whether a hit of tennis is strictly necessary as part of a six-day visit to China, when there is so much else at stake in our other international relationships around the world," he told Sky News on Thursday. "And frankly, I have to say that some of this is starting to look a little bit indulgent." Mr Albanese has himself been eager to draw links between his tour and those of former Labor prime ministers Whitlam and Bob Hawke, who also visited the giant pandas in 1986. What those and his visits achieved was building respect between Australia and China, which would in turn result in better economic and diplomatic outcomes, he said. "Those pictures go to 27 million people, potentially, in Australia. They go to over a billion people in China," Mr Albanese told reporters in Chengdu. "And those billion people represent people who are increasingly rising up the income ladder and are potential tourists and therefore job creators in Australia. "If James Patterson doesn't understand that, then he doesn't understand much. "The Great Wall of China symbolises the extraordinary history and culture here in China, and showing a bit of respect to people never cost anything. You know what it does, it gives you a reward." Mr Albanese's trip has been shorter on concrete outcomes than in previous years, when his resumption of dialogue with China saw $20 billion worth of Chinese trade sanctions lifted from Australian exports. But the welcome has been warmer and coverage from Chinese state media more effusive than at any time since before the breakdown in Sino-Australian relations in 2020. A few agreements to boost trade and tourism links have been reached. But the increased dialogue and co-operation in areas from green steel to medical technology were part of a gradual improvement in relations that would advance Australia's national interests, Mr Albanese said. "You don't go from a position of where we were into absolute agreement on everything. That's not the goal." Despite the improving mood, China and Australia still have many issues they disagree on. In meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, Mr Albanese raised concerns over China not providing advance notice of naval live-fire drills off Australia that forced commercial flights to divert. Meanwhile, Mr Li has voiced his dismay over Australia's stringent restrictions on foreign investment from China, imploring the Australian government not to treat Chinese firms unfairly. "We have different political systems, but it has been constructive and has been an important step in the developing of our relationship," Mr Albanese said. Anthony Albanese has hit back at the coalition over claims of "indulgence" during his China trip, saying his rivals don't understand the importance of respect in diplomacy. The prime minister's itinerary has included retracing the steps of Gough Whitlam on the Great Wall of China and a panda research centre in the southwestern city of Chengdu as his visit nears the end. Back home, the optics of visiting popular tourist sites attracted sniping from the opposition. Coalition frontbencher James Paterson suggested the prime minister was enjoying himself too much. "I do wonder whether a Gough Whitlam history tour on the Great Wall of China, whether a visit to Chengdu to pose with some pandas, and whether a hit of tennis is strictly necessary as part of a six-day visit to China, when there is so much else at stake in our other international relationships around the world," he told Sky News on Thursday. "And frankly, I have to say that some of this is starting to look a little bit indulgent." Mr Albanese has himself been eager to draw links between his tour and those of former Labor prime ministers Whitlam and Bob Hawke, who also visited the giant pandas in 1986. What those and his visits achieved was building respect between Australia and China, which would in turn result in better economic and diplomatic outcomes, he said. "Those pictures go to 27 million people, potentially, in Australia. They go to over a billion people in China," Mr Albanese told reporters in Chengdu. "And those billion people represent people who are increasingly rising up the income ladder and are potential tourists and therefore job creators in Australia. "If James Patterson doesn't understand that, then he doesn't understand much. "The Great Wall of China symbolises the extraordinary history and culture here in China, and showing a bit of respect to people never cost anything. You know what it does, it gives you a reward." Mr Albanese's trip has been shorter on concrete outcomes than in previous years, when his resumption of dialogue with China saw $20 billion worth of Chinese trade sanctions lifted from Australian exports. But the welcome has been warmer and coverage from Chinese state media more effusive than at any time since before the breakdown in Sino-Australian relations in 2020. A few agreements to boost trade and tourism links have been reached. But the increased dialogue and co-operation in areas from green steel to medical technology were part of a gradual improvement in relations that would advance Australia's national interests, Mr Albanese said. "You don't go from a position of where we were into absolute agreement on everything. That's not the goal." Despite the improving mood, China and Australia still have many issues they disagree on. In meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, Mr Albanese raised concerns over China not providing advance notice of naval live-fire drills off Australia that forced commercial flights to divert. Meanwhile, Mr Li has voiced his dismay over Australia's stringent restrictions on foreign investment from China, imploring the Australian government not to treat Chinese firms unfairly. "We have different political systems, but it has been constructive and has been an important step in the developing of our relationship," Mr Albanese said. Anthony Albanese has hit back at the coalition over claims of "indulgence" during his China trip, saying his rivals don't understand the importance of respect in diplomacy. The prime minister's itinerary has included retracing the steps of Gough Whitlam on the Great Wall of China and a panda research centre in the southwestern city of Chengdu as his visit nears the end. Back home, the optics of visiting popular tourist sites attracted sniping from the opposition. Coalition frontbencher James Paterson suggested the prime minister was enjoying himself too much. "I do wonder whether a Gough Whitlam history tour on the Great Wall of China, whether a visit to Chengdu to pose with some pandas, and whether a hit of tennis is strictly necessary as part of a six-day visit to China, when there is so much else at stake in our other international relationships around the world," he told Sky News on Thursday. "And frankly, I have to say that some of this is starting to look a little bit indulgent." Mr Albanese has himself been eager to draw links between his tour and those of former Labor prime ministers Whitlam and Bob Hawke, who also visited the giant pandas in 1986. What those and his visits achieved was building respect between Australia and China, which would in turn result in better economic and diplomatic outcomes, he said. "Those pictures go to 27 million people, potentially, in Australia. They go to over a billion people in China," Mr Albanese told reporters in Chengdu. "And those billion people represent people who are increasingly rising up the income ladder and are potential tourists and therefore job creators in Australia. "If James Patterson doesn't understand that, then he doesn't understand much. "The Great Wall of China symbolises the extraordinary history and culture here in China, and showing a bit of respect to people never cost anything. You know what it does, it gives you a reward." Mr Albanese's trip has been shorter on concrete outcomes than in previous years, when his resumption of dialogue with China saw $20 billion worth of Chinese trade sanctions lifted from Australian exports. But the welcome has been warmer and coverage from Chinese state media more effusive than at any time since before the breakdown in Sino-Australian relations in 2020. A few agreements to boost trade and tourism links have been reached. But the increased dialogue and co-operation in areas from green steel to medical technology were part of a gradual improvement in relations that would advance Australia's national interests, Mr Albanese said. "You don't go from a position of where we were into absolute agreement on everything. That's not the goal." Despite the improving mood, China and Australia still have many issues they disagree on. In meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, Mr Albanese raised concerns over China not providing advance notice of naval live-fire drills off Australia that forced commercial flights to divert. Meanwhile, Mr Li has voiced his dismay over Australia's stringent restrictions on foreign investment from China, imploring the Australian government not to treat Chinese firms unfairly. "We have different political systems, but it has been constructive and has been an important step in the developing of our relationship," Mr Albanese said. Anthony Albanese has hit back at the coalition over claims of "indulgence" during his China trip, saying his rivals don't understand the importance of respect in diplomacy. The prime minister's itinerary has included retracing the steps of Gough Whitlam on the Great Wall of China and a panda research centre in the southwestern city of Chengdu as his visit nears the end. Back home, the optics of visiting popular tourist sites attracted sniping from the opposition. Coalition frontbencher James Paterson suggested the prime minister was enjoying himself too much. "I do wonder whether a Gough Whitlam history tour on the Great Wall of China, whether a visit to Chengdu to pose with some pandas, and whether a hit of tennis is strictly necessary as part of a six-day visit to China, when there is so much else at stake in our other international relationships around the world," he told Sky News on Thursday. "And frankly, I have to say that some of this is starting to look a little bit indulgent." Mr Albanese has himself been eager to draw links between his tour and those of former Labor prime ministers Whitlam and Bob Hawke, who also visited the giant pandas in 1986. What those and his visits achieved was building respect between Australia and China, which would in turn result in better economic and diplomatic outcomes, he said. "Those pictures go to 27 million people, potentially, in Australia. They go to over a billion people in China," Mr Albanese told reporters in Chengdu. "And those billion people represent people who are increasingly rising up the income ladder and are potential tourists and therefore job creators in Australia. "If James Patterson doesn't understand that, then he doesn't understand much. "The Great Wall of China symbolises the extraordinary history and culture here in China, and showing a bit of respect to people never cost anything. You know what it does, it gives you a reward." Mr Albanese's trip has been shorter on concrete outcomes than in previous years, when his resumption of dialogue with China saw $20 billion worth of Chinese trade sanctions lifted from Australian exports. But the welcome has been warmer and coverage from Chinese state media more effusive than at any time since before the breakdown in Sino-Australian relations in 2020. A few agreements to boost trade and tourism links have been reached. But the increased dialogue and co-operation in areas from green steel to medical technology were part of a gradual improvement in relations that would advance Australia's national interests, Mr Albanese said. "You don't go from a position of where we were into absolute agreement on everything. That's not the goal." Despite the improving mood, China and Australia still have many issues they disagree on. In meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, Mr Albanese raised concerns over China not providing advance notice of naval live-fire drills off Australia that forced commercial flights to divert. Meanwhile, Mr Li has voiced his dismay over Australia's stringent restrictions on foreign investment from China, imploring the Australian government not to treat Chinese firms unfairly. "We have different political systems, but it has been constructive and has been an important step in the developing of our relationship," Mr Albanese said.
