Labor spends $1.5 million in taxpayer funds to attend climate change summit
'Think like Chris Bowen here … how many people does it take to represent Australia at an international climate conference, that is in part sort of screwing over the Australian economy,'
'Perhaps a Zoom conference or a giant Microsoft Teams work would do.'
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Sky News AU
24 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
'Ashamed': Albanese government's decision to recognise Palestine branded 'absolute worst' foreign policy move after Hamas praise
The Albanese government's decision to recognise Palestine has been branded 'foreign policy at its absolute worst', after the announcement was praised by Hamas and criticised by the United States' top diplomat. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has claimed the government's decision to recognise Palestine at an upcoming United Nations meeting would help to 'isolate Hamas'. However, this was called into question on Wednesday when the listed terrorist organisation released a statement endorsing the move and praising Mr Albanese's 'political courage'. Speaking to Sky News Australia on Wednesday evening, veteran foreign affairs editor Greg Sheridan said it was shameful to see an Australian prime minister receiving such praise. 'I'm ashamed that an Australian Prime Minister is being lavishly praised by the most bloodthirsty, sick, sadistic, sexualized, sadistic terrorist group in the world, who praise his courage and say that he has advanced their cause,' Mr Sheridan said. The veteran journalist and foreign editor at The Australian said the Albanese government had achieved something unique in the nation's history, being both praised by a terrorist group and criticised by a key ally. 'On the same day it has been lavishly praised by the worst terrorist group in the world… the United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, a long-time friend of Australia, (and) very responsible, seasoned internationalist US Senator… says that Albanese is engaged in worthless populism for domestic politics,' he said. 'He could have been a lot tougher on it than that. 'Yet according to Albanese, Marco Rubio knows nothing about the Middle East… and Hamas knows nothing about what's in Hamas interests. Albanese and Penny Wong know everything - they've apparently dealt a death blow to Hamas and earned the thanks of the free world. 'I mean, this is Australian foreign policy at its absolute worst. When you are loved by the terrorists and you are making your closest allies pull their hair out in frustration, you are on the wrong course.' Asked about the growing number of countries who have announced plans to recognise Palestine at the September meeting of the UN, Secretary Rubio said such moves were 'largely meaningless'. 'It's symbolic, and they're doing it primarily for one reason, and that is their internal politics, their domestic politics,' he said. 'The truth of the matter is that the future of that region is not going to be decided by some UN resolution. It's not going to be decided by some press release by prime minister or president from some country. It's going to be decided on the ground, fact. 'All these statements are meaningless… They're not going to change anything.' The federal Coalition also lashed out at the decision on Wednesday, with shadow foreign minister Michaelia Cash saying it was a 'sad day for our nation'. 'Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should hang his head in shame after being praised today by the terrorist group Hamas for his decision to recognise a Palestinian state,' Senator Cash said in a statement. 'Mr Albanese has emboldened a terror group who murder civilians in cold blood and still hold 50 Israeli hostages in tunnels under Gaza. 'All Australians should be appalled at the massive propaganda victory Mr Albanese has handed Hamas on a platter.' However, Australia is not alone in announcing plans to recognise Palestine. French President Emmanual Macron, United Kingdom Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney have all recently announced similar plans.
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
US urges Australia and regional allies to increase military spending, warning that time is running out to deter Beijing
The United States has ramped up its call for a stronger military posture from Australia and its Asian allies, warning they cannot afford to lag behind while European nations dramatically boost their defence spending in response to global threats. With the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pacific looming, the Pentagon has issued a clear message - deterrence against China must become a collective priority. Senior US defence officials are looking to fortify military ties across the Indo-Pacific, with a pointed focus on Canberra and Tokyo. 'We need our allies to step up,' a US defence official told the Australian. 'How does it make sense for our Asian allies to sit back while the Europeans are stepping up and committing to 5 per cent of GDP to deal with Russia, which is one tenth the GDP of China?' While NATO members agreed in June to lift defence spending to five per cent of GDP, Washington sees Asian partners as lagging behind. South Korea has been singled out as a model ally, praised for its robust defence budget and substantial standing forces. Australia, by contrast, is facing criticism from US officials who argue Canberra is not investing enough, even to fulfil its commitments under AUKUS Pillar 1, which involves acquiring at least three US-built Virginia-class nuclear submarines. 'On defence spending, the objective analysis is that the Australian government is not spending enough on defence, even for Pillar I,' the official continued. 'This is a very real near-term problem. We have essentially no time in defence terms before 2027.' The year 2027 is viewed within the Pentagon as a key strategic benchmark, with intelligence suggesting Beijing could be in a position to launch an attempt to take Taiwan by then. In Washington, there's growing unease that Australia may not be pulling its weight. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's recent Curtin Oration, in which he praised former PM John Curtin for resisting pressure from wartime leaders Churchill and Roosevelt, has reportedly triggered concerns among Trump-aligned figures. The speech was seen as a subtle signal of resistance to rising American expectations, especially in light of mounting calls for Australia to commit more resources to AUKUS and the wider regional deterrence posture. Inside the Pentagon, key strategic goals include strengthening homeland defence, reinvigorating the US industrial base, countering China's growing assertiveness, and ensuring allies 'do more to pick up slack'. The ongoing AUKUS review, led by Pentagon policy chief Elbridge Colby, is being described as 'fact-based, rigorous, and empirical'. It covers both Pillar 1 and Pillar 2, the latter focused on sharing advanced defence technologies with Australia and the UK. 'I think the main thrust of the review is to give people a real brass-tacks, clear-eyed understanding of where things stand,' a US official explained. Australia has already pledged $1.6 billion to support the US shipbuilding sector under the AUKUS framework.
9 News
2 hours ago
- 9 News
The crucial factor that could soon cost every Aussie $14,000 a year
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Productivity: it's the crucial economic principle that has helped propel Australians into some of the best living standards in the world. But even as politicians and economists discuss it more and more, ahead of the federal government's crucial upcoming roundtable, it's something that many people still don't quite understand. So what actually is productivity, and why are experts so concerned with it at the moment? This is what you need to know. Productivity has driven the massive improvement in Australian living standards since mid-last century. (Edwina Pickles/SMH) Think of productivity as working smarter, not harder. Economically speaking, productivity is the amount of output you get from a set of inputs. Inputs are things like labour – often measured as the number of employees or number of hours worked – and capital, while output is the amount of goods and services produced. For a basic example, let's say a fast food outlet employs five staff, who work a combined 200 hours per week, and produces 5000 burgers over the course of that week. Its productivity would be 25 burgers per hour worked. So, put super simply, productivity is how much stuff you get from a set amount of effort. Productivity growth has been slowing in Australia and most other advanced economies. (Louie Douvis/AFR) Productivity itself isn't falling, but productivity growth is most certainly on the decline in Australia. The Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) main, top-line measure of productivity growth has fallen substantially in recent years. In 2022-23, the 20-year average annual growth rate had fallen to 0.9 per cent, down from 1.2 per cent the year before and just half of the 1.8 per cent it was in 2003-04. It's important to note this problem isn't unique to Australia; just about every developed country is experiencing slowing productivity. Improved productivity is responsible for Australians' improved living standards. It leads to higher wages, more (and cheaper and better-quality) goods and services available, bigger profits for businesses, and overall economic growth. It also even paves the way for more leisure time; according to the Productivity Commission, the average Australian now spends five fewer hours at work every week than in 1960 due to better productivity. But if growth continues to slow, it puts all those benefits at risk. Improved productivity has allowed companies to produce more goods that are both cheaper and better quality. (Getty) To put a dollar figure on it, the Productivity Commission estimates that full-time workers will be $14,000 a year worse off by 2035 if Australia can't rediscover its previous growth and instead continues on its current trend. "The implications of that, I think, are already being felt," RBA Governor Michele Bullock said on August 12. "Real wages are not rising by very much, because that's the implication of slow productivity growth is that real wages can't grow as quickly. "If we can get productivity growth up, that will allow for more growth in real wages, which is ultimately good for Australians." Artificial intelligence has been touted as a potential productivity gamechanger. (Getty) While economists have been discussing productivity for decades – the Productivity Commission was established in the late '90s – a few developments have thrust it very firmly into the public eye. That came a week out from the federal government's productivity roundtable (officially the Economic Reform Roundtable), which was announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in June. RBA Governor Michelle Bullock has warned Australians are already feeling the pinch of slowing productivity growth. (Dominic Lorrimer) The roundtable, to be held from August 19-21 in Canberra, will be a three-day discussion involving business and union leaders about how to address stagnating productivity growth. Many of the ideas put forward ahead of the summit have focused on tax (although AI, regulation, and even a four-day working week have also been discussed), following these comments made by Treasurer Jim Chalmers in June. "No sensible progress can be made on productivity, resilience or budget sustainability without proper consideration of more tax reform," he told the National Press Club. "I don't just accept that, I welcome it. Tax is one of many ways our three primary economic challenges are related." Treasurer Jim Chalmers flagged the economic roundtable could lead to tax reform. (Rohan Thomson/AFR) That's the trillion-dollar question. Albanese has been giving mixed messages, at one point ruling out any new tax reform ("the only tax policy that we're implementing is the one that we took to the election") and reminding everyone that he and his ministers get final say on any productivity solutions ("governments make government policy"). But the prime minister has also welcomed the glut of proposals he and Chalmers have been presented with, and has insisted he's "up for big reform" – although it might be something he takes to the next election in 2028. "We're up for discussion, and one of the things I said very clearly was we weren't going to get into the rule-in, rule-out game," he told ABC radio. "We have a big agenda. We were elected with a clear mandate on May 3. That's our priority, delivering on that. "But we're also up for ideas and we're up for things that can be done immediately. If they will improve the economy, then of course we'll give it consideration." Anthony Albanese has ruled out any new tax reform but at the same time said he's open to big ideas. (James Brickwood) Respected economist Richard Holden, who along with independent MP Kate Chaney proposed a revised GST model for the roundtable , said it was crucial that proper reform does come out of the summit. "That's the question: is the upcoming August 19 roundtable going to be a moment for genuinely thinking about bold ideas?" he said. "Or is it going to be another one of these pro-forma... we have three days, we'll put out a press release and we go back to normal? "I hope it's the former." CONTACT US Property News: Rubbish-strewn house overtaken by mould asks $1.2 million.
