Liberals attempt to appeal to both sides on energy policy ‘wasn't meaningful'
Former Labor senator Stephen Conroy says he was 'a little bit cynical' about the nuclear policy announcement.
Mr Conroy told Sky News host Andrew Bolt that they needed to not drive the left and Teal seats 'further away' from themselves.
'So they had to say, 'well we're still committed to Net Zero by 2050', but at the same time they needed to keep the National Party in the card.
'It wasn't meaningful.'
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The Advertiser
21 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Crocodile Hunter's dad fires up over culling proposal
The father of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin has hit out at calls for the large reptiles to be culled in popular waterways, describing it as pointless. Bob Irwin took aim at proposed Queensland laws that would result in crocodiles found in populated sites being killed or relocated. Katter's Australian Party put forward the bill under a long-running campaign to enhance crocodile control laws, claiming numbers had "exploded" in the state's north. Queensland's Liberal National government said it would consider the findings of a parliamentary hearing into the bill and decide whether it was "fit for purpose". Mr Irwin says killing or removing crocodiles is not the answer. "Culling crocodiles is a pointless exercise, absolutely pointless," he told the hearing on Wednesday The Katter party renewed calls for crocodile control after a failed bid under the former Labor government. The bill would allow crocodile culls and safari-style hunting trips, amid claims more than 1200 crocodiles had been spotted in 2023 compared to 126 in 2010. Mr Irwin said if a large crocodile that protected a territory was removed or killed, a "juvenile delinquent" moved in and took over. "You're never going to be able to say to the general public you can swim in that river now, because you won't ever know that there are crocodiles still there," he told the hearing. Mr Irwin helped found Australia Zoo where his son grew up and developed a passion for wildlife, later becoming the world famous Crocodile Hunter before the livewire conservationist's tragic 2006 death. His daughter-in-law Terri Irwin had earlier echoed his concerns in a submission to the committee, saying the proposed laws would increase the likelihood of croc attacks due to a false sense of security in culled areas. The Queensland environment department's deputy director general said education was paramount in preventing crocodile attacks, not culling. "No amount of crocodile removal can guarantee the absence of crocodiles in a waterway, nor can it assure that an area is completely safe to swim," Ben Klaassen told the committee on Wednesday. Some community members threw their support behind the bill, with one group suggesting Aboriginal people should assist crocodile culls. Murrandoo Yanner won a landmark 1999 High Court case that ruled Aboriginal people could hunt crocodiles. He said Aboriginal people in Queensland's Gulf Country were hunting crocodiles and maintaining the population, so there was "no greater group" to aid a pilot culling program. "We hunt and eat them, but we're not in that camp that we just want to totally cull them," the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation stakeholder officer told the committee. "But we also know they're of great cultural significance, and they're in good numbers here, so we manage them very well." Recent estimates reveal there are around 20,000 to 30,000 crocodiles across northern Queensland. Mr Yanner hoped to work with the state government, advising how to cull crocodiles without eradicating the species. Two councils in the state's north, Mareeba and Whitsundays, also want the bill become a reality, saying there was a risk to residents and tourists. Mareeba Shire Council deputy mayor Lenore Wyatt said dozens of saltwater crocs in eastern waterways were not native after some escaped from a nearby farm in the 1990s. The area is already zoned to allow the removal of crocodiles, but the council wanted a faster process, saying a farmer had a reptile in his dam for more than six months. The committee report is due in August. The father of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin has hit out at calls for the large reptiles to be culled in popular waterways, describing it as pointless. Bob Irwin took aim at proposed Queensland laws that would result in crocodiles found in populated sites being killed or relocated. Katter's Australian Party put forward the bill under a long-running campaign to enhance crocodile control laws, claiming numbers had "exploded" in the state's north. Queensland's Liberal National government said it would consider the findings of a parliamentary hearing into the bill and decide whether it was "fit for purpose". Mr Irwin says killing or removing crocodiles is not the answer. "Culling crocodiles is a pointless exercise, absolutely pointless," he told the hearing on Wednesday The Katter party renewed calls for crocodile control after a failed bid under the former Labor government. The bill would allow crocodile culls and safari-style hunting trips, amid claims more than 1200 crocodiles had been spotted in 2023 compared to 126 in 2010. Mr Irwin said if a large crocodile that protected a territory was removed or killed, a "juvenile delinquent" moved in and took over. "You're never going to be able to say to the general public you can swim in that river now, because you won't ever know that there are crocodiles still there," he told the hearing. Mr Irwin helped found Australia Zoo where his son grew up and developed a passion for wildlife, later becoming the world famous Crocodile Hunter before the livewire conservationist's tragic 2006 death. His daughter-in-law Terri Irwin had earlier echoed his concerns in a submission to the committee, saying the proposed laws would increase the likelihood of croc attacks due to a false sense of security in culled areas. The Queensland environment department's deputy director general said education was paramount in preventing crocodile attacks, not culling. "No amount of crocodile removal can guarantee the absence of crocodiles in a waterway, nor can it assure that an area is completely safe to swim," Ben Klaassen told the committee on Wednesday. Some community members threw their support behind the bill, with one group suggesting Aboriginal people should assist crocodile culls. Murrandoo Yanner won a landmark 1999 High Court case that ruled Aboriginal people could hunt crocodiles. He said Aboriginal people in Queensland's Gulf Country were hunting crocodiles and maintaining the population, so there was "no greater group" to aid a pilot culling program. "We hunt and eat them, but we're not in that camp that we just want to totally cull them," the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation stakeholder officer told the committee. "But we also know they're of great cultural significance, and they're in good numbers here, so we manage them very well." Recent estimates reveal there are around 20,000 to 30,000 crocodiles across northern Queensland. Mr Yanner hoped to work with the state government, advising how to cull crocodiles without eradicating the species. Two councils in the state's north, Mareeba and Whitsundays, also want the bill become a reality, saying there was a risk to residents and tourists. Mareeba Shire Council deputy mayor Lenore Wyatt said dozens of saltwater crocs in eastern waterways were not native after some escaped from a nearby farm in the 1990s. The area is already zoned to allow the removal of crocodiles, but the council wanted a faster process, saying a farmer had a reptile in his dam for more than six months. The committee report is due in August. The father of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin has hit out at calls for the large reptiles to be culled in popular waterways, describing it as pointless. Bob Irwin took aim at proposed Queensland laws that would result in crocodiles found in populated sites being killed or relocated. Katter's Australian Party put forward the bill under a long-running campaign to enhance crocodile control laws, claiming numbers had "exploded" in the state's north. Queensland's Liberal National government said it would consider the findings of a parliamentary hearing into the bill and decide whether it was "fit for purpose". Mr Irwin says killing or removing crocodiles is not the answer. "Culling crocodiles is a pointless exercise, absolutely pointless," he told the hearing on Wednesday The Katter party renewed calls for crocodile control after a failed bid under the former Labor government. The bill would allow crocodile culls and safari-style hunting trips, amid claims more than 1200 crocodiles had been spotted in 2023 compared to 126 in 2010. Mr Irwin said if a large crocodile that protected a territory was removed or killed, a "juvenile delinquent" moved in and took over. "You're never going to be able to say to the general public you can swim in that river now, because you won't ever know that there are crocodiles still there," he told the hearing. Mr Irwin helped found Australia Zoo where his son grew up and developed a passion for wildlife, later becoming the world famous Crocodile Hunter before the livewire conservationist's tragic 2006 death. His daughter-in-law Terri Irwin had earlier echoed his concerns in a submission to the committee, saying the proposed laws would increase the likelihood of croc attacks due to a false sense of security in culled areas. The Queensland environment department's deputy director general said education was paramount in preventing crocodile attacks, not culling. "No amount of crocodile removal can guarantee the absence of crocodiles in a waterway, nor can it assure that an area is completely safe to swim," Ben Klaassen told the committee on Wednesday. Some community members threw their support behind the bill, with one group suggesting Aboriginal people should assist crocodile culls. Murrandoo Yanner won a landmark 1999 High Court case that ruled Aboriginal people could hunt crocodiles. He said Aboriginal people in Queensland's Gulf Country were hunting crocodiles and maintaining the population, so there was "no greater group" to aid a pilot culling program. "We hunt and eat them, but we're not in that camp that we just want to totally cull them," the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation stakeholder officer told the committee. "But we also know they're of great cultural significance, and they're in good numbers here, so we manage them very well." Recent estimates reveal there are around 20,000 to 30,000 crocodiles across northern Queensland. Mr Yanner hoped to work with the state government, advising how to cull crocodiles without eradicating the species. Two councils in the state's north, Mareeba and Whitsundays, also want the bill become a reality, saying there was a risk to residents and tourists. Mareeba Shire Council deputy mayor Lenore Wyatt said dozens of saltwater crocs in eastern waterways were not native after some escaped from a nearby farm in the 1990s. The area is already zoned to allow the removal of crocodiles, but the council wanted a faster process, saying a farmer had a reptile in his dam for more than six months. The committee report is due in August. The father of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin has hit out at calls for the large reptiles to be culled in popular waterways, describing it as pointless. Bob Irwin took aim at proposed Queensland laws that would result in crocodiles found in populated sites being killed or relocated. Katter's Australian Party put forward the bill under a long-running campaign to enhance crocodile control laws, claiming numbers had "exploded" in the state's north. Queensland's Liberal National government said it would consider the findings of a parliamentary hearing into the bill and decide whether it was "fit for purpose". Mr Irwin says killing or removing crocodiles is not the answer. "Culling crocodiles is a pointless exercise, absolutely pointless," he told the hearing on Wednesday The Katter party renewed calls for crocodile control after a failed bid under the former Labor government. The bill would allow crocodile culls and safari-style hunting trips, amid claims more than 1200 crocodiles had been spotted in 2023 compared to 126 in 2010. Mr Irwin said if a large crocodile that protected a territory was removed or killed, a "juvenile delinquent" moved in and took over. "You're never going to be able to say to the general public you can swim in that river now, because you won't ever know that there are crocodiles still there," he told the hearing. Mr Irwin helped found Australia Zoo where his son grew up and developed a passion for wildlife, later becoming the world famous Crocodile Hunter before the livewire conservationist's tragic 2006 death. His daughter-in-law Terri Irwin had earlier echoed his concerns in a submission to the committee, saying the proposed laws would increase the likelihood of croc attacks due to a false sense of security in culled areas. The Queensland environment department's deputy director general said education was paramount in preventing crocodile attacks, not culling. "No amount of crocodile removal can guarantee the absence of crocodiles in a waterway, nor can it assure that an area is completely safe to swim," Ben Klaassen told the committee on Wednesday. Some community members threw their support behind the bill, with one group suggesting Aboriginal people should assist crocodile culls. Murrandoo Yanner won a landmark 1999 High Court case that ruled Aboriginal people could hunt crocodiles. He said Aboriginal people in Queensland's Gulf Country were hunting crocodiles and maintaining the population, so there was "no greater group" to aid a pilot culling program. "We hunt and eat them, but we're not in that camp that we just want to totally cull them," the Carpentaria Land Council Aboriginal Corporation stakeholder officer told the committee. "But we also know they're of great cultural significance, and they're in good numbers here, so we manage them very well." Recent estimates reveal there are around 20,000 to 30,000 crocodiles across northern Queensland. Mr Yanner hoped to work with the state government, advising how to cull crocodiles without eradicating the species. Two councils in the state's north, Mareeba and Whitsundays, also want the bill become a reality, saying there was a risk to residents and tourists. Mareeba Shire Council deputy mayor Lenore Wyatt said dozens of saltwater crocs in eastern waterways were not native after some escaped from a nearby farm in the 1990s. The area is already zoned to allow the removal of crocodiles, but the council wanted a faster process, saying a farmer had a reptile in his dam for more than six months. The committee report is due in August.
The Advertiser
21 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Business, union divisions threaten to derail PM summit
Business groups and unions are on a collision course over priorities for a planned productivity summit despite the prime minister's optimism they can find common ground. Anthony Albanese has dismissed suggestions the roundtable, which will take place in August and is aimed at finding ways to lift the nation's economic output, would amount to little more than a Canberra talkfest. "It is not unreasonable to bring people together ... business and unions have common interests, we have a national interest in boosting productivity," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday. But Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said it was disappointing the union movement had taken the view that "there's nothing to see here and that is all about cutting jobs and cutting wages and it demonstrably isn't". "One of the frustrating conversations to have with unions is to hear them say: 'Yes, of course there'll be AI but everyone's job will stay the same," he told Sky News. "Unfortunately it won't but we have to prepare people for that - and that will be a massive exercise in reskilling and retraining ... that's where this productivity summit is going to be so important." Experts are concerned about Australia's lagging growth in productivity - a key economic measure of efficiency and long-term driver of improved living standards. Working Australians must be at the centre of the summit, ACTU secretary Sally McManus said. "We need to leave behind the idea that productivity is equated with cutting pay and making people work harder for less," she said. Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar said he was realistic about the potential for tangible outcomes at the roundtable. "If it was easy, it would have been done already," he told AAP. The scope of the Fair Work Act had grown significantly in recent years, which had a "significant impact" on small businesses trying to hire staff, Mr McKellar said. Planned payday superannuation reforms also needed to be implemented in a way that didn't "create a significant additional burden for small business", he added. "We don't expect (the government) to revisit all of the industrial relations changes, but … let's make some practical changes that make it easier for small business to create jobs and employ more people to promote productivity," Mr McKellar said. Tax changes, cutting the regulatory burden and encouraging the uptake of digital technology would all be priorities for the business lobby, which singled out AI as a field that could make a big difference to productivity. Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood said it was important to be clear the target was "not about working longer hours". "When we're talking about labour productivity, all it means is producing more for each hour worked," she told ABC TV. "This is about making sure Australians have the skills, that they have access to the technology, that we have great business processes that allow all of us to get more out of each hour that we put in." Higher productivity was ultimately what drove improvements in incomes and living standards, and technological change was the most important driver of growth, Ms Wood said. "Australia is lagging in the adoption of AI ... so that's certainly one of the areas of opportunity that we will be looking to," she said. The commission's most recent report showed labour productivity fell 0.1 per cent in the December quarter and dropped 1.2 per cent in the past year. Shadow treasurer Ted O'Brien said the opposition gave the government some credit for calling the summit. "A round table. Yay!" Mr O'Brien joked during an interview on Nine's Today program. "But look ... to be fair, at least they're recognising the problem ... so let's take that as a partial tick." Business groups and unions are on a collision course over priorities for a planned productivity summit despite the prime minister's optimism they can find common ground. Anthony Albanese has dismissed suggestions the roundtable, which will take place in August and is aimed at finding ways to lift the nation's economic output, would amount to little more than a Canberra talkfest. "It is not unreasonable to bring people together ... business and unions have common interests, we have a national interest in boosting productivity," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday. But Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said it was disappointing the union movement had taken the view that "there's nothing to see here and that is all about cutting jobs and cutting wages and it demonstrably isn't". "One of the frustrating conversations to have with unions is to hear them say: 'Yes, of course there'll be AI but everyone's job will stay the same," he told Sky News. "Unfortunately it won't but we have to prepare people for that - and that will be a massive exercise in reskilling and retraining ... that's where this productivity summit is going to be so important." Experts are concerned about Australia's lagging growth in productivity - a key economic measure of efficiency and long-term driver of improved living standards. Working Australians must be at the centre of the summit, ACTU secretary Sally McManus said. "We need to leave behind the idea that productivity is equated with cutting pay and making people work harder for less," she said. Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar said he was realistic about the potential for tangible outcomes at the roundtable. "If it was easy, it would have been done already," he told AAP. The scope of the Fair Work Act had grown significantly in recent years, which had a "significant impact" on small businesses trying to hire staff, Mr McKellar said. Planned payday superannuation reforms also needed to be implemented in a way that didn't "create a significant additional burden for small business", he added. "We don't expect (the government) to revisit all of the industrial relations changes, but … let's make some practical changes that make it easier for small business to create jobs and employ more people to promote productivity," Mr McKellar said. Tax changes, cutting the regulatory burden and encouraging the uptake of digital technology would all be priorities for the business lobby, which singled out AI as a field that could make a big difference to productivity. Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood said it was important to be clear the target was "not about working longer hours". "When we're talking about labour productivity, all it means is producing more for each hour worked," she told ABC TV. "This is about making sure Australians have the skills, that they have access to the technology, that we have great business processes that allow all of us to get more out of each hour that we put in." Higher productivity was ultimately what drove improvements in incomes and living standards, and technological change was the most important driver of growth, Ms Wood said. "Australia is lagging in the adoption of AI ... so that's certainly one of the areas of opportunity that we will be looking to," she said. The commission's most recent report showed labour productivity fell 0.1 per cent in the December quarter and dropped 1.2 per cent in the past year. Shadow treasurer Ted O'Brien said the opposition gave the government some credit for calling the summit. "A round table. Yay!" Mr O'Brien joked during an interview on Nine's Today program. "But look ... to be fair, at least they're recognising the problem ... so let's take that as a partial tick." Business groups and unions are on a collision course over priorities for a planned productivity summit despite the prime minister's optimism they can find common ground. Anthony Albanese has dismissed suggestions the roundtable, which will take place in August and is aimed at finding ways to lift the nation's economic output, would amount to little more than a Canberra talkfest. "It is not unreasonable to bring people together ... business and unions have common interests, we have a national interest in boosting productivity," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday. But Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said it was disappointing the union movement had taken the view that "there's nothing to see here and that is all about cutting jobs and cutting wages and it demonstrably isn't". "One of the frustrating conversations to have with unions is to hear them say: 'Yes, of course there'll be AI but everyone's job will stay the same," he told Sky News. "Unfortunately it won't but we have to prepare people for that - and that will be a massive exercise in reskilling and retraining ... that's where this productivity summit is going to be so important." Experts are concerned about Australia's lagging growth in productivity - a key economic measure of efficiency and long-term driver of improved living standards. Working Australians must be at the centre of the summit, ACTU secretary Sally McManus said. "We need to leave behind the idea that productivity is equated with cutting pay and making people work harder for less," she said. Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar said he was realistic about the potential for tangible outcomes at the roundtable. "If it was easy, it would have been done already," he told AAP. The scope of the Fair Work Act had grown significantly in recent years, which had a "significant impact" on small businesses trying to hire staff, Mr McKellar said. Planned payday superannuation reforms also needed to be implemented in a way that didn't "create a significant additional burden for small business", he added. "We don't expect (the government) to revisit all of the industrial relations changes, but … let's make some practical changes that make it easier for small business to create jobs and employ more people to promote productivity," Mr McKellar said. Tax changes, cutting the regulatory burden and encouraging the uptake of digital technology would all be priorities for the business lobby, which singled out AI as a field that could make a big difference to productivity. Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood said it was important to be clear the target was "not about working longer hours". "When we're talking about labour productivity, all it means is producing more for each hour worked," she told ABC TV. "This is about making sure Australians have the skills, that they have access to the technology, that we have great business processes that allow all of us to get more out of each hour that we put in." Higher productivity was ultimately what drove improvements in incomes and living standards, and technological change was the most important driver of growth, Ms Wood said. "Australia is lagging in the adoption of AI ... so that's certainly one of the areas of opportunity that we will be looking to," she said. The commission's most recent report showed labour productivity fell 0.1 per cent in the December quarter and dropped 1.2 per cent in the past year. Shadow treasurer Ted O'Brien said the opposition gave the government some credit for calling the summit. "A round table. Yay!" Mr O'Brien joked during an interview on Nine's Today program. "But look ... to be fair, at least they're recognising the problem ... so let's take that as a partial tick." Business groups and unions are on a collision course over priorities for a planned productivity summit despite the prime minister's optimism they can find common ground. Anthony Albanese has dismissed suggestions the roundtable, which will take place in August and is aimed at finding ways to lift the nation's economic output, would amount to little more than a Canberra talkfest. "It is not unreasonable to bring people together ... business and unions have common interests, we have a national interest in boosting productivity," he told ABC Radio on Wednesday. But Australian Industry Group chief executive Innes Willox said it was disappointing the union movement had taken the view that "there's nothing to see here and that is all about cutting jobs and cutting wages and it demonstrably isn't". "One of the frustrating conversations to have with unions is to hear them say: 'Yes, of course there'll be AI but everyone's job will stay the same," he told Sky News. "Unfortunately it won't but we have to prepare people for that - and that will be a massive exercise in reskilling and retraining ... that's where this productivity summit is going to be so important." Experts are concerned about Australia's lagging growth in productivity - a key economic measure of efficiency and long-term driver of improved living standards. Working Australians must be at the centre of the summit, ACTU secretary Sally McManus said. "We need to leave behind the idea that productivity is equated with cutting pay and making people work harder for less," she said. Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar said he was realistic about the potential for tangible outcomes at the roundtable. "If it was easy, it would have been done already," he told AAP. The scope of the Fair Work Act had grown significantly in recent years, which had a "significant impact" on small businesses trying to hire staff, Mr McKellar said. Planned payday superannuation reforms also needed to be implemented in a way that didn't "create a significant additional burden for small business", he added. "We don't expect (the government) to revisit all of the industrial relations changes, but … let's make some practical changes that make it easier for small business to create jobs and employ more people to promote productivity," Mr McKellar said. Tax changes, cutting the regulatory burden and encouraging the uptake of digital technology would all be priorities for the business lobby, which singled out AI as a field that could make a big difference to productivity. Productivity Commission chair Danielle Wood said it was important to be clear the target was "not about working longer hours". "When we're talking about labour productivity, all it means is producing more for each hour worked," she told ABC TV. "This is about making sure Australians have the skills, that they have access to the technology, that we have great business processes that allow all of us to get more out of each hour that we put in." Higher productivity was ultimately what drove improvements in incomes and living standards, and technological change was the most important driver of growth, Ms Wood said. "Australia is lagging in the adoption of AI ... so that's certainly one of the areas of opportunity that we will be looking to," she said. The commission's most recent report showed labour productivity fell 0.1 per cent in the December quarter and dropped 1.2 per cent in the past year. Shadow treasurer Ted O'Brien said the opposition gave the government some credit for calling the summit. "A round table. Yay!" Mr O'Brien joked during an interview on Nine's Today program. "But look ... to be fair, at least they're recognising the problem ... so let's take that as a partial tick."
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
Russia making ‘steady but slow' advances on Ukraine
ASPI Senior Analyst in Defence Strategy Malcolm Davis discusses the 'dire' situation in Ukraine. Mr Davis told Sky News host Sharri Markson that Russia is making 'steady but slow' advances. Fears of funding Russia's war efforts has arisen after a new report finds that Australia has imported more than $3.7 billion worth of oil products derived from Russian crude since 2023.
