Latest news with #FederalLiberal
West Australian
4 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Member for O'Connor Rick Wilson loses role as shadow assistant minister for trade under Sussan Ley Coalition
Fifth-term Federal Liberal MP Rick Wilson says he is disappointed to have been dumped from the shadow cabinet under new Liberal leader Sussan Ley but will continue advocating for the electorate's livestock producers. The long-term member for O'Connor served as the shadow assistant minister for trade since 2022 under Peter Dutton's leadership of the party. Mr Wilson said he was disappointed by the news but was focusing on the bright side of having more free time. 'The silver lining is I will be spending more time in O'Connor concentrating on the issues that impact my electorate and building on the solid result that I achieved in the recent election,' he said. 'That said, I will be continuing to engage with our valued Middle Eastern trading partners who provide such an important market for our agricultural products, particularly live exports. 'Over the last three years I have developed many important relationships with key people in the diplomatic and trade community and will continue to promote O'Connor's products to the world.' He has been replaced in the role by fellow WA Liberal, Senator Dean Smith who has also taken on the shadow assistant role for foreign affairs. The full Coalition shadow cabinet was announced on May 28.
West Australian
27-05-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Former MLC Darren West labels O'Connor as ‘Australia's dumbest electorate'
A former member of WA's Upper House has labelled O'Connor as 'Australia's dumbest electorate' for re-electing Liberal MP Rick Wilson. In now-deleted comments on his Facebook page made on May 4, Darren West called Mr Wilson 'Australia's dumbest politician'. 'Australia's dumbest politician re-elected by Australia's dumbest electorate,' the comment reads. The comments were posted in response to debate around former Federal Liberal leader Peter Dutton's proposal to build a nuclear power plant in Collie. Mr Wilson labelled the comments as 'appalling', and said he found the comments about the people of O'Connor 'offensive'. 'The really disappointing thing about those comments is that he can say whatever he likes about me, but his comments regarding the people of O'Connor . . . I find it really offensive,' he said. 'It's a shame that he didn't make those views about the people of O'Connor when he was still in the Parliament. 'I think it says a fair bit about Darren West, and some of the other comments that he's made on social media reflect far more on him than it does on me.' Mr Wilson secured his fifth term in office at the Federal election on May 3, with a 6.5 per cent swing to the Liberal member. Mr West, a Jennacubbine farmer and former chair of the Wheatbelt Development Commission, was first elected to State Parliament in 2013 for the Agricultural region. In his time in office, Mr West occupied the role of parliamentary secretary for agriculture, energy, environment and climate action. He delivered his final speech to WA State Parliament on May 21 after deciding to not contest the seat at the 2025 WA State election. When asked if he wanted to clarify or comment on his Facebook comment, Mr West doubled down and said he thinks the 'comments speak for itself'. 'I sort of don't understand why people in O'Connor would vote for a nuclear reactor in their electorate and vote for government intervening in markets and higher taxes,' he said. 'But they did, and that was my view. 'Rick Wilson — I don't think it's a surprise to anybody — is certainly not the sharpest chisel in Federal Parliament. 'I don't think there's really much need to elaborate on that.' Misnaming Mr West as Darren Foster, Premier Roger Cook described the comments as disrespectful of an outgoing member of Parliament to media on May 6. 'Those words are not respectful, and I think everyone should be respectful in the community,' he said.
Epoch Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Minister Defends Trans Inclusion After Student Breaks Records
South Australian Education Minister Blair Boyer has defended the inclusion of transgender girls in school sports, following criticism from federal and community figures over fairness and safety concerns. His stance comes after media reports that a male-to-female trans student broke records at a South Australian Catholic's sports day. The 13-year-old child reportedly competed last year as well, achieving strong results in javelin throwing. Some parents expressed concern over the student's participation, prompting debate about whether current school sports policies are fair to all students. However, the state's education minister said the state's approach aligns with its gender inclusion policies, which support students competing in sports based on the gender they identify with. 'We've got a lot of kids at school in South Australia, about 280,000 at hundreds and hundreds of schools, and this issue has only been brought to my attention once or twice in the three years I've been minister,' he told reporters. Related Stories 5/8/2025 2/3/2025 'For the large part, it does operate well. I think it does mean all kids get a chance to participate and be included in sport at school. 'I can see that they are angry, but what I would say to them is as the minister—I want them to be places where everybody feels welcome,' he said. Boyer said he wanted trans children to feel included due to the high rate of attempted suicide among that demographic. Call to Protect Fairness Federal Liberal Senator Leah Blyth responded by calling for immediate action to protect girls' sports. 'Sport should embody fair play and equal opportunity,' she said in a statement. 'That principle was clearly tested this week.' She argued that allowing biological males to compete in girls' sports undermines both fairness and safety. 'For decades, we've had separate male and female sporting categories for the same reason we have age groups or weight classes—to ensure fairness,' she said. 'The federal Sex Discrimination Act allows single-sex competitions where strength, stamina, or physique are relevant.' Senator Blyth said that Boyer had focused on the fairness of the minority while forgetting the 'many.' Blyth warned that long-standing records of girls' sporting achievements could be overshadowed by the inclusion of a biological male in their sport. 'We tell our daughters that if they train and work hard, they can succeed,' she said. 'But what happens to that promise if they're forced to compete against someone with an innate physical advantage?' Blyth added that female athletes could end up walking away from their sports if they perceive a disadvantage. 'Let me be clear, transgender students deserve kindness and support,' she said. 'No one is calling for exclusion. But gender identity cannot override biological facts in competitive sport. No declaration of identity changes the physiological effects of male puberty.' The senator called on the federal government to develop clear policies that maintains sporting categories for biological girls while also providing alternatives for other students. 'Unfair on Girls' Former Australian Defence Force member, conservative blogger, and Catholic father Bernard Gaynor said Catholic schools should uphold what he called 'biological reality.' 'Catholic schools should be upholding biological reality instead of caving to the belief that a person can change gender,' Gaynor told The Epoch Times. He argued the situation raised concerns for both fairness in sport and broader school values. 'It is time for Catholic bishops to man up, get control of their schools, and start teaching truth in the same way that Christ did. He was crucified for it,' he said. 'Instead of following Christ's example, it seems the bishops would rather keep the government dollars flowing. Their priorities are wrong and society is suffering as a result.' Petition Launched Advocacy group Women's Forum Australia launched a petition to help keep women's sports for biological women, particularly in events where strength and stamina are decisive. 'In events where power, stamina, and strength are deciding factors, athletes who have passed through male puberty have a lifelong advantage that tilts the playing field very significantly in their favour,' the petition states. 'In addition, transgender inclusion elevates the risk to women's safety, particularly for contact sports.' The petition can be viewed
Montreal Gazette
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Legault wants to see federal leaders' plans to deal with asylum seekers
Canadian Politics Quebec premier François Legault on Thursday repeated his call to the leaders of Canada's political parties that they provide details of their plans to reduce by half the number of temporary immigrants in the province. Legault's call comes just three days before the Canadian general election and a week away from the end of a month that saw more than 2,000 asylum seekers show up at the St-Bernard-de-Lacolle border crossing. 'I think Quebecers have a right to know by (voting day on) Monday what the federal leaders will do to stop the flow of 2,000 in less than a month,' Legault told reporters. 'And what will they do to reduce by half the number of temporary immigrants we have here in Quebec?' The spike in the number of asylum seekers is linked to the policies of U.S. president Donald Trump. 'I understand that these people will say: 'I'll go and live in Quebec to improve my lot'. They're worried by what Donald Trump is saying in the United States. But Quebec is already past its capacity to welcome (more immigrants).' Federal Liberal leader Mark Carney has already said it is 'appropriate' to return asylum seekers to the U.S. on the basis of the Safe Third Country Agreement. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has said only 'real asylum seekers' should be selected and has committed to working with Quebec to reduce by half the number of temporary immigrants on its territory. Poilievre has also promised to give Quebec the power to select the majority of foreign workers from the International Mobility Program, a pledge hailed by Legault. The premier continues to argue that Quebec no longer has the capacity to welcome immigrants and that temporary immigrants are placing pressure on the province's housing capacity and public services. There are 600,000 temporary immigrants in Quebec.
CBC
01-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Gas, diesel prices drop by 20 over cents across N.L. after removal of federal carbon tax
Gas and diesel prices took a sharp decline across Newfoundland and Labrador on Tuesday after the removal of the federal carbon tax. The Public Utilities Board (PUB) made the adjustment overnight to reflect the change, meaning all types of gasoline decreased by 20.3 cents per litre, with diesel dropping by 24.6 cents per litre. Federal Liberal Leader Mark Carney dropped the highly debated consumer carbon tax in March as his first move as Canada's prime minister. Commuters on the Avalon Peninsula will now pay about $1.52 per litre for regular gas and $1.70 per litre of diesel. In central Newfoundland, expect to pay about $1.56 per litre of regular gasoline and $1.74 for diesel. Elsewhere on the island, maximum prices range from about $1.52 and $1.66 per litre of regular gasoline. Maximum diesel prices range from about $1.71 to approximately $1.83 per litre in those same zones. In central and western Labrador, regular gas will cost about $1.55 per litre, while diesel will runs about $1.59 and $1.74 per litre. Elsewhere in Labrador, maximum regular gas prices range from $1.58 to $1.81 per litre. Diesel prices range from $1.76 to $1.87 per litre at most. Furnace oil and stove oil heating fuel prices will not be adjusted Tuesday, since they are exempt from the federal carbon tax. The PUB says the federal carbon tax rate for propane heating fuel is currently 12.38 cents per litre, "which is also being reduced to zero by the Government of Canada." "The board's posted maximum prices for propane do not include taxation and therefore the board's published maximum prices for propane heating fuel will not be adjusted at this time."
