Latest news with #Greens-turned-Labor
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Penny Wong heckled by environmental activists in Perth as backlash against North West Shelf gas extension escalates
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's new-look cabinet's tour of Perth has been disrupted after Foreign Minister Penny Wong was blasted by climate demonstrators for the government's contentious North West Shelf gas extension. The Prime Minister spent the day in Perth alongside his cabinet colleagues, after securing a shock defection from Western Australian Greens-turned-Labor Senator Dorinda Cox. However, the PM's trip was overshadowed by a number of issues including a renewed push from NSW and Victoria for the government to reduce WA's GST share in addition to demonstrations from climate activists protesting Environment Minister Murray Watt's polarising decision to greenlight the North West Shelf gas extension. A Perth-based environmentalist group called 'Disrupt Burrup Hub', which aims to oppose Woodside's Burrup Hub gas processing facilities scorned the Foreign Minister for abandoning climate action in a tense confrontation. Ms Wong whilst strolling the streets of Perth was pursued by a male protester who questioned her as to why the Albanese government "was destroying our future'. 'Penny your government is destroying our future, how dare you, we relied on you,' the man shouted, with members of Ms Wong's staff and security team restraining the protester from advancing towards the Minister. The man continued and stated that the Albanese government would 'destroy the world's oldest rock air,' referencing the fact that the Karratha Gas Plant was located close to a 50,000-year-old Indigenous rock art gallery. The demonstrator said Ms Wong was a member of a government that 'pretends to take climate action,' and exclaimed, 'how could you do this to us?' The group, which has previously protested against the Albanese government's position on the conflict in Gaza opposes the entirety of Woodside's operations in the Burrup Hub in addition to new industrial expansions in the Scarborough and Browse gas fields. The group states it stands up for Woodside's 'crimes against humanity'. The Burrup Hub is a larger proposed expansion of gas infrastructure, and aims to link the existing Pluto LNG facility and the North West Shelf to create a regional LNP production centre on the Burrup Peninsula. The decision to extend the life of the project until 2070 enraged numerous environmental and Indigenous groups, with the Climate Council stating the move would release an additional four billion tonnes of fossil fuel emissions, of which is equivalent to a decade of Australia's annual emissions. Senator Cox also strongly condemned the decision last week and voiced her firm disapproval, despite stating that her values best align with the Labor Party and that being a member of the Labor government was the best way to enact change.
The Age
3 days ago
- Business
- The Age
WA news LIVE: PM brings new-look cabinet to Perth, but his trip has been overshadowed
Latest posts Latest posts 9.30am PM brings new-look cabinet to Perth, but his trip has been overshadowed By To politics news first up and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in town with ministers to hold a special cabinet meeting, heralding WA as an integral part of his election success. Loading Fresh off the high of securing a defection from Greens-turned-Labor Senator Dorinda Cox, Albanese will be out later this morning to discuss some road commitments made during the campaign. No doubt the prime minister will also be peppered with questions about the GST, after our colleagues over east revealed the New South Wales and Victorian governments were joining together in a renewed push to scrap the Coalition-era deal that has seen WA's share rise to 75 cents for every dollar it sends to the pool of money. Protesters are also expected to greet the cabinet in the city –the recent approval of the North West Shelf expansion has drawn staunch criticism from environmental groups and the Greens. Cox has also been vocal about her disapproval of the North West Shelf expansion plans, but she has stated she believes being part of the Labor government is still the best way to enact change. 9.30am Across the nation and around the world Here's what's making headlines today: A powerful bloc of eastern states is demanding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese fix the broken GST system, as influential economists urge the government to use its thumping election mandate to wean Western Australia off a sweetheart deal on track to cost taxpayers $60 billion over 11 years. MPs will sit in the House of Representatives for fewer days this year than any other in the past two decades, limiting time for scrutiny of the government's agenda and debates on legislation. The latest property market downturn has become one of the shortest and shallowest on record, ending just three months after it started. The Albanese government has taken aim at local councils and top-heavy universities as being responsible for the nation's housing crisis and a drain on Australians' stagnating standard of living respectively, even as Labor struggles to meet its home-building targets. A man accused of using a makeshift flamethrower and an incendiary device to attack a group in Boulder, Colorado, that had gathered to bring attention to Israeli hostages in Gaza, has been charged with a federal hate crime, according to court documents filed on Monday. Sicily's Mount Etna has put on a fiery show, sending a cloud of smoke and ash several kilometres into the air, but officials said the activity posed no danger to the population.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
WA news LIVE: PM brings new-look cabinet to Perth, but his trip has been overshadowed
Latest posts Latest posts 9.30am PM brings new-look cabinet to Perth, but his trip has been overshadowed By To politics news first up and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in town with ministers to hold a special cabinet meeting, heralding WA as an integral part of his election success. Loading Fresh off the high of securing a defection from Greens-turned-Labor Senator Dorinda Cox, Albanese will be out later this morning to discuss some road commitments made during the campaign. No doubt the prime minister will also be peppered with questions about the GST, after our colleagues over east revealed the New South Wales and Victorian governments were joining together in a renewed push to scrap the Coalition-era deal that has seen WA's share rise to 75 cents for every dollar it sends to the pool of money. Protesters are also expected to greet the cabinet in the city –the recent approval of the North West Shelf expansion has drawn staunch criticism from environmental groups and the Greens. Cox has also been vocal about her disapproval of the North West Shelf expansion plans, but she has stated she believes being part of the Labor government is still the best way to enact change. 9.30am Across the nation and around the world Here's what's making headlines today: A powerful bloc of eastern states is demanding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese fix the broken GST system, as influential economists urge the government to use its thumping election mandate to wean Western Australia off a sweetheart deal on track to cost taxpayers $60 billion over 11 years. MPs will sit in the House of Representatives for fewer days this year than any other in the past two decades, limiting time for scrutiny of the government's agenda and debates on legislation. The latest property market downturn has become one of the shortest and shallowest on record, ending just three months after it started. The Albanese government has taken aim at local councils and top-heavy universities as being responsible for the nation's housing crisis and a drain on Australians' stagnating standard of living respectively, even as Labor struggles to meet its home-building targets. A man accused of using a makeshift flamethrower and an incendiary device to attack a group in Boulder, Colorado, that had gathered to bring attention to Israeli hostages in Gaza, has been charged with a federal hate crime, according to court documents filed on Monday. Sicily's Mount Etna has put on a fiery show, sending a cloud of smoke and ash several kilometres into the air, but officials said the activity posed no danger to the population.
