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Daily Mail
07-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
What Peter Dutton will receive after leaving office
Peter Dutton may have been resoundingly booted from federal politics on Saturday night, but after nearly 24 years in Canberra, he won't be leaving empty handed. Thanks to a now-repealed parliamentary pension scheme, the former member for Dickson will receive an estimated annual pension of $258,000 for the rest of his life. Put differently, the ousted MP will earn the incomes of roughly two-and-a-half Australian salary earners without even lifting a finger. Alternatively, Mr Dutton may choose to halve his pension in exchange for a $2.58million lump sum payout which, together with his sizeable real estate dealings, would set the Queenslander up nicely for a comfortable retirement. Of course, he may choose instead to leverage his public profile for an even softer landing in the private sector a la Christopher Pyne or Scott Morrison. Former prime minister John Howard did away with the pension scheme in 2004 following the lead of then-Labor leader Mark Latham. The decision was hotly contested within the party room walls, not least because MPs feared the optics suggested Mr Howard had caved to pressure from Labor. The merits of the decision has been the subject of fierce debate, with critics claiming outgoing MPs have the advantage of the 'revolving door' after leaving public service. With Dutton ousted, only six sitting MPs and senators will have access to the more generous pension entitlements, having been elected pre-2004. Among them are Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, incumbent Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Senator Bob Katter and Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek. Mr Albanese will expect the most generous post-parliamentary pay package worth somewhere north of $250,000 per year. According to the Department of Finance, taxpayers continue to support over 400 retired politicians and spouses under the now-defunct pension scheme at an annual cost of roughly $50million. While the pool of recipients continues to shrink year-on-year, the last of the pension payouts is not expected to come until 2063.
Sky News AU
02-05-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
'Timidity is not a strategy': If the Liberals lose, it will be because they let Labor get away with an all-out attack on the aspirational Australians who usually vote conservative
Last weekend's Newspoll and the data that has emerged since seems to indicate that the answer to that question is 'Yes', given that, while voters don't believe the Albanese Government should be returned, they also don't believe the Coalition is ready for government. This column, and so many others, have outlined how the Albanese government has presided over a litany of failures, yet the Liberals, if the polling is to be believed, have failed to take advantage. The Liberals in their parliamentary position had nothing to lose, yet it appears their campaign strategists have approached this election like a team that is 1-0 up in a World Cup final with 20 minutes to go: they play safe. In other words, timidity has been their strategy. And, when that is your strategy, the inevitable happens. Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, John Howard and Tony Abbott knew that election campaigns are no place for cowardice, no place for coasting. They were unrelenting and much hungrier for victory than this Opposition has been. They were prepared to brawl. History shows us that voters will re-elect poor governments in the absence of a credible opposition. It happened in 1993, when Paul Keating was able to raise enough doubts about John Hewson and the Coalition's policies to take voters' minds sufficiently away from the dire state of the economy. The Albanese government has so many weak points in its plans – attacks on aspirational Australians, the cohort that the Coalition claims to represent – yet the Liberals have failed to take any advantage. Several commentators have laid out just how insidious Labor's tax on unrealised capital gains in superannuation accounts will be for the roughly 2.5 million hard-working Australians affected, most of whom run small businesses, family farms and the like. Its $3 million threshold will not be indexed with inflation (and Greens leader Adam Bandt wants it reduced to $2 million) which means it is deliberately designed to eventually apply to people on far more modest means. The result will be to force many to liquidate assets or even borrow money to meet their liabilities. An all-out attack on this tax grab should have been front and centre by the Coalition, but hardly anything has been heard about it until now, when it is probably too late. Again, Australian electoral history gives us a precedent. In the 1998 election, the then-Labor opposition, led by Kim Beazley, in contrast to John Howard's GST reforms, proposed increasing capital gains tax retrospectively and taxing four-wheel drives. The Liberals campaigned on this ruthlessly, successfully demonstrating it as a tax grab by Labor, which seemed to be punishing people who wanted to do better. Those 'Howard-battlers' gave him a victory against the odds – and the polls – at the time. The Voice referendum should have been the springboard for some serious consideration of Coalition policy platforms in order to fight a values-based campaign, one that says the Liberals are the party for all Australians, not just special interest groups. For quite some time now, poll after poll has shown the overwhelming majority of Australians have had it to the back teeth with the omnipresent and tokenistic welcomes and acknowledgements of country. As the son of migrants, it tells me I'm not welcome here and separates us by an attribute beyond our control, our ancestry, which Australians rejected 60 per cent to 40 per cent during the Voice referendum. However, only this week has this divisive ritual become an issue, and one could be forgiven for thinking that Jacinta Price has been deliberately given a low profile during the election campaign by some Coalition campaign invertebrates. Moreover, it should never have been so hard to make political hay out of an Albanese government that has seen living standards drop nearly eight per cent on its watch – the worst statistic in the developed world – and electricity prices skyrocket. But if you can't be bothered taking a principled stand on something like net zero, which is the main driver of Australia's fall into the economic abyss, then don't expect to win any votes. You can't win an argument you don't make. It is not as if there hasn't been any lack of ammunition on this, and, at the time of writing, it was becoming clear that massive blackouts in Spain and Portugal this week were due to both countries' increasing reliance on wind and solar had left them vulnerable to the same. By saying 'we will get to net zero, but not as quickly as Labor', all voters see is a poor imitation. When faced with a choice between the original and a poor imitation, voters will pick the original every time. Do voters deserve the governments they elect? Probably. But voters also deserve to be presented with a credible choice. The Liberals have never won an election trying to be a Labor-lite poor imitation. If the Coalition loses this election, it will be because its campaign tried to steer through the middle of its 'moderate/wet' and 'conservative/dry' factions and in trying to please everyone, ended up pleasing no-one. Dr Rocco Loiacono is a legal academic, writer and translator. Earlier in his career, he spent a decade practicing as a lawyer with Clayton Utz, one of Australia's top law firms. As well as he regularly contributes opinion pieces, specialising in politics, freedom and the rule of law, to The Daily Telegraph, The Herald Sun and The Australian
News.com.au
01-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Betting markets tip Anthony Albanese over Peter Dutton to win Federal Election
A monster betting plunge overnight has seen Anthony Albanese emerge as outright favourite to secure his second term as Prime Minister over Peter Dutton. Betting markets initially had the Coalition tipped to win the election in November, but their fortunes have flipped in the month since both leaders embarked on the campaign trail. On Tuesday afternoon, both Sportsbet's and TAB's markets had Labor a clear favourite to form the next government, at $1.19 and $1.20 respectively over Liberal at $4.90 and $4.50. But support for Mr Dutton nosedived even further overnight. At the time of writing, the odds for the Coalition forming government has swung out to $7. Per The Australian's final pre-election Newspoll, the Coalition leads Labor by a single point, 35 to 34 per cent, in the primary vote. Asked who would make the better Prime Minister, however, Mr Albanese was verging on 20 per cent ahead of Mr Dutton, 51 per cent to 35 per cent. Sportsbet's markets are now favouring a Labor minority government over a majority, $2 to $2.25. A Coalition majority is paying $23, while a minority is paying $9. Betting odds for federal election winner, as of Tuesday March 29: TAB: Labor $1.10; Coalition $7; other $151.00 Sportsbet: Labor $1.10; Coalition $7; other $151.00 Ladbrokes: Labor $1.16; Coalition $5.00; other $201.00 UNIBET: Labor $1.12; Coalition $6.50; other $101.00 Pointsbet: Labor $1.10; Coalition $7; other $351.00 A TAB spokesperson told that 'punters appear to have made up their mind' as to who should be our next leader. 'Anthony Albanese is an overwhelming favourite to be returned as Prime Minister on Saturday,' they said. 'A whopping 85 per cent of money in the last week has been for the Labor Party and there's growing confidence it will be a Labor Majority government. 'There's very little punter confidence that the Coalition can win, which makes them great value if you think Peter Dutton can create an upset on Saturday. 'Punters are split on whether it will be a Labor Minority or Majority, but a Labor Majority is the slight preference for punters at $2.20 while a Labor minority government is $2.30.' There is some debate as to which of the two predictors – punters or opinion polls – are more authoritative and accurate. In his 2015 book The Luck of Politics, then-academic and current sitting Labor MP, Dr Andrew Leigh, said that punters can hold their own against opinion polls. 'Every time, betting markets have been found to perform at least as well, and usually better than, the polls,' he wrote. Psephologist Dr Kevin Bonham told Crikey earlier this year that although betting odds were 'overrated' and often unreliable, 'they are interesting to keep an eye on, particularly for things where you don't have anything else concrete'. 'There are some people out there who have this belief that the market never lies, but this belief persists no matter how many times it is proven to be false,' Dr Bonham said, referring to the 2019 poll when then-Labor leader Bill Shorten lost the 'unlosable election' to Scott Morrison. In that instance, Sportsbet had to fork out $5.2 million after mistakenly calling a Labor win two days before the election was ultimately called in favour of the Coalition.
ABC News
26-04-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
The meeting in a pub that inspired Warren Entsch's fight for same-sex marriage
It's the 1980s and Warren Entsch is in the bar of the Purple Pub in remote Normanton, drinking with a friend. It would become a turning point that forever changed a humble bull catcher from the Gulf Country and would later transform the whole nation. It was a place he frequented when working in the bush, and would make the trek into town every six weeks or so for a night out with friends. Often one of his friend's cousins would join them, but they had suddenly stopped attending the nights out over Christmas. Months had passed before Entsch found himself sitting face-to-face with his drinking buddy at the Purple Pub. The Purple Pub in Normanton, Queensland. ( Supplied: The Purple Pub ) "Next thing, this little bird come [sic] flitting through in a boob tube and short shorts," he says. "And I said, 'who the hell is that?'" His friend said the woman in question had recently returned from interstate after undergoing gender affirmation surgery. Furthermore, they were the person Entsch had shared many a beer with. "I was gobsmacked," Entsch recalls. "I was totally naive, but at the same time I thought how hard it must have been living like that. "You know, it must be so bloody impossible for them." It got him thinking, then planning, and acting. A young Warren Entsch worked as a crocodile wrangler before getting into politics. ( Supplied ) A long-fought-for legacy Warren Entsch has fought and won the seat of Leichhardt nine times for the Coalition. But back in 1996, the cattleman, bull catcher and crocodile farmer took his first steps in the unfamiliar crisp Canberra air as a politician. And when he did he was accompanied by that unforgettable memory. Queer and LGBTQIA+ community support services: on 1800 650 890 Emergency services on triple-0 if you need immediate care It was the start of a journey that would become a defining legacy — the passing of Australia's same-sex marriage legislation on December 9, 2017. The historic moment was the culmination of years of unwavering advocacy by Entsch inside the Liberal Party. When Entsch returned to parliament in 2010 after a short-lived retirement, he says he had "unfinished business" — including legalising same-sex marriage — but being named the Coalition's party whip meant he had to pause his advocacy. "I couldn't do anything for three years because Tony [Abbott] made me the chief whip," Entsch says. "I said to Tony when I got back in 2010, 'I'm going to respect the decision you've made, but don't do it again in 2013, otherwise I'll go against you'. And to his credit, he said he wouldn't and he didn't." Entsch and Tony Abbott had different views on same-sex marriage. ( AAP: Paul Miller ) Evidence of Entsch's respect of his party leader's decision was clear in September 2010, when he said he didn't consider same-sex marriage an important issue, and again two years later when he voted against a private member's bill introduced by then-Labor backbencher Stephen Jones that would have legalised same-sex marriage. In August 2015, Entsch introduced a private member's bill to legalise same-sex marriage, an act of defiance against then-prime minister Abbott, who had denied Coalition MPs and senators a conscience vote on the issue a week earlier. Entsch introduced his same-sex marriage bill in the House of Representatives on August 17, 2015. ( AAP: Mick Tsikas ) Entsch's bill was never voted on, but during the 2016 federal election, the Coalition committed to consult Australians on same-sex marriage through a plebiscite. That Coalition government, led by prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, failed to garner support in the parliament for a plebiscite, and instead held a voluntary postal survey in 2017. Almost 13 million people completed the survey, with 61.6 per cent of participants voting "yes" to the question: Should the law be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry? The Marriage Act was amended in the House of Representatives on December 7, 2017, became law the next day, and came into effect the day after. Entsch walked out of the House of Representatives with fellow Coalition MP Trent Zimmerman after the same-sex marriage bill passed. ( ABC News: Marco Catalano ) 'Changed people's lives' The momentous result of his long battle still fills Entsch with pride. "I was quite emotional," he recalls, his eyes misty with the memory. "It gives me huge pride, huge pride. "I've been invited to a number of weddings. I've had some wonderful messages from people that have had the opportunity, now, to express their love in the way they wanted to." In the moments after the vote, a man he had never seen before approached him and gave him a big hug. "You suddenly realise, you've made a difference. You've changed people's lives," he says. Liberal MP Warren Entsch lifted up Labor MP Linda Burney to celebrate the passing of the same-sex marriage bill. ( AAP: Lukas Coch ) Utterly exhausted, Entsch retreated to his office after the vote. Sitting alone, the conservative rural Queenslander reflected on the social revolution he had driven and now achieved. He believes the change in the law has saved lives. "The cemetery is full of a lot of people that could never come to terms with their sexuality," Entsch says. "Why would we make their lives any more difficult than what it is?" As he relays the story, there are tears rolling down the 74-year-old's cheeks. Now nearly eight years later, the drama, the elation and for some, the fury of that moment, is history. But it may have never happened. Entsch still gets emotional when he reflects on the social revolution he was a part of. ( ABC News: Richard Mockler ) Swimming against the tide Fighting for same-sex marriage was not always easy for Entsch and throughout his long push some figures on his side of politics wanted him sacked over his stance. "I had been threatened with disendorsement, some of the hierarchy within my own party in Queensland were not happy with it," he says. Entsch believes the religious beliefs of some politicians negatively influenced their views on same-sex marriage. "A lot of it was based on religion," he says. "They just felt that their religion meant that it just couldn't happen. I'd be reluctant to say it was homophobia." Warren Entsch says he was considered by some as an outsider in his own political party for his views. ( ABC News: Matt Roberts ) Entsch recalls a moment in the party room in 2007 when he stood up and berated his colleagues. "You guys have got to take your mind out of the gutter," he told them. "You're thinking too much about the sex. You're not thinking about the relationship." Entsch says that was a turning point. "One of my colleagues stood up and said, 'I support Entschy on this, he's doing the right thing'," he recalls. Asked who it was, Entsch delivered a surprising answer. "Barnaby Joyce." 7.30 made several attempts to contact Mr Joyce, who ultimately abstained from the vote on same-sex marriage, about the party meeting but did not receive a response. A young Barnaby Joyce allegedly supported Entsch's stance in a heated party room meeting in 2007. ( AAP: Alan Porritt ) Feeling 'safe' and 'seen' If you or anyone you know needs help: Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander crisis support line While the passing of same-sex marriage into law was the ultimate victory, for Entsch, the memories of those he helped along the way remain important, as do the relationships forged. In 2012 he sensed something was wrong with a journalist who had come to interview him. At the end of their discussions, the veteran MP got up and closed the door and asked the journalist if there was anything she wanted to share. It all came pouring out. In a highly emotional state, the journalist confided that she wanted to become a woman, and feared being rejected by her family. When she turned to leave, she went to shake Entsch's hand. "I said, 'give me a hug'. And it still makes me emotional," he says. "I felt a tremor, [she] absolutely trembled, and as [she] was leaving, I gave [her] a kiss on the cheek. "And as [she] was walking out, I was thinking, 'God, it's going to be a hard road for you'." Warren Entsch's office had been a safe space for vulnerable conversations. ( ABC News ) Some time later, Entsch got a phone call from the journalist — his now-friend, Kate. "She's very emotional, teary, and she says 'you're not going to believe it'. And I said 'what'?" "'Dad's called me Kate,'" she replied. Almost thirteen years later, Kate Doak still credits Entsch with saving her life. "Warren soon noticed during the interview that I was struggling with something major," she told 7.30. "I felt safe telling my own story fully for the first time, while also truly believing subconsciously that I had a future. "While I entered Warren's office presenting as Colin, leaving it feeling seen as Kate ultimately changed my world. " For Warren to have done this unexpectedly ... is a testament to who he is as both a person and as an ally of the LGBTIQ+ community. " Journalist Kate Doak credits Entsch with saving her life. ( Supplied ) A new fight Entsch may be stepping away from politics, but he is still a passionate supporter of gender and identity matters, especially for transgender people. He supports the right of young people to be given puberty blockers as part of their gender transition, but the issue is controversial — especially in his home state of Queensland. In January, the Victoria's Health minister Tim Nicholls said that the Queensland Children's Gender Service would still offer all other clinical support to adolescents experiencing gender dysphoria, including "psychiatric and psychological treatment, counselling, and other clinically recommended medical interventions". The review, commissioned by the David Crisafulli-led LNP government, The Queensland Children's Hospital is one of the state's public hospitals that provides specialist care for trans and gender diverse children. ( ABC News: Marc Smith ) It also follows a Entsch believes it's a decision that transgender people need to feel confident in making, with a network of supporters behind them. "As long as it's the person and the family and the doctors and everybody does it, I think there's no issue with it, in my view," he says. He thinks back to people like Kate, and how their quality of life has been enriched by living as their true selves. "They've grown up into beautiful young women. They've had the support of their family, their community, their school, and it's been fantastic," Entsch says. Entsch's support for the LGBTQIA+ community is front and centre in this portrait. ( Supplied ) A life outside of politics Entsch is not short of things to do post politics. He's got a farm to run, and he's on the boards of organisations here in Australia and internationally. But occasionally he finds himself at a loose end. You get the sense he's not lost, but not yet fully found. However his journey to here has taught him valuable lessons. "Don't be too bloody judgemental," he says. "Listen to [people's] stories and have a little empathy and don't be afraid to speak out." Warren Entsch encourages people to be more empathetic and less judgemental. ( ABC News: Richard Mockler ) And he has something that can inspire and reinvigorate him when the personal attacks get him down. It's a letter that he had laminated from the woman who so profoundly changed his life. The person who opened his eyes to the pain and potential of humans whatever their sexuality or situation. She thanked him for supporting her all those years ago. And for what that meant for her journey. Her name is Alana. After that encounter at the Normanton pub, she went back to school and then university. She's now a doctor and a cattle farmer working in Far North Queensland. Although she's been a feature in many of Entsch's speeches and interviews over the years, she has never spoken publicly — until now. "It seems surreal now that this meeting [at the pub] had such an impact or that it was to contribute to changing Australian law and history decades down the track," Alana, who asked for her surname to be withheld, told 7.30. "Growing up in a small country town for much of my life up until then without television, I had no idea that other people feeling like me even existed. "What Warren represents and advocates [for] is that everyone deserves a 'fair go' and an equal opportunity regardless if it is the LGBTIQ community or rural and remote communities in general." And the man whose life she changed could not be prouder of her. "Why would we … decide we're going to judge somebody, and put them in an early grave?" he says wistfully. "That's just how I feel." Watch , Mondays to Thursdays 7:30pm on and ABC TV Contact 7.30 Do you know more about this story? Get in touch with 7.30
Sydney Morning Herald
24-04-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Queensland Productivity Commission begins work, as hospitals get ‘rescue plan'
Five weeks after passing a bill to reinstate its Productivity Commission, the Queensland government has handed down its first order to the much-anticipated governmental body on Thursday. Treasurer David Janetzki revealed on Thursday the commission was ready to begin its first task – a review into the Queensland building and construction industry – and delivered the terms of reference for the report. 'This important work by the Productivity Commission will drive up productivity and drive down cost pressures,' he said. Janetzki also announced Angela Moody – a senior executive with experience in financial and regulatory policy in gas, water, and electricity industries – had been appointed as Productivity Commissioner. The commission was first established in 2015. In 2021, the then-Labor state government dissolved the commission, integrating it back into the Treasury 'to establish the new Office of Productivity and Red Tape Reduction'. Loading The new LNP government promised to reinstate the productivity commission, which it expected would combat blow outs in costs and delivery dates for major state infrastructure builds. In another governmental review, seen by cabinet on Tuesday, cost blow outs were attributed to poor planning, rather than construction industry turmoil. The review found a series of health sector upgrades covering 11 existing and three new hospitals, plus the new Queensland Cancer Centre slated for Herston, had been planned over a six-week period in 2022.
