All four of Australia’s big banks have announced they are hiking interest rates on mortgages in line with the Reserve Bank’s 11th increase. The central bank hiked the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.10 per cent – the highest level since April 2012 – when it met on Tuesday, with a warning there … [Read more…]
Public displays of Nazi hate symbols will soon be criminalised in Australia in a sweeping set of reforms. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced on Wednesday the federal government will introduce a new Bill to parliament next week that will criminalise displays of the Nazi swastika or symbols of the Schutzstaffel (SS). The legislation will also ban … [Read more…]
Public displays of Nazi hate symbols could soon be outlawed in Australia in a sweeping set of reforms. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced on Wednesday the federal government will introduce a new Bill to parliament next week that will criminalise displays of the Nazi swastika or symbols of the Schutzstaffel (SS). The legislation will also ban … [Read more…]
A key architect of the Voice has accused Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of “being duplicitous” over his concerns a successful referendum would “re-racialise the nation”. Mr Dutton made the warning last month, as he opened up debate on the Constitution Alteration Bill, which has since passed the lower house. During his speech, the Liberal leader … [Read more…]
Hundreds of Chinese-made surveillance cameras have been found at defence sites across Australia, well above the initial estimate of just one. Defence officials appearing at senate estimates on Wednesday revealed an audit process had found 435 devices made by Chinese companies Hikvision and Dahua at its sites. In February, defence said they were aware of … [Read more…]
Canberra has urged Beijing to be more transparent about its military expansion as Australia’s Defence chief described the build-up as the biggest and most consequential undertaken by any nation since WWII. General Angus Campbell told a Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday Australia wouldn’t criticise any country for seeking to defend itself and preparing its armed … [Read more…]
Lidia Thorpe will lodge a complaint to the Human Rights Commission about the racism she alleges she experienced while a member of the Greens. The DjabWurrung Gunnai Gunditjmara woman and independent senator said her lawyer had advised her there were “enough grounds for a case”. Senator Thorpe left the Greens party to represent the “Blak … [Read more…]
Constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians is a necessary step towards a republic As a primary school student in the 1960s, I was told to “stand up straight and speak like Prince Charles”. While I could manage the first part, the elocution was a bridge too far. In any case, Charles was not the epitome of … [Read more…]
The government has stopped short of guaranteeing no job losses as part of the Australia Post modernisation process, rather maintaining it is committed to the viability of the crucial service. As the corporation prepares to hand down its first yearly financial loss since 2015, chief executive Paul Graham fronted senate estimates on Thursday. The government … [Read more…]
Lidia Thorpe stormed out of a Senate estimates hearing after a fiery clash with Labor Indigineous senator Malarndirri McCarthy, where she was labelled “a disgrace to her people”. The shouting match broke out during a heated discussion over commonwealth funding for Northern Territory safety initiatives being given to police on Wednesday night. The Greens-turned-independent Indigenous … [Read more…]