Guardian AU
Labor to underwrite Australian fuel imports under new security powers to ensure supply
Australia is set to underwrite private sector imports of fuel and fertiliser under new legislation announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with the government assuming financial risk to guarantee supply of essential commodities. The move comes after a month of surging diesel and petrol prices and widespread shortages at service stations, driven by disruptions linked to the war in the Middle East. The intervention marks a significant expansion of government power over energy security, prioritising supply stability over market mechanisms.
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PM announces new powers to boost fuel supply amid Middle East tensions
Australia's government is stepping in with public funds to guarantee additional fuel shipments as Middle East tensions threaten to disrupt global supply chains. The move gives the Albanese administration direct intervention powers over fuel delivery, a significant shift toward energy security. With conflict in the region continuing to rattle commodity markets, the measure aims to insulate Australian consumers and industry from potential shortfalls.
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A century ago, a Liberal Party disintegrated, and there are lessons for its namesake
The South Australian Liberal Party's crushing defeat has prompted comparisons to one of history's most dramatic political collapses — the disintegration of Britain's Liberal Party in the early twentieth century. Once a dominant force in Westminster, the British Liberals were overtaken by Labor on one flank and conservatives on the other, eventually fading into irrelevance. For Australia's Liberals, grappling with their own existential pressures, that precedent serves as a sobering reminder that no party is too established to disappear.
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Darwin's ambulance service fails overnight as 61 Triple Zero calls abandoned
Darwin's ambulance service is in crisis after 61 Triple Zero calls went unanswered overnight, with nearly half of all emergency calls abandoned before reaching a dispatcher. Officials have declared the situation a "critical failure point," raising serious questions about the territory's capacity to respond to life-threatening emergencies. The breakdown exposes deep structural pressures on NT Health's emergency infrastructure that demand urgent government action.
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The next step after treaty is here — and there's a lot at stake
Victoria's treaty elections are now in motion, marking a significant milestone as newly elected candidates prepare to take on formal responsibilities under the agreement. The process represents years of groundwork coming to fruition — but its future is far from guaranteed. With the state opposition maintaining its commitment to dismantle the treaty framework if it wins government in November, the entire enterprise hangs in the balance.
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