Guardian AU
We can’t deliver ‘like-for-like-services’ for people kicked off the NDIS, states warn Albanese government
Australia's states and territories have issued a stark warning to the federal government that they cannot adequately replace NDIS support for the 240,000 participants set to be removed from the scheme. In a rare joint statement, disability ministers across jurisdictions pushed back against the Albanese government's overhaul plans, saying the capacity simply does not exist to replicate what the NDIS currently provides. The warning raises serious questions about what happens to vulnerable Australians once they are exited from the scheme.
Read article →Guardian AU
A shadowy overseas group is trying to influence Australian abortion policy. Who are they – and what do they want?
A Spain-based conservative advocacy group called CitizenGo is lending its organizational muscle and resources to Australia's anti-abortion movement, backing academic Joanna Howe's campaign and drawing in former Nationals MP George Christensen. The group, which operates globally and has ties to far-right movements in Europe, made its presence felt at a recent Sydney rally where its branded placards appeared alongside grassroots protest signs. The involvement of a well-funded foreign lobby in domestic reproductive rights debates raises pointed questions about transparency and outside influence on Australian policy.
Read article →Guardian AU
Australia news live: minister warns about impact of datacentre boom; Seven farewells ‘smart, talented’ people in major staff cuts
Australia's political and media landscapes are both under pressure today, as Foreign Minister Penny Wong dismisses One Nation's claimed $1.5 million fundraising surge as less concerning than the party's actual policy positions. Meanwhile, Seven Network is cutting a significant number of staff, losing what the broadcaster describes as "smart, talented" people in a sweeping round of redundancies. On the infrastructure front, a federal minister is sounding the alarm over the rapid expansion of data centres and their broader economic and environmental consequences.
Read article →ABC AU
State disability ministers push back on NDIS overhaul
State and territory disability ministers are pushing back against the Albanese government's NDIS overhaul, accusing federal officials of proceeding with changes that contradict previously agreed terms. The dispute threatens to fracture the cooperative framework needed to deliver the scheme's $42 billion annual program. With hundreds of thousands of participants relying on the system, the political standoff raises real questions about who ultimately controls the future of disability support in Australia.
Read article →ABC AU
Taylor rules out non-compete agreement with One Nation as party raises $1.6m
One Nation's reported $1.6 million single-day fundraising haul signals the minor party is gearing up as a serious electoral force heading into the next federal election. Opposition leader Angus Taylor has moved to distance the Coalition from any formal seat-sharing arrangement, ruling out a non-compete agreement with Pauline Hanson's party. The decision reflects the delicate balancing act the Coalition faces in managing its right flank without alienating moderate voters it needs to win back from Labor and the teals.
Read article →Get this delivered every morning
Join thousands of readers who get the world's most important stories, curated daily.
Start reading free →