Dutton responds to reported internal criticism from Coalition MPs
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has responded to reports of discontent among Coalition MPs.
The Australian reported Coalition MPs are pushing Dutton to unveil big policies in his upcoming budget reply speech and are concerned the opposition needs a more compelling economic agenda.
The newspaper quoted several unnamed MPs who expressed concerns over what they saw as a lack of policy from the Coalition ahead of the upcoming federal election, due to be held by May.
Dutton was asked about the report on 2GB Radio earlier this morning, where he said the Liberal party had “put itself forward as a credible alternative” to Labor.
Dutton said.
There’s always free advice, plenty of it going around, and most of it contradictory.
The opposition leader rejected the notion the Coalition didn’t have any policies, citing examples including cutting immigration and building nuclear power plants.
Asked specifically whether the Coalition was planning to unveil a policy of tax cuts, he said:
We are not going to fuel inflation, so we’ll make the decision that is right for our country at the time, knowing how much money we have in the bank and whether we want to pay down debt or whether we want to put money into tax cuts or provide support through other policy.
We’ll announce that in due course, but we have been working day and night on policy over the last two and a half years.
Any suggestion that we haven’t got policy out there, as I just pointed out, is a complete nonsense.
Key events
Cait Kelly
Antipoverty Centre responds to AER draft determination by calling for wiping of energy debt
The Antipoverty Centre is repeating its call for the government to wipe energy debt for 332,000 customers as the Australian Energy Regulator announces price hikes of 5–10% due to begin in July 2025.
Antipoverty Centre activists joined the Stop the Bill Shock campaign in December, calling on energy companies to provide relief to customers, but retailers have failed to act.
Statistics from the December 2024 Australian Energy Regulator annual markets report show:
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131,746 people with an energy debt were in a hardship program (an increase of 37.8% on 2023, which was a 30% increase on 2022 figures) with the average debt amounting to $1,687.
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52.3% of all people in a hardship program have a concession, generally meaning they receive an income support payment from Centrelink.
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41.9% of people on a hardship plan have higher electricity costs in each billing period than the amount they are able to repay as part of their plan. This is an increase of 64% on the previous year.
Dutton blames Labor energy policy for AER’s anticipated price increase
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has criticised the Albanese government’s record on energy policy.
Dutton held a press conference a short time ago after the Australian Energy Regulator released its default market offer draft determination, showing energy prices for households and businesses are expected to rise.
With the federal election imminent, Dutton has used the information to attack Labor.
He said:
We find out today that because of Anthony Albanese’s energy policy your electricity bill is going to go up by 9%, that is another 9%, that is not a $275 cut, which is what the prime minister promised you before the last election.
I believe that there is a much better way, a much better path for our country. We have to have a balanced and sensible energy system and if we do that we can bring downward pressure on energy prices
Nine formally appoints Matt Stanton as CEO
Amanda Meade
Australia’s biggest locally owned media company, Nine Entertainment, has formally appointed its former finance and strategy chief Matt Stanton as CEO.
The broadcaster and publisher undertook a global search for a new leader after Mike Sneesby stepped down in September following a tumultuous year for the company, during which allegations of predatory behaviour and bullying in newsrooms were aired.
Nine chair, Catherine West, said Stanton, who has been acting CEO for six months, had reset Nine’s operating model and refreshed the executive team.
West said:
Matt was clearly the best credentialed leader to maintain the momentum on our strategic or cultural transformation.
He has done an outstanding job as acting CEO.
Stanton said:
It’s an honour and a privilege to lead the talented and dedicated team at Nine. Nine is a great Australian company that plays a vital role in the national conversation.”
Trade minister downplays impact of US tariffs on Australian economy
The trade minister, Don Farrell, says the US has done itself “great harm” by imposing tariffs on aluminium and steel imports, including from Australia.
Farrell held a press conference in Adelaide a short time ago, where he downplayed the impact the 25% tariffs would have on the Australian economy.
He said:
Our total trade with the United States, two way trade, is about $100bn, so less than one-third of what we do with China.
And that, strangely enough, is overwhelmingly in America’s favour. We buy $70bn with a products from America, sell them $30bn,
OK, bad news from America, but we have a whole lot of other countries around the world where we want to sell our wonderful food and wine and we will continue to do that.
Minns says NSW will not scrap new hate speech laws after antisemitic attacks revelations
Jordyn Beazley
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said he will not repeal controversial hate speech laws in the wake of revelations a number of antisemitic attacks were not hate crimes but a plot by organised crime figures to distract police and influence prosecutions.
Minns said:
I want to make clear the NSW government will not be repealing hate speech laws passed in parliament last month.
Our laws criminalised intentionally and publicly inciting hatred towards another person, or group, based on race.
They send a clear message: the people of NSW stand together against inciting racial hatred in our great multicultural state.
While the caravan was part of a criminal conspiracy – and not the plot of a terrorist organisation – it was still appalling racial hatred.
It targeted the Jewish community. It targeted a racial group to instil terror in our state.
It comes after the police minister, Yasmin Catley, refused to answer questions in a budget estimates hearing as to when she knew the caravan plot was not a terror event, and if that was before legislation designed to stem antisemitism was rushed through parliament.
The NSW police deputy commissioner, David Hudson, told the same hearing that the government was briefed that both the possibility of the incident being a terror threat or a criminal plot were being investigated.
Hudson said he told Catley on 7 March, ahead of a public announcement on 10 March, that it was a criminal plot.
Dutton responds to reported internal criticism from Coalition MPs
The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has responded to reports of discontent among Coalition MPs.
The Australian reported Coalition MPs are pushing Dutton to unveil big policies in his upcoming budget reply speech and are concerned the opposition needs a more compelling economic agenda.
The newspaper quoted several unnamed MPs who expressed concerns over what they saw as a lack of policy from the Coalition ahead of the upcoming federal election, due to be held by May.
Dutton was asked about the report on 2GB Radio earlier this morning, where he said the Liberal party had “put itself forward as a credible alternative” to Labor.
Dutton said.
There’s always free advice, plenty of it going around, and most of it contradictory.
The opposition leader rejected the notion the Coalition didn’t have any policies, citing examples including cutting immigration and building nuclear power plants.
Asked specifically whether the Coalition was planning to unveil a policy of tax cuts, he said:
We are not going to fuel inflation, so we’ll make the decision that is right for our country at the time, knowing how much money we have in the bank and whether we want to pay down debt or whether we want to put money into tax cuts or provide support through other policy.
We’ll announce that in due course, but we have been working day and night on policy over the last two and a half years.
Any suggestion that we haven’t got policy out there, as I just pointed out, is a complete nonsense.
Andrew Messenger
Brisbane lord mayor announces crackdown on people living in city’s parks
Brisbane lord mayor, Adrian Schrinner, has announced the council will move on every homeless person in the city living in parks “within 24 hours”.
The crackdown comes in the aftermath of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, when hundreds of homeless people sheltered in temporary evacuation centres that have since closed.
Schrinner said the crackdown came as a reaction to changes by the City of Moreton Bay to ban homelessness and reports that “people who are homeless by choice” are planning to “pour into Brisbane”.
He said:
I’ve asked our officers to work with police and state housing agencies to ensure anyone living in a park who has refused accommodation is moved on within 24 hours.
We’ll also remove unused empty tents to prevent the creation of more dangerous encampments.
Brisbane is Australia’s second-most expensive city and is facing a historic housing crisis.
Rental vacancy is now at a near-record low, in part due to council planning approvals being at record lows.
The state planning minister, Jarrod Bleijie, yesterday announced he would review a state-level planning law after lobbying by local government to allow them to approve even fewer development applications.
You can read more here:
PM wants western Sydney rail connection ‘completed before 2040’
The prime minister was on ABC Radio Sydney earlier this morning, talking about the rail investment.
Albanese said the money would go towards purchasing land to build the rail corridor, as well as planning, and he wanted the project to be completed before 2040.
He said:
What I would like to see is for the railway line once it gets to Bradfield to continue the [work to] continue on to Leppington, and then continue on to link into MacArthur.
But we’ll have those discussions.
Federal government announces $1bn investment for western Sydney rail connection
The federal government has announced a $1bn investment in a “missing link” rail connection in western Sydney.
The Leppington to Bradfield connection will join the new western Sydney international airport to Sydney’s south-west.
Previously in the works, the Albanese government says the project was shelved under the then-Coalition government in 2014.
The government says the new corridors will pave the way for Metro or Sydney Trains network extensions that would give passengers and workers at Sydney’s new airport rail access to Sydney’s south-west, and onwards to the Sydney CBD.
In a statement announcing the funding, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said:
Back in 2014, as shadow minister for transport, I said we needed rail as well as road in order for this airport to work.
We don’t want residents of Sydney’s south west to have to rely on buses to get to the airport. We want them to have fast, frequent rail access, and our investment today will help deliver that.
More from that AAP story: the prime minister has also rejected suggestions Australia pull out of the Aukus nuclear submarine agreement, which could save taxpayers up to $368bn, insisting it’s a “good deal for Australia”.
Meanwhile, a union secretary representing workers from Australia’s largest steel manufacturer and supplier says Australia needs to bolster its domestic industry.
The US president’s reasoning in imposing the steel tariffs is more than just financial, South Coast Labour Council secretary, Arthur Rorris, argues.
Rorris told AAP:
The principle motivation for Trump is not just to make money from Australian steel imports, the principle motivation is to steal our industry.
He knows that steel is such a foundational industry and if he moves on that and other companies and industries around the world, he increases and consolidates his power and weakens that of his competitors.
Rorris’s union covers workers from BlueScope’s Port Kembla steelworks in the Illawarra.
“We have more than enough of a market here to use every last ounce of steel made at our steelworks,” he said.
Australia sends about $800m worth of steel to the US each year, representing 0.2% of all exports to its ally.
The union secretary said the tariffs meant Australia had to back its domestic steelmaking industry further to counteract the moves from the Trump administration.
Australians urged to buy local as US tariffs unfold
Australians will be incentivised to buy locally made products, after hefty US tariffs were imposed on some of its metals exports, AAP reports
After failing to secure an exemption, Australia – alongside every US trading partner – was slapped with 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium sent to the US on Wednesday.
In some countries, such as Canada, there is anecdotal evidence citizens are boycotting American goods in response to this and other US policy shifts.
Asked if Australians should do the same, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said the budget – to be delivered on 25 March – will include extra support for a “buy Australian” campaign.
He told ABC Radio this morning:
I would urge Australians, if they’re in a local shop, to look to buy Australian.
That’s the one way that consumers can assist to create jobs here and to support our local industries.
The tariffs were “very disappointing”, the prime minister reiterated, but the government will continue to try to negotiate an exemption with the US.
He again noted it took months for Australia to be granted a carve-out on similar tariffs imposed during Donald Trump’s, first term.
But time may be running out amid expectations Trump could impose tariffs on other products and sectors, ramping up the prospect of a global trade war.
Women appear in court on manslaughter charges over home birth
Two women have appeared in court charged with manslaughter after a home birth at a property north-west of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales police say.
Police said emergency services were called to a home at Karangi on 11 September 2022 after they allege a baby was unresponsive after a home birth.
NSW Ambulance paramedics attended and treated a newborn boy at the scene before he was airlifted to Coffs Habour Base hospital, where he later died, police said.
Police said they arrested a 41-year-old woman at Crescent Head and a 51-year-old woman at Dorrigo after an investigation by detectives from the Coffs/Clarence police district.
They were taken to Coffs Harbour and Kempsey police stations where they were each charged with manslaughter, police said.
Police said the women were granted bail before appearing in Coffs Harbour local court yesterday, where the matter was adjourned to 13 May.
Police have said they will allege in court that the younger woman was an unregistered midwife at the time of the birth, while the older woman held no medical qualifications and had been practising unregistered home-birth midwifery.
Energy minister responds to regulators ‘mixed’ draft default market offer
The energy minister, Chris Bowen, has responded to the draft determinations by the Australian Energy Regulator and Victorian Essential Services Commission.
Bowen called the news “mixed” but says, overall, power bills “remain too high”.
Bowen said:
While today’s news is mixed it does show energy retailers are responding to competition – with energy plans that are 25% cheaper than the DMO it’s worth shopping around.
It’s clear energy bills for Australians remain too high, and we’re providing help for people doing it tough as we deliver longer term reform.
We also know 80% of households aren’t on the cheapest energy plan they could be, which is why we’re making it easier for households to find and switch to better plans.
The federal government is encouraging households to check they are on the best deal available, saying data from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission shows about 80% of households could be paying less on a different deal.
Bowen says it is important to note that, while the DMO is the benchmark for standard offers from retailers, the AER has recorded falls in the median market offers.
The most competitive market offers are now between 19% and 25% lower than the DMO, the minister says.
Bowen says in 2024 Australia produced more renewable electricity than ever before, with a record 46% of the electricity in the grid renewable in the last quarter of 2024.
Victorian energy customers on state’s default offer can also expect power bills to go up
Victoria’s Essential Services Commission has released a separate draft decision for power prices over the coming year.
For residential customers on the Victorian default offer – which is set by the commission rather than energy companies – annual prices would drop by $19 in some distribution zones but increase by up to $68 in others, compared to 2024–25.
The average across the state’s five zones is a $12 increase on last year, which the commission says is less than 1%.
The commission says the main factors influencing the proposed price change for residential customers are higher electricity network costs, which are partially offset by lower wholesale and environmental costs.
For small businesses on a Victorian default offer annual prices would increase across the five distribution zones by between $77 and $128, compared to 2024–25.
The average across the five zones is a $103 increase on last year, which the commission says is 3%.
The commission says the main factors influencing the proposed price change for small business customers are higher wholesale and network costs but also lower environmental costs.
Consultation on the draft decision, which includes a public forum, runs until 11 April 2025, with the commission’s final decision due by 24 May 2025.
AER explains ‘high price events’ affecting power prices
The regulator says wholesale market and network costs, the two largest components of DMO prices, have gone up by 2% to 12% for the majority of customers.
The AER says:
Average wholesale market spot prices increased across 2024, impacted by factors such as high demand, coal generator and network outages, and low solar and wind output that drove high price events across DMO regions.
These high price events have also affected the price of wholesale electricity contracts for 2025–26.
Network costs increased for most customers, although some customer types in South Australia and south-east Queensland have seen network costs decrease, the AER says.
The AER says multiple and varying factors have contributed to rising network costs in each region, including inflation and interest rates leading to a higher rate of return.
Retail costs are a smaller component of DMO prices than wholesale and networks costs, but these have also increased due to growing costs reported by retailers, the AER says.
Energy regulator chair concedes it is a ‘challenging time’ for those affected by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred
The chair of the Australian Energy Regulator, Clare Savage, says the agency acknowledges it is a “challenging time” for consumers, particularly those affected by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
In a statement, Savage said:
This is a very difficult time for many communities across northern New South Wales and south-east Queensland who have been or remain without power following ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
The AER says it will be working with retailers to “ensure they are focused on the need to support affected customers”.
Savage also acknowledged cost-of-living pressures, saying:
We know that cost-of-living pressures are front of mind for many households and small businesses.
We’ve seen cost pressures across nearly every component of the DMO, and we have given careful scrutiny to every element of the DMO cost stack to ensure prices are a reasonable reflection of the costs of a retailer to supply electricity.
Household power bills expected to rise over coming year, regulator says
Australians should expect to see their power bills go up in price over the coming year, the nation’s energy regulator says.
The Australian Energy Regulator has today its draft default market offer (DMO) for 2025-26, setting a guide for electricity prices in New South Wales, South Australia and south-east Queensland.
The regulator says cost increases “across nearly all components of the DMO” have resulted in prices for residential customers increasing between 2.5% and 8.9% – depending on the region – compared with last year.
Small business customers could see rises between 4.2% and 8.2%, the regulator says.
NSW SES responds to more than 7,500 incidents after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred
The New South Wales State Emergency Service (SES) says it has received more than 14,000 calls and responded to more than 7,500 incidents after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
In the past 24 hours, the NSW SES says it responded to 158 incidents, including one flood rescue involving a car driving into flood waters.
All emergency warnings have been downgraded, with 32 watch and act or advice level warnings in place from Crescent Head to the Queensland border.
The SES says while emergency warnings have been downgraded and many people are returning home, some communities from the west of Port Macquarie, through to the upper and lower Clarence and into the northern rivers remain isolated by flooded roads.
The overall number of isolated properties is changing as flood water recedes. The SES says:
Over the last 24 hours, isolations have occurred at Palmers Island, Palmers Road, Cedar Creek, Mulquimneys Rd Fiddler’s Creek, Stokers Siding, Commissioners Creek, Dum Dum and Dunbible, Billinudgel and the Pocket and parts of Lower Kangaroo and Middle Creek.
The SES says it has received more than 75 requests for resupply, with boats and helicopters dropping essential food, water and medical supplies to the isolated communities.
The SES says it is 50 multi-agency crews as they assess the damage caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred across the northern rivers region of NSW.
More than 2,200 rapid damage assessments have been completed in the Tweed and Coffs areas, Lismore, Bellingen, Cassino, Arrawarra and Grafton regions.
Those who need urgent medical, food or water supplies can contact the NSW SES on 132 500.
For the most up-to-date information, people should download the hazards near me app or visit the NSW SES website.
US commerce secretary defends tariff regime, singles out Australia for criticism
The US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, has criticised Australia, accusing it of subsidising cheap aluminium exports, as he defended the Trump administration’s tariff regime.
As we have reported, the Trump administration rejected Australia’s plea for an exemption from its decision to impose 25% tariffs on all imported steel and aluminium.
Speaking to Fox Business today (yesterday in the US), Lutnick said:
You’ve got dumpers in the rest of the world. Japan dumps steel, China dumps steel. What that means is, they make it, they over-produce, and they sell it dirt cheap … to drive our guys out of business.
The president is here to protect American workers. He’s here to protect American industry. We’re going to stop that nonsense and bring steel [production] here.
We’re not going to stand for China dumping, Japan dumping, Australia does a lot of aluminium at below cost. I mean, this has got to end, and the president is on it, and he’s protecting America.
