Australian Politics

Public servant Peter Dutton has announced an exception to his new rules demanding all public servants work from offices in Canberra, the exception of course being himself.

Context: ABC News: Albanese says PM should live in Canberra as Dutton opts for Kirribilli [in Sydney]

See also: The Betoota Advocate: Dutton tells voters he will show strong leadership in Canberra by working from home in Sydney

Treasury was projecting a decade of deficits in then-treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s budget before the last federal election in 2022. So why don’t I remember the people who profess to be so worried now, expressing much concern then? Surely not because debt and deficits only matter when you’ve got a Labor government?

[Everyone disliked that.]

In short:

MP Andrew Gee's Facebook account has been caught impersonating a voter heaping praise on the politician but posted by "Andrew Gee MP".

A spokesperson said the comment was made without Mr Gee's knowledge by a new member of his campaign team

What's next:

The staff member is being provided with "care and support" after the incident.

Dutton said that cutting the excise on petrol was, on the other hand, strong and tough and manly.

You can listen to the song here: https://kelleegreen.bandcamp.com/track/river-to-sea

Treasurer Jim Chalmers delivered the 2025 federal budget on Tuesday night. Some Australians say they have been overlooked.

In an embarrassing blunder ahead of the Coalition’s budget reply speech, shadow treasurer Angus Taylor has accidentally added an ABC journalist to the party’s Signal group chat, divulging a huge blank screen of secret policy detail.

The chat, which also includes Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and deputy leader Sussan Ley, reveals the extent of in-depth planning and sophisticated policy discussion that has taken place in the lead up to this year’s election.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03-26/federal-politics-live-blog-march-26-budget/105095958

Edit: ABC News: DiCaprio intervention, Greens' theatrics in attempt to derail Labor's salmon farming laws in Senate

Shadow treasurer responds barely 20 minutes after Jim Chalmers’ budget speech, calling Labor’s policy ‘cruel hoax tax changes’

See also accidental megathread in !australia: https://aussie.zone/post/18796790

The Labor Party have announced a groundbreaking new election promise to establish an EPA if they win the election, following 3 years of being in government after taking that exact promise to the last election.

A Labor spokesperson announced the policy has the party’s full support, unless of course word gets out that the Environment Minister organised a deal with The Greens and the Teals but the Prime Minister would prefer break the election promise than actually work with the cross-bench… again.

“You can trust our word,” said the spokesperson while updating the year on the old documents, “we swear we will think about not axing the policy this time.”

Defence spending is currently at about 2% of gross domestic product (GDP), or around A$56 billion per year. The Coalition is reportedly eyeing an increase to 2.5% of GDP by 2029.

The Albanese government’s current spending plan is expected to reach 2.33% of GDP by 2034. And in this week’s budget, it is expected to bring forward some of its already announced $50 billion increase in defence spending.

Why do these percentages matter? US President Donald Trump has made it very clear he expects America’s allies to pay more on defence, at least 3% of GDP.

We asked five experts if defence spending should be increased, and if so, by how much. They agreed more money is needed, albeit with caveats.

A deeply divided Australia has found common ground in a shared feeling of complete exhaustion brought on by the federal election, before its even been fucking called.

In short:

Australian industry would receive $4 billion to manufacture drones and missiles under a new Greens party policy.

Funding for the "self-defence" weapons would come from scrapping billions of dollars in American contracts, including M1A2 tanks, Black Hawks and AUKUS submarines.

What's next?

Greens Senator David Shoebridge says his party's policy is only a "beginning", acknowledging more would need to be done to protect the continent.

Labor has found more than $2bn in budget savings as it spruiks its record in cutting and re-directing former Coalition government spending to fund its agenda.

Led by the finance minister, Katy Gallagher, the government has embarked on a three-year long process of axing or shifting funding to help repair the budget bottom line and free up space for its own spending priorities.

i for one wouldn't mind if we wholesale banned social media altogether if it couldn't play by Australia's rules.

Leader of the nation’s racist uncles, Peter Dutton has taken a break from claiming that calls to listen to First Nations voices is a bid to cause division within the nation, to instead demand a national debate on giving ministers the power to deport dual-citizens.

The man whose party screamed about ‘upholding the rule of law’ now wants to completely bypass the rule of law, so that he can shift his fear-mongering messages from ‘send them to prison’ to ‘send them out of the country’.

“This referendum will be different,” said Dutton, “the last one wanted to give Indigenous leaders the unchecked dangerous power of giving advice on issues impacting their community, whereas this would give ministers the small power to just completely ignore court rulings and deport citizens on a whim.”

In short:

PBS medicines will cost a maximum of $25 if Labor wins the next election, down from $31.60.

The move comes as American medical giants take aim at the PBS, describing it as an "egregious and discriminatory" program and calling for the Trump administration to impose retaliatory tariffs.

What's next?

Labor's proposed changes would come into effect from January 2026 if the government is re-elected.

"With cheaper medicines, more free GP visits and a stronger Medicare, we say to Australians: we've got your back."

The Coalition said it would match the policy, which its health spokesperson Anne Ruston said would "ensure Australians have more affordable access to the medicines and treatments they need, at a time when healthcare has never been more expensive."

See also:

• ABC News: What is the PBS and what drugs are covered? Changes to prescription medicines explained
• ABC News: Australia defends Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme as US companies urge Trump to impose reciprocal tariffs
• ABC News: Labor and Coalition vow PBS will not be bargained over in US trade war

The opposition leader put his team on notice. He vowed he would remember the name of anyone who freelanced on policies. A month on, there's one name on the list of offenders — Peter Dutton.

A rare moment of unity in politics, as politicians from all sides paused their campaigning to condemn an American influencer who cruelly took a wombat child from its mother, leaving the nation shocked to see Albanese possess a spine and Dutton possess basic human empathy.

Now that the influencer has finally left the country following the incident, many have been left waiting to see if the leaders of the nation will now condemn the extreme rate that First Nations kids continue to be taken by the state.

[T]his election, it will pay to keep an eye on independents running in regional and rural Australia. Growing grassroots support suggests they, along with minor parties, will pose a major challenge to the two-party dominance that’s slowly diminishing.

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In 2019, one in four voters preferred minor or independent candidates. In 2022, it was one in three.

Informative video into the history of trying to tax the mining industry in Australia, and the extensive lobbying and media control that the mining industry has. Would love to know your opinions on this.