Australian news and politics live updates: Albanese claims ‘ISIS bride’ will be monitored, defends tax reform

Anthony Albanese claims the concessions Labor made to their tax reform package should curb “scare campaigns” as people understand how the Budget measures impact them.

The government legislated its changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing on Thursday, after winning support from the Greens.

“This is important reform and it’s good that it’s been passed,” he said.

“Now that it’s been passed as well, what you’ll see is some of the scare campaigns, about things that are not true and are not happening, that will be more difficult,” he told ABC on Friday.

“Anyone who has a negatively geared property will not have that negative gearing change, for example.

“So, they’ll actually see that. A whole lot of people think at the moment that they are impacted, they’re not.”

The Prime Minister has vowed the country’s security agencies will provide the “strongest possible monitoring” of the final Australian “ISIS bride”, insisting his government was powerless to stop her return.

On Thursday, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed the woman, who was previously barred from Australia, could return from Syria after finding a way around her temporary exclusion order.

“We’ll continue to provide the strongest possible monitoring,” Mr Albanese said.

“No one wants people who fled our country and fought or supported ISIS to be able to just come back.

“But Australian citizens, of course, do have rights.

“That’s one of the things as a democracy and a different country, we respect the rule of law.

“So what we’ll do is make sure that there’s as strong as possible monitoring in place. I have absolute confidence in our security agencies to make sure that that occurs.”

The Prime Minister says he has been briefed on the situation unfolding in Venezuela in the wake of back-to-back earthquakes.

Almost 200 people have been confirmed dead but there are fears the death toll could be up to 100,000.

Anthony Albanese called the situation “horrific” and said the amount of Australians impacted was not yet confirmed.

“It’s not clear yet whether Australians are caught up in it because Australians are great travellers, of course, right around the world,” he told the ABC.

“Given the numbers that have been impacted, it’s certainly possible Australians are caught up in it.

“We’re continuing to monitor the situation, and our hearts go out to anyone here who has relatives or friends in Venezuela because this is one of the worst earthquakes we’ve seen in recent times, with catastrophic human consequences, massive loss of life, enormous infrastructure damage and real consequences for the people of Venezuela.”

Labor won Senate backing for its housing and tax reforms but won’t rule out more changes.

Mark Butler has insisted more legislation is still to come as the Coalition accused the Government of presiding over a “balls up from go to woah”.

Appearing on Sunrise on Friday morning, Health and NDIS Minister Mark Butler was forced to defend the Government’s handling of reforms after a series of concessions and carve-outs made since the Budget was handed down six weeks ago. Asked whether he would do anything differently, Mr Butler argued it was normal for major tax reforms to be refined as legislation progressed through Parliament.

“Every significant tax reform package this country has had a series of implementation details that take place over the course of months,” he said.

Mr Butler insisted the package delivered what Australians needed, pointing to tax cuts, support for first-home buyers and relief for small businesses. He also confirmed further legislation was still on the way, including measures covering start-ups and trust arrangements.

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The Prime Minister has commented on Nine’s decision to immediately terminate Karl Stefanovic after his controversial podcast caused a stir.

Anthony Albanese called the decision “consequential” but said it was a matter for the broadcaster.

“Words do matter, and what people who are very prominent in our public discourse do, and how they conduct themselves, matters as well,” he said on ABC News Breakfast.

“It’s unfortunate the way what has been a very big career has ended in this way.

“That’s a matter for Karl Stefanovic to think about—his actions and the decisions he’s made.”

After a study was published earlier this week revealing that 85 per cent of teenagers were using restricted social media platforms, Anthony Albanese says he will review the laws of the under-16s ban.

The Prime Minister said on ABC News Breakfast that the legislation was “world-leading”, despite some questioning its effectiveness..

“The great thing about this reform is that it wasn’t led by parliamentarians, it was led by parents who lost their young children and channelled that grief into making sure other parents don’t have to experience the same tragedy,” Me Albanese said.

“We’re just looking at whether the laws are as strong as possible, given the feedback we’ve received.

“The eSafety Commissioner has every power at her disposal, and we’ll adjust things accordingly.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was forced to defend Labor’s changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax after it passed parliament on Thursday night.

In an appearance on ABC News Breakfast on Friday morning he said Australia’s housing system is “broken” and implied that everyone knew it.

“Everyone knows Australia has a housing system that is broken,” he said.

“We’ve had a 400 per cent increase in house prices at the same time we’ve had less than half that increase in wages.

“That means it’s become less affordable and more difficult for people to get into the market.”