Politics

There was a vastly different mood between MPs in the Albanese Government and their Coalition counterparts on Friday as they exited the capital until next February.

US President Donald Trump says he plans to suspend migration from what he calls "Third World Countries".

Australia’s Budget deficit for the first four months of 2025-26 is already triple the level for all of the last financial year, new figures show. Government spending is at a four-decade high outside of COVID.

SAS veterans said they were saddened, but not surprised, by the shooting of two US National Guardsmen in Washington allegedly at the hands of an Afghan former-CIA paramilitary soldier.

Federal officials say Rahmanullah Lakanwal faces multiple criminal charges in the shooting, which left one National Guard member dead and another critically wounded.

Federal Parliament has passed long-awaited reforms to Australia’s environmental laws after Labor agreed to a deal with the Greens to get it through Parliament in its last sitting week of the year.

Australia and New Zealand are poised to pour millions of dollars into a special NATO program that buys American-made weapons for Ukraine.

Major environmental law reforms are unlikely to derail projects already in the approvals pipeline despite industry concerns, an expert says.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova says NATO's attempts to draw Ukraine into the military alliance would be ‘unacceptable’.

In the showdown over environmental laws, the Greens have proved themselves to be the better negotiators, able to outline a coherent position and willing to compromise to clinch a deal.

Industry groups are hoping Labor’s new environment laws, locked in with the help of the Greens, will fast-track approvals with the promise States will be able to sign off on projects under Federal laws.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has accused the Government and Greens of doing a ‘dirty deal’ that works against the gas industry and may lead to higher household energy fees.

NEWS WORTHY: In today’s episode, Ben O’Shea explains why Albanese’s environment laws finally passed Parliament.

EDITORIAL: The move by Labor to subject gas projects to more onerous assessment processes is entirely at odds with Anthony Albanese’s previously stated strong support for the industry.