Coalition consumed by ‘fact-free, reality-free culture war’ over climate, Malcolm Turnbull says
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has been speaking on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing about the Liberals scrapping their policy of net zero emissions by 2050.
He said:
What you have is a fact-free, reality-free culture war, and it is designed to gratify the rightwing media ecosystem dominated by Sky News, and that is basically what is in charge of the Coalition. That’s why I say I feel sorry for Sussan Ley.
Turnbull said the MPs had the “memory of goldfish and the dining habits of piranhas”.
Key events
Daniel says she is still deciding whether to run for Goldstein again
Asked by host Patricia Karvelas if she will run for Goldstein at the next election, Zoe Daniel said:
There’s a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and the next election. My phone’s been ringing hot with people saying, ‘for God’s sake, please get back in there’. That is something for me to decide over time.
Former teal MP Zoe Daniel says Tim Wilson’s frontbench position ‘untenable’
On Afternoon Briefing, former independent member for Goldstein Zoe Daniel has been asked if her predecessor turned successor in the last election, Liberal MP Tim Wilson, should quit the frontbench over net zero. She says he should, because he has failed the electorate on climate change.
I think his position is untenable in a party that doesn’t have a substantive climate policy, in a seat that’s the second most marginal in the country, where we know people really care about effective climate and energy policy and environment policy.
Not only for the sake of the environment but for the sake of the economy and for business certainty. There are a lot of people in Goldstein invested in the renewable sector, this is important for businesses and companies.
Coalition should be pursuing ‘cheaper and cheaper renewable electricity’, Turnbull says
Asked if he agreed energy prices would be cheaper under Sussan Ley’s energy plan, Malcolm Turnbull said:
Absolutely not. It is very clear that the right thing for us to do – and I mean both in terms of affordability and environmental responsibility – is to continue the transition to a system where the bulk of our primary generation is from solar and wind, backed up by batteries and pumped hydro, and keep some gas in reserve for peaking, but that is the best solution.
We now have cheaper and cheaper renewable electricity. That’s our advantage in Australia. We have a lot of land and sunshine and we can take advantage.
Coalition consumed by ‘fact-free, reality-free culture war’ over climate, Malcolm Turnbull says
Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull has been speaking on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing about the Liberals scrapping their policy of net zero emissions by 2050.
He said:
What you have is a fact-free, reality-free culture war, and it is designed to gratify the rightwing media ecosystem dominated by Sky News, and that is basically what is in charge of the Coalition. That’s why I say I feel sorry for Sussan Ley.
Turnbull said the MPs had the “memory of goldfish and the dining habits of piranhas”.
Man charged in WA after campfire allegedly sparks bushfire
Western Australia police have charged a 25-year-old in relation to a bushfire in Perth’s southern suburbs.
Officers with the police arson squad allege the man set up a temporary campsite in the Port Kennedy Scientific Park and started a campfire. The flames quickly spread to the surrounding vegetation due to strong winds, police said, prompting an emergency response in the area.
The WA Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued a bushfire warning yesterday, saying while the blaze didn’t threaten any lives or homes, it was causing a lot of smoke in the area.
The man has been charged with one count of breach of duty and is due to appear before Perth magistrates court today. The offence carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Parts of WA, around greater Geraldton, are under a total fire ban due to dangerous conditions.
Sarah Basford Canales
Reactions mixed over proposal to shift kids with some developmental delays or autism from NDIS
Autism advocacy community groups have delivered a mixed response to the federal government’s proposal to shift kids with mild to moderate developmental delays or autism from the NDIS from mid next year.
A parliamentary inquiry today is hearing from a wide range of groups on their consideration of the Thriving Kids initiative, first announced in August, and the impacts it could have on the communities or interests they represent.
The chair of Autistic Self Advocacy Network Australia and New Zealand (ASAN ANZ), Cheryl Koch, told the inquiry:
Thriving Kids is a pivotal opportunity to reshape Australia’s disability ecosystem, but it cannot be successful if it doesn’t garner the trust of the autistic community and the … neurodivergent community across Australia.
Heidi La Paglia, a board member for Regional Autistic Engagement Network, said there was “deep fear” within the community around how the changes could impact existing NDIS participants.
Under the proposal, the federal government will provide $2bn to states and territories to initiate the Thriving Kids program to offer support for children with mild to moderate developmental delays or autism in places such as early learning groups and school, rather than through the NDIS.
Nick Visser
That’s all from me. Cait Kelly will be your guide for the rest of the day. Take care!
Anne Davies
Moore wants reform on boarding houses, affordability and renters’ rights
Continued from previous post:
Clover Moore held a roundtable in late October with 40 representatives from housing providers, community and peak organisations, NSW government agencies, renters and members of the council’s housing advisory panel.
Moore is urging reforms in three areas: boarding houses, affordable housing and greater rights for renters.
She said the outdated state environmental planning policy generally failed to preserve boarding houses or generate monetary contributions to compensate for their loss.
Moore also wants changes to ensure affordable housing is truly affordable and not just discounted.
Under the government’s current policy, the obligation to offer extra flats at a discount usually lasts only 15 years, which means it could evaporate in the future. The groups recommended changes to make it permanently affordable.
On rental rights, the round table suggested further changes on unfair evictions, rent increases and repairs and maintenance.
Sydney mayor urges premier to step up rental protections
Anne Davies
The City of Sydney lord mayor, Clover Moore, is calling on the NSW premier, Chris Minns, to urgently step up rental protections, after key stakeholders identified failings in state legislation.
Moore warned that addressing housing supply without changes to secure the rights of renters would not solve Sydney’s affordability crisis.
Renters account for more than half of all households in the City of Sydney council area. More than 20,000 households are paying more than 30% of their income on housing costs, placing them in housing stress.
Moore will present a plan to the council on Monday night, calling for better protections for renters and people living in boarding houses, aimed at providing greater security of tenure. She said:
Landlords can increase rents, or redevelop properties, causing renters to have to find new homes. This is a particular risk in the inner city, where land values are so high.
Many of those living in rental accommodation are in dire straits and action is urgently needed to fix this ongoing problem – housing supply alone will not make housing affordable.
Moore said previous reforms on no-fault evictions were inadequate.
Jack Snape
Paige Greco, Australian Paralympic gold medallist, dies at 28
Australian Paralympic gold medallist Paige Greco has been remembered for her humility, generosity, and the joy she brought to her teammates after her shock death on Sunday at the age of 28.
The cyclist passed away in her Adelaide home after experiencing a sudden medical episode, according to South Australian authorities, and her family has asked for privacy.
Paige’s mother, Natalie Greco, said her daughter “meant everything” to her family:
Her kindness, her determination and her warmth touched our family every single day. She brought so much joy and pride into our lives, and the pain of her passing is something we will carry forever.
While we are devastated by her loss, we are incredibly proud of the person she was and the way she represented Australia.
Greco won Australia’s first gold at the Tokyo Paralympics in the women’s C1-3 3,000m individual pursuit, and was a consistent podium finisher at international level.
Read more here:
Ben Smee
Meet the whistleblowers who exposed Queensland’s domestic violence failures
A former senior Queensland detective has accused police of covering up their own failures in cases where vulnerable women died after seeking police protection, and alleges she was ordered to “protect the organisation’s reputation at all costs”.
And a whistleblower from within the Queensland coronial system who reported alleged systemic failures in domestic and family violence-linked deaths claims she was warned she would be “pulverised” if she ever spoke out.
Both women decided to speak to Guardian Australia because they believe the family members of some domestic violence victims have not been told the whole truth about what happened to their loved ones.
Their courage in breaking ranks laid the foundation for our two-year investigation into the police and coronial handling of domestic violence deaths.
Read more here:
Victoria police have confiscated more than 15,000 knives so far this year
Victoria police have confiscated more than 15,000 knives, machetes and “zombie knives” (blades with serrated edges) in Victoria in 2025, an average of 47 per day, AAP reports.
Most were seized in searches related to known offenders, while officers also targeted youth gang members, Victoria police said.
An additional 6,000 knives were surrendered through a machete amnesty.
The Victoria police chief commissioner, Mike Bush, said 21,000 weapons taken off the streets highlighted the scale of the state’s knife crime “problem”, adding:
I am acutely aware of how much concern knife crime generates in the Victorian community, with multiple recent incidents striking at the heart of how safe people are and how safe people feel.
A standalone knife crime offence that could land criminals in jail for up to three extra years has been put forward by the Victorian government.
Victoria records most springtime drownings since 2001
Life Saving Victoria is urging Victorians to stay safe in the water after recording 12 drownings in spring alone, the highest number for the season since 2001.
Many of those drowning incidents were linked to “unintentional entry” into the water, including slips, trips and falls.
Cath Greaves, the CEO of Life Saving Victoria, said:
Water safety is everyone’s responsibility, and I ask you all to do what you can to stay safe when visiting a beach, pool, river, lake or dam. …
Please also take particular care to avoid unintentional entry incidents. Be aware of slippery or unstable surfaces, be careful around areas like coastal rock platforms and riverbanks, read safety signs and keep a safe distance.
Last summer lifesavers performed 1,011 rescues in Victoria, the highest number in 20 years.
Climate group calls on National Press club to cancel talk by coal lobbyist
Comms Declare, a climate advocacy group representing the marketing industries, has called on the National Press Club to cancel a speech tomorrow by the chief executive of a coal lobbying group.
Michelle Manook is set to speak at the NPC in Canberra on Tuesday on behalf of FutureCoal where she will discuss “the myths and future of coal and what she believes will be the path forward”. FutureCoal was formerly called the World Coal Association and is an industry body for the “entire coal value chain”.
Belinda Noble, the founder of Comms Declare, said in a statement:
The Walkley Awards and National Press Gallery Mid-Winter Ball have cut ties with fossil fuel sponsors. But the NPC lags behind public sentiment and science by giving their stage to coal lobbyists and keeping sponsors like Woodside.
Fossil fuel lobbying is one of the reasons we don’t have the strong climate action that most Australians want and need, and giving the coal lobby the NPC stage legitimises that obstruction.
The group said the NPC has responded to the request saying the journalists in the room would “pose difficult questions for the speaker and that it should not be presumed that the NPC board is supportive of Future Coal’s positions”.
Penry Buckley
NSW premier confirms expanded hate speech laws will be introduced this week
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, says expanded hate speech laws he claims are needed “to deal with fascists on the streets of Sydney” following a rally by neo-Nazis outside parliament will be introduced this week.
Minns told reporters today the laws, which include expanding a ban on Nazi symbols to include slogans and chants, have yet to go through cabinet. He said they were “not an easy piece of legislation”, but the government’s intention remains that they will be introduced this week.
I think everyone would appreciate we’d be in a worse position today if we moved a bill that was eventually defeated, and I want to make sure that there’s a clear message from civic society, the NSW police and political leaders that Nazis aren’t welcome.
Advocates and cross bench MPs have warned against a kneejerk reaction to the rally, saying further legislation risks further eroding the right to protest in the state and that police already had the powers to move on the protest under hate speech laws which came into effect in August. Some have called for a holistic approach to dealing with neo-Nazis in Australia.
This week is the final sitting week of the NSW parliament before the summer break, although the government has the option to use a reserve week next week. Minns said he wants to see the changes debated before the end of the year. “From there, we’ll see, I’m not sure,” he said.
NSW Nationals leader steps down, citing family reasons
Anne Davies
The NSW Nationals leader, Dugald Saunders, has stepped down as leader ahead of Tuesday’s party room meeting, citing family reasons.
It comes as the NSW Coalition faces similar turmoil to the federal Coalition over climate policy. The NSW Nationals voted last week to abandon a net zero target by 2050.
The Liberals are expected to consider the issue on Tuesday. There have also been ongoing tensions within the Coalition on a range of issues, including controls on wild horse populations in national parks and the great koala national park.
Paul Toole, MP for Bathurst and the leader prior to the last election, is expected to run but others may also emerge.
Saunders said:
For the past two and a half years, I have had the privilege of leading the NSW Nationals. Today I am stepping down from that position.
It’s been an honour to lead the parliamentary team during a challenging time in NSW opposition, and I’ve always done my best to represent regional NSW.
It’s a difficult decision but it is the right time for me to take a step back and focus more on my family and myself. It’s also the right time to allow a new leader to take up the fight ahead of the next election.
I thank my family, my staff, my team and the party, for all of their support. I will continue to serve the people of the Dubbo electorate as their local member.
Opposition leader Mark Speakman is expected to comment shortly. More to come …
Ley says a Coalition government would cut emissions by ‘encouraging’ emitters to reduce their carbon footprint
And it is back-to-back pressers. We are now jumping to New South Wales, where Sussan Ley is also talking about net zero. She is asked how emissions will drop under Liberal policies:
Our plan is to reduce emissions year-on-year in line with comparable countries and as far and as fast as technology will allow.
We will have a voluntary mechanism, the accountability and baseline credit scheme, that will not punish people if they emit carbon but will encourage them to reduce their carbon footprint and, hence, reduce emissions.
