Lambie scolded by ADF chief over hidden camera revelation – as it happened

That’s a wrap on our rolling live coverage for today. Before we go, let’s look at the day’s top headlines: The ADF chief has admonished independent Jacqui Lambie for going public with an investigation into a recording device being planted inside the female bathroom of a naval ship. Adm Mark Hammond, confirmed audits of army and air force facilities have cleared women’s bathrooms of hidden cameras. Australia’s immediate neighbours are trusted more than historic allies, according to a new survey which shows the United States is increasingly considered a “threat”. The Victorian Greens announced a $70m election commitment to make Melbourne’s Yarra River swimmable in the next decade. The assistant treasurer, Daniel Mulino, has admitted the tax office could have done better when deciding how to address the ban on credit card payment surcharges, adding that it was dealing with a “complex” problem. A teenager in Darwin appeared in children’s court over charges of collecting documents likely to facilitate a terrorist act, as well as schematics for 3D-printed guns. Australia’s AI Safety Institute was not told of the OpenAI agent attack on a Medicare portal until eight days after OpenAI alerted Services Australia, Senate estimates has heard. A woman died this morning after being injured in a drive-by shooting outside a venue hosting a boxing event in Loganholme, south of Brisbane. And for those who missed it, here’s a tl;dr on what happened in question time. That’s a wrap on our political coverage this sitting week, thank you for joining us. The chief of the defence force, Adm Mark Hammond, confirmed audits of army and air force facilities have cleared women’s bathrooms of hidden cameras, a Senate estimates hearing has heard. Earlier this month, a navy member was stood down with pay after a video recording device was found inside the women’s bathroom on HMAS Leeuwin while the ship was docked in Cairns. The independent senator Jacqui Lambie revealed the incident in the upper house. The navy chief, V Adm Matt Buckley, described it as the “most despicable betrayal of trust”. Read more: Australia’s AI Safety Institute was not told of the OpenAI agent attack on a Medicare portal until eight days after OpenAI alerted Services Australia, Senate estimates has heard. The institute was established late last year and Dr Kate Conroy was appointed general manager in May, charged with monitoring and testing AI for potential risks and harms. Conroy told Senate estimates that the June OpenAI attack on the Medicare portal was not revealed by Services Australia to the new agency until 19 September, after OpenAI disclosed the breach on 11 September. She said: So the way that the incident was first understood was primarily through a traditional cybersecurity incident framework. And my understanding is that Services Australia and ASD conducted an investigation of that as a cyber incident at the time. And so through the course of that, exploration and understanding of the incident, they then reached out to others, including the Australian AI Safety Institute, in order to then better understand the nature of the incident and to draw on our technical expertise. The Liberal senator Jane Hume asked why the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet was leading the review into the incident rather than the institute, and officials said PM&C was examining how agencies across government might coordinate in the event of future incidents, and the institute was working closely with the department. Real-life NCIS … The chief of the defence force has told Senate estimates that a newspaper article alleging that US security agents secretly infiltrated Australian naval bases in order to test their security was “factually incorrect”. The report – replete with videos of self-styled US secretary of war Pete Hegseth bench-pressing and jumping up and down – claimed the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) deployed undercover agents to secretly infiltrate multiple Australian bases, including HMAS Stirling in Western Australia and HMAS Kuttabul in Sydney, to “test existing physical security measures”. The report said the agents were able to breach security measures, walk unchallenged into secure areas and take photographs in restricted zones. The chief of the defence force, Adm Mark Hammond, told estimates: That report is wrong. It is factually incorrect. What does occur around the world where US naval assets visit foreign ports is a collaborative arrangement between US embassies and host defence organisations to assess and agree security protocols for visiting programs. And that has always been the case, we have been supporting those ship visit security protocols collaboratively with US authorities for decades. Estimates heard the security tests were done in conjunction and “full knowledge and concurrence” with Australian authorities. The US agents were accompanied by Australian officials. “We work in partnership with the US authorities so they can understand the security apparatus in place for their visiting ships,” Hammond said. Estimates hears 155,000 children to be kicked off NDIS before June 2031 Just jumping back to Senate estimates for a hot second, where it’s just been discussed that 155,000 children will be exited from the NDIS by 30 June 2031, with changes to eligibility starting in 2028. Under questioning by Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne, assistant secretary NDIS sustainability taskforce Anthea Long said: Senator, I can give you figures around children, 18 and under, if that’s helpful. And so, in terms of the projected number of participants who would be assumed to exit the scheme under the reforms, it would be 155,000 children by the 30th of June, 2031. Year on year, she said the cumulative departures would be: So for 30th June 2028, it is 21,000. For 30th June 2029, 87,000, for 30th June 2030 137,000. And I should say that this is cumulative. So it’s not that many of children each year, it’s cumulative, up and to, up to a total of 155,000 by 30th June 2031. Australia’s defence force chief has admonished a senator for going public with an investigation into a recording device being planted inside the female bathroom of a naval ship. The camera was discovered in a cabin aboard the HMAS Leeuwin on 11 October, while the ship was docked in Cairns. Three days later, the allegation was aired on the floor of the Senate by Tasmanian independent Jacqui Lambie, who said the video recording device had been found hidden in a women’s shower. The defence force confirmed the incident hours later. During Senate estimates hearings on Thursday, chief of the Australian Defence Force Admiral Mark Hammond expressed dismay at how the alleged sexual harassment incident became public. The investigation was under way before you drew national attention to it …My preference, if you would indulge me, would be to where you become aware of an active investigation, perhaps bring it to my attention first. Hammond rejected a suggestion from Lambie sexual violence investigations should be taken out of the defence force’s hands: You will find an ally in me. 80 per cent of the three star (generals) in this room have partners or children serving in the Australian Defence Force – I assure you we are absolutely committed to eradicating sexual violence. - Australian Associated Press A woman has died after being injured in a drive-by shooting outside a venue hosting a boxing event in Loganholme, south of Brisbane. Queensland police said that at about 8.18pm on Saturday a “number of shots” were fired from the front window of a car occupied by two males wearing balaclavas and gloves, hitting a total of four people who were gathered in the passenger drop-off zone outside a pub. A 19-year-old Jimboomba woman was shot in the neck and head and underwent surgery, but died from her injuries in hospital this morning. Detective Ian Galpin, who previously described the woman as an “innocent bystander”, told reporters on Thursday police are searching for the offenders in what is now a homicide investigation. We will not stop until these people are identified and taken into custody. A 19-year-old woman in the prime of her life, who was simply going out for a night with friends, has had her life taken from her in the most cowardly way. There are people out there who know exactly who was involved in this offence, and exactly why this occurred. I’m asking those people to be brave enough to come forward with that information and contact police.” Galpin said it remains unclear whether the incident was gang-related, and a motive can’t be determined until the alleged suspects are found. One of the other victims remains in hospital as they recover from surgery while the other two have been released. Good afternoon! Thanks for sticking around, I’ll take the reins from here. Thanks for following along this sitting week! My colleague Achol Arok will take you through the rest of the day’s news. NDIA spent more than $30,000 in three months ‘maintaining plants and flowers’ The NDIA spent $31,960 over three months to March on maintaining plants and flowers in its offices, Senate estimates have heard. Under questions from Liberal senator Chris Gatenby, chief operating officer, Matthew Swainson, said: I would observe that we’ve got 149 offices nationally. Some of those are standalone NDIA offices. Some of them are co-located with Services Australia. We are looking for efficiencies right across our property portfolio and program. As I mentioned earlier, we are deeply committed to managing the agency within the budget envelope that we’ve been provided with. Asic to review accounts of Woodside, Santos and six other oil and gas companies Australia’s corporate regulator will audit the accounts of Woodside, Santos and six other oil and gas companies to check they are accounting for the cost of cleaning up offshore infrastructure. In response to questions from Greens senator Vanessa Bleyer in Senate estimates on Thursday, the Asic commissioner, Kate O’Rourke, confirmed the corporate regulator was reviewing how eight oil and gas companies disclose decommissioning liabilities in their financial statements. The companies under review are Woodside, Santos, Beach Energy, Amplitude Energy, Horizon Oil, Strike Energy, Cue Energy and Canarvon Energy. Bleyer said: “We have attempted to do a … sample of those whom we think are representative of the issues of importance … We hope it’s a valuable and sufficiently wide sample for us to draw conclusions. After a complaint from the Wilderness Society, Asic named the review of decommissioning as a 2026-27 focus area in May. Amanda Holly, manager of corporate advocacy and engagement at the Wilderness Society, said: This intervention didn’t come out of nowhere. It follows years of investigation by the Wilderness Society, two complaints to Asic, and the exposure of serious deficiencies in how the oil and gas sector reports its clean-up liabilities. There is over $60bn worth of oil and gas infrastructure sitting off Australia’s coastline that has to be cleaned up. Right now, too many companies are lowballing that bill in their accounts, and if they can’t pay when the time comes, it could land on taxpayers. Two National Disability Insurance Agency senior staff members who have been investigated by Ibac for attempting to conceal almost $260m in Covid-19 grants were paid to ineligible businesses when they worked in the Victorian public service now hold high-level roles at the NDIA, it’s been revealed in Senate estimates. Speaking about the situation, CEO of the NDIA, Graeme Head, said the officers, who held high-level positions in the NDIA and who cannot be named, are currently not on duty: I can confirm that two current NDIA employees are the subject of adverse findings by Ibac in its operation. I want to reassure the committee that as agency head, I am taking all steps available to me to ensure the matters are considered carefully and appropriately, and that work is under way. Neither officer is on duty in the agency. It’s important that the work be allowed to proceed properly and fairly, in accordance with all applicable legislative and procedural requirements. The cost of living and the growing chances of a rate rise loomed large over the chamber, fuelling taunts and jabs from both sides of the political aisle. A $6m grant to the Marrickville golf club continued to offer ample opportunity for the opposition to dig into the government. The energy minister, Chris Bowen, proudly took accountability for “triggering” the opposition after mentioning renewable energy in the government’s datacentre requirements. Today’s ejection count: five. Education minister, Jason Clare, offers harrowing recollections of a child subject to online bullying, and another who died by suicide after engaging with an AI chatbot. He makes an impassioned plea for the Coalition to support the government’s digital duty of care bill: This is not about censorship. It’s not about freedom of speech. It’s about them. And so I say to my colleagues and friends on the other side of the chamber, please think again about it. It’s not too late. Biggest driver of inflation is petrol, Chalmers says Asked by the about interest rate rises, the treasurer says takes another jab: I find it bizarre, frankly, that those opposite won’t acknowledge what was factually the biggest driver of yesterday’s inflation figures, which was higher petrol prices. It’s this weird post-truth stuff that they get engaged in, where they see the same ABS data that we see, and the biggest driver of yesterday’s inflation number – which was too high – was fuel. It’s a triple combo for speaker, Milton Dick. In one fell swoop he has punted the shadow treasurer, Tim Wilson, the member for Herbert, Phillip Thompson, and the former Nationals leader David Littleproud. Tribute to Queensland police officers who lost their lives at Wieambilla The prime minister and the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, have paid tribute to a number of police officers, including Matthew Arnold and Rachel McCrow, who died while conducting a check at the property in Wieambilla. The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, agrees: I’d like to associate the Coalition with the fine words of the prime minister and the minister of home affairs, and pay tribute alongside them to those brave police officers who put themselves in harm’s way, to all our police officers, preventing, detecting, responding to or investigating crime. Chalmers is asked about spending and inflation Asked by shadow treasurer, Tim Wilson, whether Jim Chalmers will “take responsibility and admit his out of control spending is forcing Australian families to pay more for everything”, the treasurer hits back. Chalmers: “Their argument about spending and inflation, like the Liberal party itself, is falling down all around them.” As he continues his answer, listing government promises, he mentions “Medicare”, and the opposition begins jeering. Tim Wilson is seen laughing and pointing while those around him make faces. Another one bites the dust. MP for Forrest, Ben Small, has been pulled up for interjecting throughout treasurer Jim Chalmers’ answer to a dixer on the impact of tax reform during times of economic uncertainty. Independent for Kooyong, Monique Ryan, asks: “Will the government legislate to ensure that new datacentres are not permitted to use expensive, polluting backup diesel generators?” Energy minister, Chris Bowen, says the government is ensuring datacentres bring their own new energy, and “that energy should be the cheapest form of energy”. While giving his answer, he says there will be a focus on renewable energy, attracting a barrage of discontent from across the aisle. Bowen says: I’ve triggered them. That’s my fault, Mr Speaker. EU free-trade deal ‘in Australia’s national interest’, Albanese says First dixer of the day as Trish Cook, the MP for Bullwinkel, asks how the proposed free trade agreement with the EU benefits Australia’s economic and security interests. Through a rabble of Coalition complaints, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, points to improved diversification, quotes support from the Business Council and other bodies, and finishes with: This is in Australia’s national interest. It should be agreed, and everyone in this parliament should back it. In case you were wondering, the MP for Cook, Simon Kennedy, asked about the Marrickville golf club grant. He said: Yesterday, the prime minister claimed the sewerage works were originally part of the $6 million invite-only taxpayer funded grant to Marrickville golf club. Can the prime minister explain, with a straight face, why there’s no mention of the sewerage works in the prime minister’s own announcement on March 2025? The prime minister answers: “on the 27th of April, 2025, we made an election commitment, building and securing the Marrickville Golf Club precinct that went to a range of activities … and ensure this inner west institution can be enjoyed for decades to come.” First ejection from question time First ejection of the day before we even finished the opening question. The member for Perth, Patrick Gorman, has been kicked out of the chamber. We’re running it back one last time for this sitting week. Australia’s free trade deal with the EU is sure to spark some spats, and no doubt yesterday’s inflation figures remain at top of mind. The opposition could tee up a few more questinos about a $6m grant for the Marrickville golf club. Get your QT bingo cards ready. Bowen proposes ‘last resort’ penalties on datacentres flouting power usage rules Energy minister, Chris Bowen, said new rules to potentially cut off the power supply to AI datacentres would only be a “last resort” if operators consistently flouted rules. As part of the Labor government’s new rules on power-hungry datacentres, Bowen has floated that the Australian Energy Market Commission be able to turn off supply if certain facilities disregarded national rules requiring the use of renewable energy. Power supply to datacentres has been a key policy debate, with the federal government initially insisting on the AI factories being powered entirely by renewables, but later relenting with dispensations for gas-rich Queensland and Northern Territory. Bowen’s office has asked the AEMC to assess a number of options, including financial penalties, but there are concerns that fines could not be enough to force such change. The government is still keen to hear feedback from developers, industry and the community, and remains open to what penalties could apply. ‘Makes no sense’ for Australia to miss out on trade opportunities, Steggall says Crossbencher Zali Steggall has backed Australia’s free trade agreement with the EU, saying it creates opportunities for Australian businesses, strengthens ties and diversifies markets. In a statement she said: Climate denialism must not stand in the way of Australia’s trade future. Europe is a $30 trillion market and it makes absolutely no sense for Australia to miss out on the opportunities a free trade deal would bring … Claims that the free trade deal would take away Australia’s right to set its own climate policies are simply wrong. Steggall said the agreement requires parties to uphold their commitments under the Paris agreement, which itself does not dictate Australia’s emissions targets. The targets are determined through Australia’s laws and processes. Nationals condemn EU trade deal The Nationals leader, Matt Canavan, has said his party is opposed to Australia’s free trade deal with the EU. The agreement would allow 98% of Australia’s goods exported to the EU to enter duty free and includes a binding commitment to respect the Paris climate agreement, which Australia is already a signatory to. But Canavan claims it is “no good in its current form”, telling reporters at a press conference: From day one, we said this is a bad deal … The Coalition wants to see a successful EU [free trade agreement] concluded, but it has to be in the national interest. We cannot have a situation where our farmers, our producers, our business people end up being penalised because Australia misses the target set by the Albanese government with respect to climate. Last night in Senate estimates, Greens senator Penny Allman-Payne asked the department and minister if it was aware of a recent report from AIHW showing that people who are jobseekers aged between 35 and 44 years old are dying at 9.6 times the rate of people who are not on jobseeker. In response, DEWR first assistant secretary, Lisa Schofield, said: We know that this report is consistent with other literature that, on average, people receiving income support do have poorer physical and mental health outcomes than people not receiving income support. Importantly, though, the report does make clear that the analysis does not examine nor does it provide evidence of a causal relationship between receiving income support payment and subsequent death. Senator Jess Walsh, who was representing minister for employment and workplace relations, Amanda Rishworth, said: We are committed to improving payments for jobseekers and other people who are on social security payments where we can, where the budget gives space to do that. We’ve increased jobseeker by over a $4,500 dollars in our two terms of government and increased rent assistance by 53%. We know that this system can work better to support people to find work. Providers help just 12.9% of jobseekers get work Last night, Senate estimates showed that just 12.9% of jobseekers were being helped into work by the job provider industry, which costs taxpayers about $2bn each year. Under questioning from Liberal senator Jane Hume, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations was asked why the target to help 15% of jobseekers into work had never been met. In the 26/27 corporate plan, the 15% target was labelled as “a stretch”. The first assistant secretary, Lisa Schofield, said: The current data that we have for the 12-month period to 31 May 26 is sitting at 12.9%. It’s not meeting that 15% target that’s been in place for the program. We agree that 12.9%, as it is now, and the other numbers that you’ve mentioned is not high enough, and it should be higher. The language around a stretch target sort of came as a result of us … looking at what the data has told us over the last few years and that, obviously, as you’ve read out, you know, that 15% hasn’t been met. It is really one of the things that is driving the way we are thinking about reform. Queensland former MP remembered for ‘colourful’ past in parliament “Colourful” former Queensland MP Vince Lester has been remembered for his 30-year career in state parliament. Lester served as an country and national party MP from 1972 until 2004, and minister under premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen, but is perhaps best known for his position on toilet doors. Parliament heard that he was particularly passionate that they open inwards, to make it easier to help someone in a medical emergency. The treasurer, David Janetzki – who had Lester as a constituent – said he was nicknamed “the minister for dunny doors”. Rob Katter was one of a string of Queensland MPs to share their personal memories of the “colourful” politician in a condolence motion on Thursday. His father, Bob, a cabinet colleague, often shared tales of his fellow regional MP and his media stunts, hard work and endless lobbying for local improvements in his constituency, Katter said. “Listen to Vince, he taught me everything I know,” Bob once told Katters’ Australian party MP Shane Knuth, the fellow KAP MP said. Lester twice walked long distances backwards to promote causes, backing up for 25km to raise money for a leagues club in 1977 and the 18km between Yeppoon and Emu Park in 1991. Lester died in August. Only 50 applications for Centrelink compensation that could affect hundreds of thousands Last night in Senate estimates, it was revealed that the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations has received just 50 applications for compensation over its bungle of Centrelink cancellations. The TCF was operating unlawfully, cutting off or reducing the income of an estimated 310,000 people between 2020 and 2024. Payment cancellations related to compulsory activities have now resumed. The department said it would “proactively” be contacting about 50,000 people and asking them to apply. But under further questioning, it was revealed it has sent just 1,430 invitations and received 50 applications. Anyone who believes they were affected by an incorrect cancellation or reduction of their payment can apply for compensation. The opposition is continuing to push the prime minister on a $6m grant given to the Marrickville golf club. Anthony Albanese on Tuesday admitted he got it wrong after telling parliament the golf club funding was to stop “raw sewage” going into the nearby river. But on Thursday, Liberal senator James Paterson told News24 the prime minister should have acted sooner: Whenever you make a false statement, as soon as you become aware of it, you are obliged to go at the earliest opportunity to correct the record. He did not do so. In years gone by, this would have cost a minister their job. Under Albanese’s government, there are no standards at all. When Albanese conceded “it was not correct” to say the funding was for sewerage works, he added it was a matter for the infrastructure department, and said the council was finalising the design of the project – including improvements to the clubhouse, stormwater harvesting, a new toilet and landscaping. Continuing from the previous post, Greens senator David Shoebridge argued there was a lack of accountability for the SAS leadership. The thing that is eroding faith and trust … is this seeming accountability gap between what happens if you don’t have gold braid on your shoulders, where the book gets thrown at you … and the people who are in leadership positions who were either aware of it, or had the data that should have triggered that [awareness], and have not taken action. Outside parliament, opposition frontbencher and former SAS captain Andrew Hastie said the report’s findings resonated with his experience in the regiment. I lived a lot of what I read in that report. There’s almost 50 findings and a lot of it rings very true to me as a junior officer at the time. He said officers were responsible for the actions of those they commanded. ‘Unacceptable behaviour’ within SAS, ADF chief says after report findings Some Australian SAS officers knew that soldiers under their command were using “throwdowns” – planting weapons on dead Afghan civilians to portray them as combatants – but did nothing to stop the unlawful practice, a previously unpublished military report has said. The executive summary of the report by the inspector general of the Australian defence force was quietly published online this week. And the chief of the ADF, Admiral Mark Hammond, was interrogated on the report in Senate estimates Thursday morning. He said he agreed with the report findings, stating there had been “serious failures” within the SAS and its command structure. He said the report revealed: Unacceptable behaviour … it is extremely unprofessional, that behaviour is absolutely not in concert with our values, our professional standards, the behaviour that we expect of our personnel Hammond was asked specifically about the finding that legal officers within the defence force obstructed investigations into allegations of war crimes. Cross-parliamentary women’s network launches, inspired by Haines Female politicians across federal parliament will launch a women’s network to build stronger connections across parties after the alleged attack on Helen Haines and to encourage more women into politics. The finance minister, Katy Gallagher, shadow minister Melissa McIntosh, Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young and independent MP Rebekha Sharkie announced the establishment of the Network of Women in Parliament (NOW) this morning. “Our purpose of NOW is to build connections, strengthen relationships and create an environment where women in parliament can share experiences, support one another and learn from each other beyond political lines,” they said in a joint statement. While Labor has internal women’s groups, female MPs from other parties have told Guardian Australia they have struggled to establish similar networks of their own due to smaller numbers. The statement launching NOW said the group came amid “a growing recognition of the value of stronger connections between women in parliament”. The MPs said: The devastating [alleged] attack on our parliamentary colleague Helen Haines has further highlighted the importance of coming together in support, solidarity and friendship across political divides. Helen has always demonstrated the importance of kindness, compassion and genuine connection across political divides. In many ways, she embodies the very spirit of what NOW hopes to achieve. We recognise that while our political views may differ, we share many of the same experiences, challenges and responsibilities as women in public life. Through friendship, trust and solidarity, we want to strengthen the voice of women in parliament, encourage more Australian women into public life and stand together when it matters. Helen Haines’s offices to reopen As Indi MP, Helen Haines, continues to recover in hospital, her staff are preparing to reopen her electorate offices in Wangaratta and Wodonga. They will be open from 10am to 3pm, three days a week, between now and the end of the year. “Thank you to everyone who continues to show such care and support for Helen, her family and our team,” Haines’s team said in a statement on Thursday. We know there continues to be great concern for Helen. We won’t be providing updates on her health or circumstances, and we ask that the privacy of Helen and her family continues to be respected. Thank you for your patience, kindness and understanding as we navigate the weeks ahead. Haines has lost both of her legs as a result of last week’s alleged attack in Wangaratta. A 43-year-old man has been charged and the incident continues to be investigated by police. An update from the AFP as the prime minister urges the Senate to pass his government’s latest social media reforms. A teenager in Darwin is set to appear in children’s court today over charges of collecting documents likely to facilitate a terrorist act, as well as schematics for 3D-printed guns. The Australian federal police said officials began an investigation earlier this month. They allege the teenager was the operator of several social media channels that accessed, discussed or reposted violent extremist material. A search warrant was undertaken on Wednesday, where officials allegedly found documents and electronic devices that contained violent extremist material and instructions for the making of 3D-printed firearms. The teenager faces several charges, which carry a maximum sentence of between five and 10 years’ imprisonment each. NSW government says it’s not ‘sitting back and waiting for rain’ at Menindee The NSW water minister, Rose Jackson, says “no one is underestimating the challenge at Menindee this summer” after water volumes at the Menindee Lakes fell to their lowest point in five years. As we have reported this morning, experts have warned that unless conditions improve there is potential for fish kills in the region that suffered millions of fish deaths in 2018, 2019 and 2023. Jackson says: No one is underestimating the challenge at Menindee this summer, with lake levels now at their lowest point in five years and the prospect of another hot summer. Our focus is on doing everything we can to protect water quality and native fish through the months ahead. Significant inflows would improve conditions but we aren’t sitting back and waiting for rain. Temporary restrictions are in place for some upstream water users. Jackson says the government has also installed a temporary fish passage to allow for better movement of native fish. The assistant treasurer, Daniel Mulino, says the tax office was dealing with a “complex” problem when deciding how to address the ban on credit card payment surcharges but, with the benefit of hindsight, it could have done better. Speaking on ABC’s Radio National this morning, Mulino said the tax commissioner, Rob Heferen, said the reforms were really important and the Australian Taxation Office had been concurrently trying to negotiate with credit card companies while determining an adequate transition period. The ATO stopped accepting credit card payments after the ban came into effect at the beginning of October. Heferen previously warned it would cost the ATO about $200m a year if it could not pass on the banking and credit card fees on to customers. The ATO will now extend accept credit card payments for an extended transition period until the end of June next year. Overnight, Heferen told a Senate estimates hearing he first realised the Reserve Bank’s surcharge ban would be a “real issue to grapple with” back in April. The tax boss said he had received a letter from Mulino on 28 April informing the tax office of the RBA’s reforms, which brought the proposal to a “sharp head”. Heferen told the hearing: If we accept credit cards, it needs to be funded, and ceasing credit cards will have an effect on people who use credit cards. And some of our discussion was, ‘OK, what’s the appropriate transition for people up to transition through?’ And so that awareness, fair to say, around June, July [2026], we had staff before that who were already thinking about the issue, already formulating proposals. Taylor says country needs to get ‘balance right’ on datacentres Angus Taylor, the opposition leader, said the country needs to get the “balance right” on AI, but powering datacentres with renewables only would not deliver for Australians. Taylor spoke to reporters earlier, saying the debate around datacentres was “pretty commonsense”. It’s like gas, you’ve got to get the balance right. And the balance is, put them in the right locations where there’s community support, and there will be locations with community support. Critically, make sure you’ve got the energy you need. So these datacentres are not going to drive up the cost of energy for Australians. I tell you, a renewables-only strategy is not going to deliver on this. A man who allegedly targeted two South Australian member of parliament has been cautioned. SA police issued stalking cautions to the 44-year-old man on Tuesday afternoon and said the cautions related to separate alleged incidents involving two MPs that were not connected. He was also arrested for a separate alleged breach of bail. The state’s education minister, Lucy Hood, and another Labor MP, Ella Shaw, spoke about their alleged experiences during a press conference on Wednesday. Shaw alleged she was involved in an incident in her community while working and said she made the report because she didn’t want “any young person in my electorate to feel the way I was made to feel”. The education minister said it was “frustrating and unfortunate”, telling reporters: It is a sad occurrence that the political discourse has moved to such a level that we see young women in our parliament who are having to put up with this behaviour. Albanese dismisses economic criticism from ‘partisan participant’ Peter Costello The PM is asked about criticism of the government’s handling of economic issues from former Liberal treasurer Peter Costello, who served under John Howard. In response, Anthony Albanese offers a prediction for the next election in 2028: Peter Costello is a partisan participant. He’s not an observer. He’s not a commentator. I quite like Peter. I’ll make this prediction: when the election’s on in 2028, there’ll be a splash in a broadsheet which is ‘Howard condemns Albanese government’ – wait for it. Inflation rise part of ‘global uplift’: Albanese Anthony Albanese has once again pointed to international affairs when pushed on cost pressures faced by ordinary Australians. He says: Some of these pressures are global, which is why we’re seeing that global uplift in inflation, and we’re not immune from that impact. It’s one of the reasons why we have continued to call for a de-escalation in conflict in the Middle East, because it is having an impact here. PM insists government is addressing the cost of living Following yesterday’s latest inflation figures, the prime minister has maintained his government is bringing down the cost of living. Anthony Albanese points to his government’s budget surpluses and other measures that “ensure that any cost-of-living measures are ones that not just provide help for people today, but build a stronger tomorrow”. ‘Nativist’ opposition to EU trade deal not in national interest: Albanese Opposition to the EU free trade deal is “an excuse for going down the road of protectionist and nativist politics”, Anthony Albanese says. He told reporters: Nativist politics is not in Australia’s national interest. We are a trading nation. We are an island continent in which economic growth and productivity is boosted by engaging with the world. The Coalition’s support for free and fair trade will be undermined unless it supports the government’s deal with the EU, the prime minister has said. For people who say they belong to a political party that supports markets and supports free and fair trade – that will be completely undermined and shredded unless they support this legislation. PM talks up EU free trade deal amid scrutiny The Australia-European Union free trade agreement has come under the spotlight this sitting week. Anthony Albanese says it would boost the economy and benefit areas like critical minerals, fruit and vegetable production, and the wine industry. But it has been under discussion for years and continues to face roadblocks due to concerns from farmers. Gas reservation policy set for lower house vote today Australia’s domestic gas reservation is set to be debated and voted on in the lower house today. Ahead of this, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says it is important for increasingly supply and putting downward pressure on prices. PM spruiks social media reforms in press conference The prime minister is urging the Senate to pass his government’s latest social media reforms, telling reporters it is about returning control to Australian people: Rather than international base companies, determining through algorithms what Australians receive, it empowers people themselves to determine what you receive on your devices, so that you should have that control. This isn’t about government having a greater role. It’s about people having a greater role, having more control themselves, and it’s deserving of support of this parliament. The Victorian Greens have announced a $70m election commitment to make Melbourne’s Yarra River swimmable in the next decade. Approximately $50m would be spent on pollution and storm water management improvements in the urban catchment zone, while $20m would go to grants for community, environmental and First Nations groups to support the health of the river, its tributaries and surrounding land. The plan also includes tougher penalties and enforcement against polluters and legislated targets to have the entire river swimmable by 2036 and some sections safe within five years. The government would be required to publicly report on progress. Once swimmable, the Greens would set up accessible swimming places along the river for people with disabilities. The Victorian Greens leader, Ellen Sandell, says: Imagine a Melbourne where you can finish work on a hot summer’s day, head down to the Birrarung/Yarra and jump straight in. Victorians used to swim in the Birrarung/Yarra. There’s absolutely no reason why we can’t again. Paris has done it in the Seine, we could do it here too. Earlier this month, four Melbourne councils and Melbourne Water joined together to pledge to make the Yarra swimmable by 2050. In 2024 the Yarra city council signed on to the international Swimmable Cities Charter, created in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, which aimed to make urban swimming the status quo. Swimming in the waterway was restricted in the 1960s and then altogether banned downstream of Abbotsford due to pollution and contamination. Liberal MP Andrew Hastie has said Australians should be “very concerned” about the prospect of another interest rate rise. He tells ABC Radio National: Inflation is a silent tax that is eating away at people’s wealth. He added the best thing the government could do was to cut spending and manage its finances. The assistant treasurer, Daniel Mulino, has defended his government’s reaction to inflation after data showed it was 4.3% to September, telling ABC Radio National: We’re not blaming foreign situations and leaving it at that. I think it’s important context to acknowledge that there are inflationary impulses coming internationally. But as I pointed to, we need to continue to strengthen our fiscal position. We’ve done that across a number of budgetsand we need to continue with productivity reforms. Our inflation explorer tracks how prices have risen – or fallen – since 2022 Australia must navigate global factors in battle against inflation, assistant treasurer says Higher-than-expected inflation figures and an increasingly likely rate rise are continuing to dominate the news cycle. Asked why the government is unable to bring inflation down, the assistant treasurer, Daniel Mulino, pointed to the impact of international affairs on Australia’s economy. He told ABC Radio National: What we saw in the figures released earlier this week is that the conflict in Iran is lasting longer and is more severe than had been forecast, and that means that global energy prices are higher than had been expected a few months ago. We’re seeing higher inflation than expected right across the advanced economy world. Pushed on why other nations were having more success in bringing inflation down, Mulino said other countries “have not been anywhere near as successful as Australia in terms of their labour market outcomes”. Thanks for taking us through those updates, Martin Farrer! I’ll steer us through the rest of the day’s news as we round off the last parliamentary sitting of the week. Australia’s immediate neighbours are trusted more than historic allies, according to a new survey AAP reports on, which shows the United States is increasingly considered a “threat”. Only half of the Australians polled in a YouGov survey, commissioned by the Australia Institute, considered longtime ally the US a “friend”. Meanwhile 42% perceived America as a “threat” (defined as a nation viewed with caution or suspicion). Only 4% of young voters labelled the US a “close friend” while over half of young Australians considered it a threat. Two-thirds of One Nation voters perceive the US as a friend, with the Coalition close behind. Labor voters are largely split and only one-quarter of Greens voters view the global superpower positively. Only 21% of respondents had confidence in Donald Trump to “do the right thing” in world affairs, ahead of only the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, and the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. Indonesia, a close geographic neighbour and emerging partner, has been rated a more trusted partner than the United States, leading by 14% in the friend category. The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, says overheated discourse on social media is in large part responsible for the toxicity in politics, including the threats and abuse being sprayed at politicians. Speaking at the Political Book of the Year awards in Canberra last night, Chalmers reflected on the alleged attack against Indi MP Helen Haines last week. He said hate had always been present in Australian society but it now has “a business model, a formula, an assembly line for mass-production.” He described a new kind of digital misogyny that follows women in public life wherever they go, making the current climate harshest for women. That climate is no accident. Hate is monetised and weaponised by algorithmic rage-bait. Extremism is incentivised; nuance is penalised. The most available public figures are the most vulnerable. So tonight is a little reminder of why reason and research matters, why nuance matters, what’s at risk and what’s at stake and why that matters too. Books inform our views without hardening them. Social media hardens our views without informing them. Haines is recovering in hospital. Police have charged a 43-year-old man over the alleged attack outside her Wangaratta electorate office. Welcome Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Kat Wong with the main action.