House agrees to mandatory minimum sentences for hate crimes
The hate crimes amendment to add mandatory minimum sentencing has now been voted on and agreed to in the house.
But neither the government nor Coalition supported amendments from independent MP Allegra Spender to include stronger anti-vilification provisions.
Key events
Ged Kearney abstains from mandatory minimum sentencing vote
The assistant health minister, Ged Kearney, abstained from voting on the amendment for mandatory minimum sentencing in the hate crimes bill.
The bill was also supported by independents Allegra Spender, Rebekha Sharkie, Dai Le and Russell Broadbent and was voted against by the Greens and other cross-benchers.
The hate crimes amendment to add mandatory minimum sentencing has now been voted on and agreed to in the house.
But neither the government nor Coalition supported amendments from independent MP Allegra Spender to include stronger anti-vilification provisions.
Voting begins on hate crimes legislation
Parliament is sitting this morning, and over in the house they’ve begun voting on amendments to the hate crimes legislation that adds mandatory minimum sentences for some terrorism offences and displaying hate symbols.
The amendments were brought up in the federation chamber late yesterday – it’s an extra chamber that can work in parallel with the House of Representatives to get legislation moving along.
‘Incredible assumption there, Karl’: PM defends communication on caravan plot in heated exchange
The Coalition used yesterday’s question time to repeatedly pressure Anthony Albanese to reveal exactly when he knew about the caravan carrying explosives in Sydney.
Albanese was asked about it again in several interviews this morning, including on Nine’s Today. It got a bit heated.
Host Karl Stefanovic said the PM must have been “livid” that he wasn’t notified, to which Albanese responded: “You’re making an incredible assumption there, Karl.”
He’s then asked whether he’d support an inquiry into whether a “communications failure” occurred.
Here’s the rest of the exchange:
Albanese: “What? So, stop the investigations? Stop doing the work to track down the perpetrators of these crimes and engage in politics?”
Stefanovic: “All right, that’s a no.”
Albanese: “Do you think that that is a sensible use of resources?”
Stefanovic: “I think that it needs some focus … But it’s when you are actually informed about something of this magnitude that’s important.”
Albanese: “Karl, what’s important is tracking down the perpetrators of these crimes. It is, I find it, frankly, absurd that people think, for example, that resources should be diverted, that the AFP and intelligence agencies should be engaged in a political process rather than doing their job.”
Dutton doubles down on proposal to return ‘golden ticket’ visa for high net worth migrants
Peter Dutton has backed a proposal to bring back the significant investor visa – also known as the “golden ticket” – that was abolished by the government in January 2024.
Dutton was reportedly overheard at a Liberal party fundraising event last week telling a migration agent, “I think we’ll bring it back.”
The visa required a minimum investment of $5m in Australia in exchange for automatic permanent residency.
Dutton was asked about it on 2GB this morning and said he doesn’t think there’s “anything remarkable” about wanting to bring in high net worth individuals.
The whole idea is to try and attract capital to our country. I want people to invest in businesses, I want start ups in the IT space where we can attract capital from international partners and you need all the requisite security checks and that’s a given.
The scheme was dumped after a review, which found migrants on skilled visas contributed more to the economy over a lifetime than the “golden ticket” visa holders.
Then-home affairs minister Clare O’Neil said at the time: “It has been obvious for years that this visa is not delivering what our country and economy needs from a migration system.”
Not enough known about Trump’s Gaza plans to determine his statement’s meaning, Paterson says
There has been plenty of reaction from politicians this morning to Donald Trump’s comments on taking over Gaza.
Looping back to shadow home affairs minister James Paterson on ABC News Breakfast earlier – he was asked whether the plan could be characterised as “ethnic cleansing”. He replied:
I wouldn’t use those words, but I would say that it hasn’t changed the view, the longstanding view of the Liberal party, that we support a two-state solution that includes self-determination for both Israelis and Palestinians. It includes security and peace within secure borders of two states. And we do have a task ahead of us to rebuild Gaza after a terrible war. And one of the critical elements of that task is going to have to be removing Hamas from power.
He says we “don’t understand enough” about Trump’s intentions or plans.
Peter Dutton says the US president, Donald Trump, brings “gravitas” to the Middle East conflict and that he is a “big thinker”. The opposition leader made the comments in response to Trump’s statement that the US should take over Gaza.
Dutton told 2GB: “What’s gone before us has failed.”
I think he [Trump] genuinely wants to see a chance for peace; he wants to see people not living in squalor but living in the safe environment with good housing for their children …
He’s a big thinker and a deal maker. He’s not become a president of the United States for a second time by being anything other than shrewd.
PM lists government support for Townsville as he bats off further challenges on Trump’s Gaza comments
You can hear the torrential rain in Townsville this morning as the PM continues his interviews.
On Sunrise, Anthony Albanese’s gone through the support the federal government is providing:
We’ve triggered income support. We’ve already signed off on the support for local government here. We have ADF …choppers have come not just from the Townsville base but from Oakey as well to provide support … so a lot of ADF personnel are here helping.
He also said earlier the government would support the rebuild of the Bruce Highway, damaged by the floods.
Albanese was then rechallenged on Donald Trump’s comments. He still won’t bite and reiterates Australia’s position.
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. This is a statement that’s been made yesterday. I’ve said for, I think, very sound reasons, two things. One is, Australia determines our foreign policy. Our foreign policy remains the same. And secondly, that I’m not going to run a running commentary on the statements of the US president on a day-to-day basis.
PM again refuses to comment on Trump’s stated plan to take over Gaza
Anthony Albanese is challenged again on Donald Trump’s statement to take over Gaza.
He continues avoiding directly responding to the statement, reiterating the government’s position that it supports a two-state solution.
He tells ABC News Breakfast he’s taking a “sit back” approach and Australia’s position is “the right of both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security in their own states”.
Quite clearly the policy announced yesterday was a different one. I have said that I’m not going to respond to every statement, every day, that’s made. I will determine and my government will determine Australia’s position, which has been consistent for a long period of time. And that is consistent as well with what the world has said.
PM downplays suggestion party caucus didn’t back hate crime bill amendments
The PM is doing a series of interviews from Townsville this morning, starting on Nine’s Today.
Anthony Albanese downplayed suggestions the party caucus didn’t approve the amendments to include mandatory minimum sentencing. Several Labor members had spoken against mandatory minimum sentencing earlier that day.
He says the party “approved everything”.
We go through all of our proper processes on these items. So caucus approved everything that we do. Our caucus committee process. But we believe that the strongest action is required here. We have, as I said, we introduced this legislation last year to outlaw Nazi symbols and hate symbols as well.
House agrees to mandatory minimum sentences for hate crimes
Dutton: Trump is a ‘big thinker’
