2m agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 8:29pm

Labor rejects Coalition request to split environmental reforms

Labor has rejected a Coalition plea to split its incoming environmental law reform into two parts to prioritise fixes to the approvals process while leaving the more contentious environmental changes for later.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley wrote to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Sunday to raise “serious concerns” about elements of Labor’s rewrite of Australia’s environmental laws.

She suggested that the bill be carved into two so the first part, focused exclusively on “practical measures to streamline approvals”, could sail through parliament when it is introduced this week.

Under her proposal, the more contentious environmental changes would be dealt with later.

Environment Minister Murray Watt rejected the proposition, declaring that splitting the bill in this way “would weaken environmental protections and it would remove the certainty that business is looking for”.

Continue reading this report by Maani Truu, Olivia Caisley and Adam Langenberg below. 

10m agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 8:21pm

‘This is a free country’: Joyce willing to meet with Hanson

(ABC News: Matt Roberts)

Barnaby Joyce was stopped in the press gallery corridors, where he says he’s willing to meet with Pauline Hanson sometime this week.

The former Nationals leader is considering her offer to join One Nation. It comes after Joyce said his relationship with leader David Littleproud had broken down and amid frustration over the party’s position on net zero.

“I’ll meet with Pauline Hanson. I’ve met with Pauline Hanson before. I mean, this is a free country, you’re allowed to actually meet other people,” he said, adding he talks to the some of the Greens from time to time.

Asked if Littleproud was trying to convince Joyce to return to the fold, he responded:

“Look, I’ve had a brief and courteous conversation with him. It went for about three minutes.”

Joyce says he’s not willing to put a deadline on when he’ll make up his mind on whether to stick with the Nationals or not. But one thing is for certain: he’s ruled out becoming an independent.

27m agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 8:04pm

Joyce to skip Nationals party room, still remains a member

(ABC News: Ian Cutmore)

There will be one less member sitting in the Nationals party room when it meets today.

Barnaby Joyce has confirmed he’ll be giving the meeting a miss but says he’s not yet ditching his colleagues for a spot on the crossbench.

“I am sitting with the National party in question time but as I said, if you believe in net zero, I can’t be part of it,” he told Seven’s Sunrise.

The former Nationals leader has been weighing up his future with the party over its position on net zero.

30m agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 8:02pm

Albanese meets his Japanese counterpart

Anthony Albanese shakes hands with Japan’s new PM Sanae Takaichi. (Supplied: PMO)

Just days after taking on the top job Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s met with Anthony Albanese. 

The pair held talks on the sidelines of the APEC summit last night. Takaichi was late and came running in, saying she was “very sorry” for keeping Albanese waiting.

She made clear her desire for Canberra and Tokyo to increase their strategic cooperation in the region.

Albanese is expected to have meetings with other world leaders while in Malaysia but they’re yet to be announced.

US President Donald Trump is leaving Malaysia today after a quick trip to Kuala Lumper. He’s next off to Japan and then South Korea.

Albanese will head to South Korea later this week for the APEC summit.

36m agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 7:56pm

Albanese arrives in Malaysia for ASEAN summit

Anthony Albanese arrived in Malaysia last night where he was welcomed by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

It’s the first time Albanese has visited Malaysia as PM.

He’s there to take part in the ASEAN summit, which is made up of 11 member nations and then other countries including China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the United States are invited to attend.

Trade and security are set to be the focus of talks over the coming days.

Many nations in Southeast Asia have been hit hard by the Trump tariffs. At the same time, Australia is looking to diversify its business connections.

47m agoSun 26 Oct 2025 at 7:44pm

👋Good morning

Hi friends. Welcome to our federal politics blog. I’m Courtney Gould and I’ll be guiding you through the morning.

Well can you believe it, we’ve reached another parliamentary sitting fortnight. All eyes will be on the government as it tries to thread the needle on its environment reforms. More on that shortly.

Meanwhile, Anthony Albanese is in Malaysia where he’s attending the ASEAN summit.

There’s a bit going on this morning so let’s jump straight in.

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