AUSTRALIA: Support For Immigration Falls With Housing Crunch

[world politics news]

Support for immigration is collapsing in the face of a nationwide housing crisis in Australia, with almost half the country in a recent survey  now saying they would be more likely to vote for a party committed to reducing the annual migrant intake. 

[FULL STORY HERE] (warning: paywall)

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Govt "Appalled" by Chinese Court Ruling

[world politics news]

 

Australian Government officials say they are appalled at China’s suspended death sentence for Chinese Australian writer and democracy blogger Yang Hengjun, who had moved to China in 2019 and was convicted of espionage in 2021. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

AUSTRALIA: Four Greens Vote Against Motion To Condemn Hamas In Parliament

[world politics news]

Australian Greens in parliament have refused to support a motion by prime Minister Anthony Albanese to condemn Hamas, the group that attacked Israel and that is still holding civilian hostages.  The motion passed 135-4. 

Adam Bandt, Max Chandler-Mather, Stephen Bates and Elizabeth Watson-Brown are the only MPs who voted against the motion. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

AUSTRALIA: Voters Decisively Reject Aboriginal "Voice" Plan For Parliament

[world politics news]

Advocates for constitutional change in Australia said they were devastated by the defeat Saturday of a referendum that would have created an advocacy committee to offer advice to Parliament on policies that affect Indigenous people, the nation's most disadvantaged ethnic minority.

More than 59 per cent of voters opposed Voice to Parliament, with almost half the votes counted by Saturday. The loss is unofficial but is not contested. All six states voted against the plan. 

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese blamed his political opponents' campaigning against the measure for the failure. Critics say backers of the Voice were vague on details of the body, including how its members would be chosen and its powers. Opponents also called the plan racially divisive.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Labor PM Opposes US Prosecution Of Assange

[world politics news]

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Tuesday his government stands firm against the United States over the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, an Australian citizen fighting extradition from Britain on U.S. espionage charges.

Albanese’s center-left Labor Party government has been arguing since winning the 2022 elections that the United States should end its pursuit of the 52-year-old, who has spent four years in a London prison fighting extradition.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: August Vote On Special Aboriginal Voice In Parliament Approved

[world politics news]

Australia’s House of Representatives voted overwhelming last Wednesday for a referendum to be held this year on creating an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, an advocate aiming to give the nation’s most disadvantaged ethnic minority more say on government policy.

While the Voice would advocate for Indigenous interests, it would not have a vote on laws, and debate for and against the elected body has become increasingly heated and divisive.

Labor Party Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who supports the referendum and creation of the position,  celebrated on twitter: 

BREAKING: Parliament has just said yes to holding a referendum. Now the Australian people will have a chance to say yes. 

Together, we can make history by enshrining recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our constitution."

But Opposition leader Peter Dutton  (Liberal)   told Parliament the proposal would permanently divide Australians by race. “It will have an Orwellian effect where all Australians are equal, but some Australians are more equal than others,” Dutton said.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Labor Gov't Seeks To Expand Size Of Parliament

[world politics news]

 
The size of the federal parliament could be significantly expanded after the next election, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to consider whether to follow his hero Bob Hawke in boosting the n of Parliament umber of politicians.

There are growing calls from election experts to increase the number of seats in the House of Representatives because MPs now represent more than triple the people they did at the time of Federation in 1901, and mainland seats are now almost double the size of electorates in Tasmania.

Parliament has not been expanded since the Bob Hawke government in 1984 increased the number of lower house seats from 125 to 148, with redistributions increasing the number to 151 since then.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Government Considering TikTok Ban For Civil Servants

[world politics news]

The federal government is considering a ban on TikTok that would bring it in line with other nations including the US, UK, and New Zealand.

Ministers are reportedly using burner phones to run the app, which has sparked fears that data could be accessed by Chinese officials.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Queensland Toughens Domestic Abuse Laws

[world politics news]

A package of domestic violence reforms passed in the Queensland state parliament will strengthen protection for victims.

The changes will expand the definition of domestic and family abuse to include a "pattern of behavior" and will strengthen the offense of stalking.

The amendments also strengthen the court's ability to consider previous domestic violence or criminal history and to award costs to avoid further abuse to victims.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Govt To Remove Hundreds Of China-Mad f Closed Circuit TV Cams

[world politics news]

Australia's Defence Department removed all Chinese manufactured surveillance cameras after an audit detailed the number of Hikvision and Dahua devices installed in various government facilities.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Australia Day Attacked By The Left

[world politics news]

Yesterday was Australia Day, traditionally a day of celebration, commenting the settlement of the nation by Capt. James Cook. But in recent years, aboriginal rights activists and others have begun critiquing the day, calling it "Invasion Day" much like those on the American Left say about Columbus Day and Thanksgiving.

Senator Lidia Thorpe of the state of Victoria, herself of aboriginal blood and a Green Party member, said in an editorial posted yesterday:

"This Invasion Day, remember that Yorta Yorta man William Cooper called for January 26 to be acknowledged as a Day of Mourning in 1937. Remember what we’re grieving. Fight alongside us to heal this country.White Australia has a Blak future."

"Yesterday, she posted on Twitter:

Janurary 25th was our last day of peace in this country. It’s a day to acknowledge what was, prior to invasion. Prior to the war against our Country and our people. Use this moment to remember what we’re fighting for, tomorrow and everyday, until we have a Treaty in this Country."

But conservative commentator Alexandra Marshall shot back:

"Lidia Thorpe declared war on the Australian people today and I'm struggling to understand why she's allowed to sit as a Senator...

Surely making declarations of war against the taxpayer violates her public employment???"

Ultra conservative One Nation Party founder Pauline Hanson condemned a proposal to tax European descended Australians to pay reparations to indigenous Australians:

"One Nation strongly condemns a proposal supported by Greens indigenous affairs spokesperson Lidia Thorpe for non-indigenous Australians to pay a race based rent tax."

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Parliament Considers Taxing Coal Export Profits

[world politics news]

New research reveals Australian coal export revenue reached $112 billion in 2021-22, an increase on the previous year of $73b or 186%, as Federal Parliament reconvenes to legislate price caps on coal and gas companies making windfall profits, according to a new report From Russia With Love by leading public policy think-tank the Australia Institute.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: New Anti-LockdownParty Hopes For Breakthrough In November Election

[world politics news]

A new party born out of frustration with COVID lockdowns and a dislike for Victorian state premier Daniel Andrews, is hoping to win as many as 10 seats in the upcoming state election, though political insiders have cast doubt on their chances.

The Victorians party was launched a year ahead of the November 26 state election, and has since received sustained media coverage, helping it to attract about 5,000 members.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Victoria Parliament Creates First Nation Treaty Authority

[world politics news]

The Australian state of Victoria will create the nation’s first independent authority to oversee First Nations Peoples’ Treaty negotiations, following a historic vote in the state parliament.

The Treaty Authority, which was introduced to Parliament in June by the minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Gabrielle Williams, is an agreement reached between the First Peoples’ Assembly and the Victorian government to establish a Treaty Authority that sits outside the existing state structures and does not answer to the government.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Parliament Considers Lifting Euthanasia Ban

[world politics news]

The Labor Party controlled Parliament is considering lifting a ban on euthanasia put in place by two state governments.

Australia's Northern Territory in 1995 became the first place in the world to legalize voluntary euthanasia. But the landmark law was overturned by the Australian Parliament two years later after four terminally ill people had been legally helped to die, leaving the Northern Territory one of last parts of Australia where doctor-assisted deaths remain banned.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Labor Bill Makes , Emissions Targets Law

[world politics news]

The House of Representatives is moving towards passage of the Labor government's bill enshrining emissions reductions targets for 2030 and 2050 after the Greens signalled they would support the legislation and Liberal MP Bridget Archer confirmed she would cross the floor.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: PM Albanese Handling of Floods Criticized By Opposition

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been blasted by a Liberal MP over his response to the New South Wales flood crisis.

More than 30,000 people have been ordered to evacuate their homes as torrential rain continues to cause flooding in Sydney and surrounding areas.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Google Ordered To Pay Damages To Former Dep. Premier Over Cyberbullying ato

[world politics news]

Google has been ordered to pay former New South Wales deputy premier John Barilaro more than $700,000 over a series of “racist” and “abusive” videos published on YouTube channel Friendlyjordies.

On Monday, federal court justice Stephen Rares ruled that Barilaro had been left “traumatized” by a campaign of “relentless cyberbullying” by comedian Jordan Shanks, who uses the nom de plume Friendlyjordies.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Peter Dutton Elected Liberal Party Leader After Election Deafeat

[world politics news]

Peter Dutton being elected as the new Liberal Party leader and Sussan Ley as his deputy.

Their election follows the defeat last week of the Liberal party in Australia's federal elections. The next federal election is scheduled for 2025.

Dutton came out swinging after accepting the top spot, saying the country’s newly elected Labor government was not “ready to govern and we are already seeing their inexperience on display."

Dutton, 51, has represented the Queensland seat of Dickson since 2001 and previously held senior ministerial office as a cabinet minister in Coalition governments between 2013 and 2022.

The National Party also determined their leadership on Monday, with Queensland MP David Littleproud successfully ousting Barnaby Joyce as leader

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRALIA: Labor Party Wins Election

[world politics news]

Australia has elected its first Labor government in almost a decade and Anthony Albanese as prime minister, ousting Scott Morrison's coalition.

Albanese told jubilant supporters that Australians had "voted for change". However it is still unclear whether he can secure a majority.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.