Month: March 2025

Source: New South Wales – News

Just after 11am, Saturday 11 January emergency services were called to the intersection of Crozier Road and Lindsay Street following a collision between a Harley Davidson and a Toyota SUV.

The rider of the motorbike a 65-year-old man from Victor Harbor was taken to hospital with life threatening injuries.

The driver of the Toyota an 82-year-old man from Hindmarsh Island was not injured.

Following an investigation by Hills Fleurieu Highway Patrol, the driver of the Toyota was reported for cause serious harm by careless use of a vehicle. The 82-year-old man will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date.

Source: New South Wales Community and Justice

Search for missing woman ongoing on Flinders Island

Tuesday, 25 March 2025 – 2:42 pm.

Police are continuing to search the Flinders Island area for 68-year-old Victoria Jean Paine, who has not been heard from since Wednesday.
“Police are continuing to search the White Beach area for missing woman Victoria Paine,” said Inspector Luke Manhood. 
“We are undertaking broad investigations to track Victoria’s last known movements and at this stage we believe she has most likely left home on foot late on Wednesday afternoon, potentially to go swimming.”  
“Significant resources have conducted land and sea searches, and police divers are continuing to search the area off White Beach today.” 
“At this time there is no indication of any suspicious circumstances relating to Victoria’s disappearance; however, police are pursuing all avenues of inquiry in our search for her.”
Anyone who has seen Victoria or heard from her is asked to contact police on 131 444 or Crime Stoppers Tasmania anonymously on 1800 333 000 or online at crimestopperstas.com.au – quote ESCAD 499-21032025. 

Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

The new Twelve Apostles Precinct Redevelopment is starting to take shape, with construction on the Visitor Experience Centre now well underway.

The world-class facility is the focus of the Albanese and Allan Labor Government’s $126 million Twelve Apostles Precinct Redevelopment and will be a gateway to Shipwreck Coast, protecting and enhancing the region’s iconic landscape and beauty.

Part of the Geelong City Deal, the redevelopment will include a new Visitor Experience Centre, bus parking, car parking for hundreds of cars, landscaping, and new road infrastructure and upgrades.

The centre will feature retail and hospitality spaces, to be decided in consultation with industry, as well as exhibitions, office space and a rooftop lookout with sweeping views of the Shipwreck Coast.

The VEC will also teach visitors about the area’s rich history of shipwrecks and maritime impacts, and the geomorphology of this iconic Australian landmark.

Kane Constructions is the head contractor for the redevelopment, which is expected to be completed at the end of 2026.

Building on the Government’s partnership with the Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation (EMAC), who is the Traditional Owner group for the area, the redevelopment includes a new Welcome Garden which will celebrate the community’s cultural and environmental values.

Construction of the Visitor Experience Centre is expected to provide employment for the equivalent of up to 90 full-time positions during the redevelopment, and up to 50 ongoing jobs upon opening.

The redevelopment project also delivers the Private Sector Business Enablement Fund (PSBEF), designed to help fund underlying infrastructure to support private sector investment in the Shipwreck Coast and Great Ocean Road regions.

The redevelopment will make it safer and easier to enjoy the area’s stunning natural assets, draw domestic and international visitors, and encourage visitors to stay longer, transforming a day visit into nightly stays in the Great Ocean Road and Shipwreck Coast regions.

The Twelve Apostles Precinct Redevelopment is part of the Geelong City Deal – a partnership between all three levels of government that is revitalising the city and regional economy while encouraging people to spend more time in the region.

For more information on the Geelong City Deal and precinct visit: infrastructure.gov.au/territories-regions-cities/cities

Quotes attributable to Federal Minister for Regional Development and Local Government, Kristy McBain MP:

“The Twelve Apostles is one of the most visited natural attractions in Australia, welcoming almost two million visitors each year and rising.

“It’s an exciting time for the Shipwreck Coast as we work together with the Victorian Government and local councils to continue making the region an amazing place to live, work and visit.”

Quote attributable to Victorian Minister for Regional Development Jaclyn Symes:

“It’s so exciting to see work begin on this transformational project, which will make this internationally loved and iconic Victorian landscape better for the more than two million visitors annually.

“The ongoing economic benefit to the local communities will also continue to make the Great Ocean Road an incredible place to live, stay and enjoy.”

Quote attributable to Victorian Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts Harriet Shing:

“We’re proud to deliver this project, which will provide better facilities and services to accommodate the growing number of visitors to the iconic Twelve Apostles.”

Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Corangamite, Libby Coker MP:

“It’s really fantastic to see the Visitor Experience Centre project progressing – because it will be a real game-changer for the Great Ocean Road experience.

“We want visitors to stay longer and explore more of our amazing coastline – to ensure we continue supporting local businesses and growing our economy, which is exactly what this project will support.”

Quote attributable to Victorian Member for Western Victoria Gayle Tierney:

“It’s fantastic to see construction underway for the new Visitor Experience Centre. This new facility will greatly improve the experience of tourists, while also creating ongoing jobs in the region.”

Quotes attributable to Corangamite Shire Council CEO, David Rae:

“This redevelopment is a game-changer for our region, enhancing the visitor experience while preserving the natural beauty of the Twelve Apostles and the Shipwreck Coast.

“The investment in world-class infrastructure will not only boost tourism but also create local jobs and drive economic growth for our communities.”

Quotes attributable to Kane Constructions Project Director, Sam Birdseye:

“The new Visitor Experience Centre and supporting infrastructure will be enjoyed by millions of people in the coming years and is such an important piece of Victorian tourism infrastructure. We feel privileged to be involved in this landmark project.”

Quotes attributable to Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation CEO Marcus Clarke:

“The commencement of construction marks a major step toward bringing the design to life — one that reflects Kirrae Whurrong Culture and our shared history while harmonising with the natural landscape.

“It’s about sharing Land, Sky, and Sea Country stories, giving everyone the opportunity to learn and experience.”

 

Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

Cenatiempo:

Let’s talk federal politics with the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury, and the Member for Fenner, Andrew Leigh. Good morning.

Leigh:

Good morning Stephen. Happy Budget day!

Cenatiempo:

Well look, I’ve got to say I hate Budget week Andrew, but I thank you anyway, I want to ask you something – your role as Assistant Minister for Treasury. What does that mean? How does that tie into the overall Treasury, Treasurer, finance portfolio, et cetera.

Leigh:

I’m part of the Treasury economics team, and I have particular responsibility for the issues of competition, multinational tax, for the Mint and for the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Cenatiempo:

Okay. Now the Budget will be handed down tonight. Now pox on both your houses. I mean, this is going to be a cash splash which all budgets leading into elections are, and the Opposition has basically said they will match every dollar. Isn’t it time for some responsible economic management rather than just throwing cash around that we don’t have?

Leigh:

Well Stephen, in less than 3 years we’ve reduced Liberal Party debt by $177 billion.

Cenatiempo:

Well, it’s not Liberal Party debt. Stop saying that. But okay, you say you’ve reduced debt. Okay.

Leigh:

This is compared to what they were forecasting in their last budget and what we’ve achieved. We turned 2 big Liberal deficits into 2 Labor surpluses. We shrunk this year’s deficit. We have made huge reprioritisations and savings. Some $95 billion of reprioritisation savings over the last term.

Cenatiempo:

The vast majority of that turnaround has been receipts that the government wasn’t anticipating, so you can’t take credit for that?

Leigh:

Well, the reprioritisations and savings are government decisions, and that $95 billion compares to zero in the Liberals’ last budget. So we’ve made tough decisions, and some of that has involved curtailing the use of consultants and contractors, which Canberrans will know is a much more expensive way of doing things. We had that shadow public service workforce of 50,000, rather than having properly trained public servants doing their jobs. We’ve managed to get down the wait times for Veterans Affairs, and we’ve managed to ensure that we have the public service as a steward of the nation’s finances.

Cenatiempo:

Yeah, I’m sure that resonates here in Canberra, but I don’t know that it resonates in the rest of the country Andrew. But I want to talk about this latest cash splash, an extension of $150 of this energy rebate. There has been no attempt from the government to actually fix the underlying problem, and that is the cost of electricity. All you’re doing is giving us our own money back to pay electricity bills that you’ve made higher.

Leigh:

Well, I think Canberrans know the benefits of having renewable energy, given that we’re 100 per cent renewable energy.

Cenatiempo:

Well, we’re not. That’s again, again that’s another lie but anyway. I’m not saying you’re perpetrating that lie, because it’s something that we just tend to throw around when we know it’s not true.

Leigh:

Stephen, it is a fact that the ACT is 100 per cent renewable energy.

Cenatiempo:

Well hang on, hang on Andrew. Andrew, no, no, I’m going to stop you there because I hate it when people say this. We produce 5 per cent of our own electricity. Ninety-five per cent comes from across the border, and of that 95 per cent somewhere between 70 per cent and 80 per cent is made from fossil fuels. We do not have 100 per cent renewable electricity in Canberra, full stop.

Leigh:

We have always relied on electricity from New South Wales. We choose now to draw it from renewable sources in New South Wales and the ACT.

Cenatiempo:

You can’t make that determination. You just, that’s just something you say.

Leigh:

No, this a fact. And what that meant was when you had the overseas crisis which drove up gas prices, the ACT wasn’t affected by that in the way that other jurisdictions were.

Cenatiempo:

Well, my electricity bills going up.

Leigh:

By moving to renewable energy, we’re able to make ourselves less dependent on global crises. Alongside the renewable energy rollout, we’re delivering energy bill relief. This energy bill relief will continue for another half a year, and Canberrans will see it taken directly off their bill.

Cenatiempo:

But Andrew, this is the point. It’s not energy bill relief. The energy bills are still what they are, and they’re still rising. You’re just giving us back our own money to cut a little bit off the top.

Leigh:

Well, what people are going to see very clearly Stephen, is that $150 in rebates automatically applied to their energy bills in quarterly instalments. I think that’s going to be pretty important for many Australians.

Cenatiempo:

Why should I subsidise your electricity bill by $150 Andrew?

Leigh:

Well, we’re not the only sources of revenue Stephen. One of the things the Albanese government has done is focused on multinational taxation, making sure multinationals pay their fair share. That is one of the sources of government revenue which goes into paying these energy bills.

Cenatiempo:

But my point is, you as a well‑paid public servant, don’t need the $150 – yet those Canberrans that desperately do need it are subsidising, to an extent, your $150.

Leigh:

Yeah, I mean we certainly looked at targeted ways of doing this. It turns out that the cost of targeting can be bigger than the benefits. In this case, flat energy bill relief provides a straightforward, simple way of doing things and ensures that every Australian is getting energy bill relief, just as every Australian income taxpayer got a tax cut last year.

Cenatiempo:

I just, you know it seems to me that you know when fiscal, economic management is the order of the day, all we’ve seen is the Prime Minister stand up for the last 2 weeks and promised to throw a billion dollars of this, billions of these, billions of that, billions of that. It’s like an Oprah Winfrey Show.

Leigh:

I guess what people aren’t seeing are those savings and reprioritisation that we talked about before. Those are demonstrated in our first 2 surpluses and in a much smaller deficit this year than the one we inherited. Those are the quiet decisions that have been made that underpin this Budget. The responsible economic management that we’ve put in place very careful reprioritisations and savings, infrastructure portfolio and public service and a whole range of other areas. Now we came into office after sports rorts, the car park rorts, with so much wasted. Waste and mismanagement under JobKeeper – $20 billion going to firms with rising revenue.

Cenatiempo:

And at the time, you supported all that but yeah.

Leigh:

I was a vociferous critic of the JobKeeper rorts and waste, saying very clearly that we shouldn’t have been giving JobKeeper to firms with rising revenue. $20 billion out the door through that one decision alone, I was very critical of the sports rorts, very critical the car park rorts. I’m on the record on most of those things while the former Morrison government was in office, and that’s what’s changed.

Cenatiempo:

But hang on. When you say rorts – you use the term rorts and I’m going to pull you up on this, because rorts means anything the other side does if we do it, it’s responsible. That’s the reality of it. So you know, you use these terms, and it’s just pure politicking Andrew. We’re not talking about reality.

Leigh:

We had an Auditor‑General report very clearly casting at the former government over sports rorts. A Minister resigned over that Stephen. This was a very clear rort. I don’t think rorts come much clearer than when a Minister says I’m stepping down because I’ve done the wrong thing. And the Auditor‑General says this is outrageous.

Cenatiempo:

Well, yeah. Okay, alright. I want to read something to you for a moment. This is from a report that’s been done by the Vice President of Crestview Strategy here in Australia in a pre‑budget reflection. She says ‘Framed as responsible relief, the package continues Labor’s patent of targeted subsidies and short‑term support. But there’s growing criticism that these handouts while politically popular, do little to address structural issues and may in fact worsen them. As AFR Editor‑at‑large, Michael Stutchbury put it – ‘This is a government that treats voters like mugs with short‑term cash splashes while ignoring long‑term fiscal consequences the promised $275 cut to household power bills from 2022 remains unmet, and this rebate looks more like a political band aid than an economic fix’. You can’t argue with any of that?

Leigh:

We certainly need to be doing both things Stephen. You need to be dealing with those immediate cost‑of‑living pressures and making investments in productivity in the future. The energy investments we talked about are a part of that, but also the investments in better infrastructure around competition. So, the supermarket report that came out last week…

Cenatiempo:

Yeah, which said there was no evidence of price gouging by the way.

Leigh:

…which said very clearly that there were patterns such as high‑low pricing, that margins had increased and that our supermarkets are among the most profitable in the world. It then made a series of recommendations…

Cenatiempo:

Do we want our supermarkets to not be profitable?

Leigh:

We do not need the most profitable supermarkets in the world. I don’t think we need those margins to be rising. They were some of the salient points that the ACCC was making, that the squeeze at the checkout was being matched by an increase in profit margins. And you talk about structural reform Stephen, some of the work we’ve done in competition really is about structural reform because competition is so fundamental to productivity growth which ultimately drives living standards growth. So we’ve had the biggest merger shake up in half a century. We’ve had a whole lot of careful work being done by the Competition Taskforce in order to produce a more dynamic and competitive economy.

Cenatiempo:

Well, some economists would disagree with you there Andrew, but is there anything in the Budget that’s going to come out tonight that we don’t already know about?

Leigh:

Absolutely, there’s always some exciting bits coming out in the Treasurer’s speech. So, everyone should be tuning in at 7.30 to hear Jim stand up and deliver his fourth Budget.

Cenatiempo:

Alright, we’ll be broadcasting that live here on 2CC. Andrew, next time we catch up I think we’ll officially be in an election campaign won’t we?

Leigh:

I think that’s likely, but the Prime Minister will make the decision.

Cenatiempo:

But I mean, he doesn’t have a choice anymore, does he? I mean he’s got to go. Well, I mean the 17th of May is the absolute latest he can go?

Leigh:

We’ll have a May election. The only question there is which Saturday in May it will be.

Cenatiempo:

Righto. Alright, well he’s got to call it sooner rather than later. Andrew, good to talk to you. We’ll catch up in a couple weeks.

Leigh:

Likewise, thanks Stephen.

Cenatiempo:

Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities, Treasury, and the Member for Fenner.

Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

Jim Chalmers:

Tonight’s Budget will be a responsible budget. It will help with the cost of living, strengthen Medicare and build Australia’s future. We know that cost of living is front of mind for most Australians, and it will be absolutely front and centre tonight in our Budget. Our economic plan is all about ensuring more Australians are working, earning more and keeping more of what they earn. And that’s the motivation behind the cost of living help that people will see in tonight’s Budget.

The Budget is about strengthening Medicare and the election will be an opportunity to secure it for the future. We’ve made a lot of progress together in our economy, but we know there’s more work to do because people are under pressure and the global economic environment is so uncertain.

But in this context and in this global economic environment, we’ve got inflation down, real wages and incomes are up, unemployment is very low, interest rates have started to come down, we’ve got the debt down and growth is rebounding solidly in our economy as well. So, we have made a lot of progress together and the Budget is about building on that progress together as well.

Our Budget and our economy are both now in much better condition than we found them 3 years ago. We’ve got the Liberal debt down by $177 billion, and that is saving Australians something like $60 billion in debt interest. We’ve helped engineer the biggest ever improvement in the budget in a single term, in dollar terms, a $207 billion improvement in the budget.

We’ve delivered 2 surpluses, we’ve shrunk the deficit for this year, we’ve engineered that $207 billion improvement – that means less debt and less debt interest at the same time. So that we can make room to strengthen Medicare and help with the cost of living and build Australia’s future as well. So, we have made good progress together as Australians. The Budget will reflect that. We do know that there’s more work to do because people are still under pressure and the global outlook is uncertain and it is challenging.

So, the Budget tonight will be a platform for prosperity in a new world of uncertainty. It will recognise that people need and deserve a bit more extra help when it comes to the cost of living. It will make our economy more resilient in the face of all of this global economic uncertainty. And I’m looking forward to telling you all about it tonight and to take some questions now, please.

Journalist:

Treasurer, what more cost‑of‑living relief can we expect in this Budget, especially for working Australians, and is this Budget about the next few weeks or the next few years?

Chalmers:

This is a budget to build Australia’s future. It strikes the right balance between helping people with the cost of living and investing in a more competitive, more productive and dynamic economy into the future so that we’re more resilient to these global shocks which are becoming a regular feature of the world’s economy. Despite all of this global economic uncertainty, the Australian economy is turning a corner.

We see that with lower inflation, higher real wages, low unemployment. We see that with growth rebounding solidly and we’ve been able to get the debt down and interest rates have started to be cut as well. So, we’ve made a lot of progress together. A big part of that progress is being willing in the first 3 budgets and again in the fourth to help people with the cost of living in the most responsible way we can.

Journalist:

Can you just clarify a bit about that? What do you mean about resilience? What measures are there to protect against that global uncertainty, and specifically tariffs that we are expecting Donald Trump to impose?

Chalmers:

Our best defence against global economic uncertainty is a more resilient economy. And that’s what the billions of dollars, for example, that we’re investing in green metals is all about. That’s what the modest amount of money that we’ll be devoting to the Buy Australia promotion is all about, but also making our economy more competitive and dynamic.

It’s unusual in budgets on the eve of an election for it to have proper economic reform. But you’ll see some economic reform in the Budget tonight, which will be all about making our economy more competitive so we can lift living standards and boost wages.

Journalist:

Treasurer, what’s in the Budget for northern New South Wales?

Chalmers:

You’ll see in the Budget that we’re very enthusiastic investors in all of our regions, including in northern New South Wales. We know that they’ve had an especially rough time, as have the good people of southeast Queensland in recent times. We’ve provisioned, for example, another $1.2 billion to rebuild local communities and some of that will flow to the Northern Rivers and northern New South Wales. And that’s because we know it’s a really beautiful, important part of Australia and we’ll invest in it enthusiastically once again.

Journalist:

If people are still under pressure Treasurer as you say, can’t you do a bit better than just $150 off these energy bills?

Chalmers:

You’ll see tonight how the cost‑of‑living package comes together. The energy rebates are an important part of the cost‑of‑living package, but not the only part. The Prime Minister announced the policy for even cheaper medicines on Thursday. The whole motivation of strengthening Medicare is because more bulk billing means less pressure on families.

We have shown a willingness and an enthusiasm to do what we responsibly can to help people with the cost of living. All of those measures reinforce each other. It’s not just energy rebates, it’s also cheaper medicines. But really one of the centrepieces of this Budget is Labor’s efforts to strengthen Medicare. The Budget is about strengthening Medicare and the election is Australians’ opportunity to protect it and safeguard it against Peter Dutton.

The election will be a referendum on Medicare and the Budget takes its responsibilities to strengthening Medicare very seriously. We created Medicare, we believe in it, we’re strengthening it by investing in bulk billing in record ways in tonight’s Budget.

Journalist:

Treasurer the full extent of Donald Trump’s tariffs won’t be known until April 2, to what extent have you been able to tuck measures away just in case. We won’t necessarily see announced today but are there in response if necessary?

Chalmers:

We’re not uniquely impacted by policy developments out of Washington D.C. but we’ve got a lot of skin in the game because we’re a trade exposed economy. And so we will continue to engage with the Americans, we’ll continue to stand up and speak for our interests. Our best defence against this global economic uncertainty is a more resilient, more competitive, more productive economy. And you’ll see that that is a major feature of tonight’s Budget.

Journalist:

Treasurer, it wasn’t anticipated that you would be handing down this budget were it not for a natural disaster we probably would be in a campaign by now. So, is this an election winning budget or an election losing budget?

Chalmers:

First of all, there are a series of assumptions in your question, Chloe, which I’m not necessarily going to come at. I’m really pleased that we get this opportunity, this rare opportunity, but welcome one, to hand down 4 budgets in a single parliamentary term – it hasn’t happened since the 1940s. But from my point of view, it’s a very welcome opportunity to put the economy front and centre on the eve of an election. This is not a budget for the election, it’s a budget to build Australia’s future.

But we want the economy to be front and centre. Our political opponents have spent all of their time trying to dismiss and diminish the progress that Australians have made together in our economy and none of their time coming clean on what their secret cuts will mean for Medicare, for the progress we’ve made together or that they will make people worse off. So, this is their big opportunity this week. We do expect the economy to be central to the election campaign and I think that’s a very good thing.

Journalist:

How does it feel to be returning to deficits tonight, if your last 2 were surpluses?

Chalmers:

When we came to office they were all deficits and we turned 2 of those into Labor surpluses. And because we did that, we have made a meaningful difference to debt. We’ve got $177 billion of Liberal debt down this year, saving Australians tens of billions of dollars in debt interest. So, we’ve delivered 2 surpluses in the first 2 years.

We’ve shrunk the deficit this year and we’re managing the economy and the budget in the most responsible way we can, given all of these pressures on people and coming at us from around the world. So the responsible economic management that we have made a hallmark, a defining feature of this government, would be unrecognisable to our predecessors. When we came to office, they were all deficits. We turned 2 of them into surpluses and we’ve shrunk the deficit this year as well.

Journalist:

On Medicare Treasurer, you said the election would be a referendum on Medicare. Does it not blunt your attack a little bit that the Opposition has already matched the cheaper medicines policy, they’ve matched the bulk billing, the $8.5 billion?

Chalmers:

We remember what Peter Dutton did when he was the Health Minister. He said before the election he was all for Medicare, and then after the election he tried to gut it. He tried to impose a GP tax and undermine universal Medicare in this country, which is one of the most important things we have going for us. The election will be a referendum on Medicare and the Budget will be about strengthening it. Peter Dutton and Angus Taylor have both said in different ways over the course of the last week or 2 that the best predictor of future performance is past performance.

That’s a pretty chilling admission from Dutton and Taylor because last time Dutton was the Health Minister, he went after Medicare and undermined it. He cut tens of billions of dollars out of health and so that’s the risk here. The reason they haven’t come clean on their secret cuts is because Peter Dutton’s secret cuts would interrupt the progress we’re making in the economy and make people worse off. And where that will be most consequential will be Medicare.

Journalist:

Treasurer, will taxes be higher or lower as a result of your budget?

Chalmers:

You’ll see tonight all of the figures when it comes to, for example, tax‑to‑GDP and the like. You see a lot of speculation before budgets. Not all of it is right. For example, one commentator was saying he expects this year tax‑to‑GDP to go up. You’ll see tonight the tax‑to‑GDP goes down in 24–25. You see predictions about gross debt this year not being correct.

And so I encourage you to pore over the numbers in the Budget tonight. What you will see is the impact of the tax cuts that are already flowing in the economy are helping to make sure that more Australians are working, earning more and keeping more of what they earn. That’s really the defining purpose of this government, in addition to strengthening Medicare. We’re managing the Budget in the most responsible way we can in the face of these external shocks. Tonight, you will see a Budget which is all about helping with the cost of living, strengthening Medicare and building Australia’s future.

I’ll see you later on. Thanks very much.

Source: Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Industry

Sabra Lane:

The federal Treasurer joins us now, Jim Chalmers, welcome.

Jim Chalmers:

Thanks very much, Sabra.

Lane:

Are there any surprises left tonight?

Chalmers:

Oh, you’ll see how it all comes together tonight and that’s really what the Budget will do, it will bring together the progress that we’ve made together as Australians with the plan for the future from here. It will be a responsible budget, it will help with the cost of living, strengthen Medicare and build Australia’s future.

Lane:

The government is continuing to hand out energy rebates to ease the cost‑of‑living pressures. How likely is it that a payment like that will become a permanent feature of future budgets to protect households from the ongoing cost of the transition to low‑emissions power?

Chalmers:

First of all, I think as Evelyn said in the package that you just ran, cost of living is front of mind for most Australians and it’s absolutely front and centre in the Budget and the energy bill rebates are an important part of that.

We have to make sure that everything we’re doing with the cost of living is responsible. We’ve extended those energy rebates for another 6 months, not because we see them as a permanent feature in the Budget, but because we know that people are still under pressure.

We’ve made a lot of progress together as Australians in our economy, the economy is turning a corner, but we know we’ve got more work to do because people are still under the pump and there’s all of this global economic uncertainty. So whether it’s the energy bill rebates or the other cost‑of‑living relief in the Budget, to strengthen Medicare and make medicines cheaper, we’re doing it in the most responsible way that we can and that 6‑month extension reflects that.

Lane:

Okay. So not a permanent feature if you’re re‑elected, there may not be further support in 2026?

Chalmers:

What we’ve said really at every budget is from budget to budget we do what we can to help with the cost of living subject to those budget constraints and subject to that responsible economic management which has helped engineer a pretty stunning turnaround in the budget and got that Liberal debt down so that we’re avoiding all those interest costs. So we’ve made good progress in the budget. From budget to budget, we review the cost‑of‑living policies to make sure that we’re doing what we meaningfully can to help people in the most responsible way.

Lane:

Collectively, all that help that you’ve given for cost‑of‑living relief tallies now to I think $6.8 billion. Would that money have been better spent putting solar panels and heat pumps on the homes of vulnerable Australians that would have delivered ongoing relief from power bills.

Chalmers:

Well, first of all, there are investments in the Budget to help people with cleaner and cheaper energy. We’ve been investing enthusiastically in renewables throughout the life of this government and we’ll continue to do that, that’s very clear.

Secondly, some of the announcements that we’ve made over the course of recent weeks and months were already provisioned for in the Budget, including those energy rebates on Sunday.

And thirdly, what we’re trying to do here is to strike the right balance – cost‑of‑living help right now but also building Australia’s future and we see cleaner and cheaper energy as absolutely central to the future economy that we’re building.

Lane:

Australia will need more gas in the transition to a low carbon emissions future. Where will that come from?

Chalmers:

We’ve made it clear that even as we go for cleaner and cheaper sources of energy that to build the future economy and create jobs and opportunities we know that there is a role for gas, whether it’s in firming or manufacturing or in other ways and so we are working very hard to ensure that there’s the necessary gas supply to make sure that we can get this energy transformation right and I’m confident that we will.

Lane:

My colleague Jacob Greber reports that the Coalition’s on the cusp of announcing a Gas Reservation Policy. The government has also apparently been considering such an idea. Are you tempted to do that now?

Chalmers:

Well, we’ve made it very clear with our Future Gas Strategy that we’re striking the right balance here and making sure that there’s enough gas at the same time as we invest in cleaner and cheaper sources of energy into the future. So we’ve got our own policies and plans, and my colleague, Madeleine King, is doing a great job working –

Lane:

So no future plans for a reservation policy?

Chalmers:

Well, obviously we keep under constant review the different elements of the gas industry to make sure that it’s supplying the gas that Australians need at the same time as we invest in energy more broadly. So my colleague, Madeleine King’s doing a great job on that.

Lane:

Sure. But you’re not ruling it out.

Chalmers:

Well, we’ve got a Future Gas Strategy already and we work through as that evolves and as we get extra information from the ACCC and elsewhere, we make sure that our policies and plans keep up with the way that the sector and the market’s evolving and that’s what Madeleine’s doing.

Lane:

It’s Liberation Day on April 2, next week, that’s what the Trump administration is calling it. Have you tucked away extra money in the Budget to possibly help Australian companies that might be harmed with reciprocal tariffs that might come and the job that might go as a consequence?

Chalmers:

Well, really one of the major themes of the Budget is making our economy more resilient in the face of all of this global economic uncertainty. We have expressed on multiple occasions, and I will again today, our concern about these escalating trade tensions. We’re a very trade‑exposed country. We’re not uniquely impacted by these tariffs out of Washington DC, but we’ve got a lot of skin in the game.

And so what the Budget will be about in addition to helping with the cost of living and strengthening Medicare, it will also be about making us more resilient to these external shocks. There will be a little bit of funding to promote ‘Buy Australian’ in Australia but also more broadly the billions of dollars that we’re investing in things like green metals making sure that we are reliable parts of global supply chains as they change in response to these US tariffs. That’s a big defining feature of the Budget.

Lane:

And a contingency, just in case?

Chalmers:

Our contingency is to make our economy more resilient. When we talk about building Australia’s future, what we’re really talking about is making our economy more competitive and dynamic and productive but also more resilient. Now this is a new world of uncertainty, and the Budget will be a platform for prosperity in that new global context. A lot of the investments that we’re making in our Future Made in Australia are all about that.

Lane:

And as you point out, we’ve seen a lot of uncertainty. Many people are very worried about the future, their kids, technology, what we’re seeing in world affairs as well as the pace of that change. Being boring might actually have some strong voter appeal.

Chalmers:

Well, we’ll see, we’ll see. I think what we’re trying to do here is to make the right economic decisions for the right reasons and I say to people who are worried about these global developments, the Australian economy has genuinely turned a corner. We’ve got inflation down and wages up, unemployment’s low, we’ve got the debt down, interest rates have started coming down, and growth is rebounding solidly in our economy as well.

And so we’re doing better than most countries in this new world of uncertainty and the Budget is about building on that momentum in the interests of middle Australia.

Lane:

Jim Chalmers, thanks for joining AM this morning.

Chalmers:

Thanks so much, Sabra.

Source: New South Wales – News

The operation targeted fare evasion and general behaviour on the metropolitan public transport network.

The operation was conducted at a number of interchanges including West Lakes, Arndale, Tea Tree Plaza, Salisbury, Mawson Lakes and Noarlunga, as well as Mitcham, Blackwood and Adelaide Railway Stations.

The operation led to three arrests, two reports and thirty-four expiation notices for various public transport and controlled substance offences.

Acting Assistant Commissioner John De Candia, Metropolitan Operations Service, hailed the operation as a success. He emphasised that this was one of many similar operations conducted throughout the year, and not a response to any increase in poor behaviour on the network.

“These operations are designed to enhance traveller safety and discourage criminal behaviour across the public transport network,” he said. “We are committed to ensuring a safe and pleasant experience for all commuters.”

The collaboration between different branches and units of SAPOL, along with the Department for Infrastructure and Transport, highlights the importance of a unified approach to public safety. By working together, these agencies can more effectively address issues and ensure that the public transport system remains a secure and reliable option for everyone.

Community feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many commuters expressing their appreciation. Regular operations like these not only deter potential offenders but also reassure the public that their safety is a top priority.

Source:

Source:

Source: Assistant Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science

25 March 2025

E&OE TRANSCRIPT

Topics: Budget; Teal MP Monique Ryan’s husband removing political signage; Brisbane Olympics.

JAMES BRACEY, HOST: Welcome back to Today. The Albanese Government is this morning banking on voters looking past a decade of deficits as they prepare to hand down their fourth Federal Budget, focusing instead on the nation’s books being in better shape now than they were at the end of the pandemic. Joining us to discuss today’s headlines is Minister for Social Services and the NDIS Amanda Rishworth and political strategist Scott Emerson. Morning to you both. Great to chat with you. A busy day today. So, let’s get into it. Amanda, is it fair to be asking Australians to look past the Budget when Australia’s debt will reach $940 billion this financial year?

AMANDA RISHWORTH, MINISTER FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND THE NDIS: I think what’s important is to look at the action that we have taken. We inherited a mess from the Liberal Party, and we’ve been working very diligently and responsibly to put the Budget in a better nick, quite frankly. We’ve turned two Liberal deficits into surpluses and now we’re reducing the deficit this year and reducing the debt so that Australians are paying less in interest than they otherwise would have.

JAMES BRACEY: Scott, it’s been reported today young people are battling bracket creep. 63 per cent of Australians aged 45 and over are too scared to retire. Should Labor really be asking them to be hanging on?

SCOTT EMERSON, POLITICAL STRATEGIST: Well, I think we know, James, this is a cost-of-living Budget. People are struggling. It’s got to be a cost-of-living election coming up in a matter of days being announced. The problem for Labor is that people are feeling it very hard out there. They are doing it tough. And when Jim Chalmers’ selling point is a decade at least of deficits going forward, it’s a hard sell. The problem also for Labor is it didn’t intend to bring down this Budget. Their expectation was that they would be in the election already not have to reveal these numbers. Because of Cyclone Alfred that all got delayed.

JAMES BRACEY: Yeah, the Budget no one saw coming. And as it comes out today, Michelle, apparently so do the claws. Footage emerging of Peter Jordan, the husband of Teal MP Monique Ryan, tearing down a poster of his wife’s Liberal rival. Now, Amanda, things are getting really ugly out there.

AMANDA RISHWORTH: I would say that we have pretty civil elections here in Australia compared to other countries. But of course, that obligation relies on all of us to continue to act civilly. I know from time to time in my state and around the place posters do get taken down and vandalised. And it’s important that if people feel others are doing the wrong thing to go through the appropriate channels.

JAMES BRACEY: All right. The other big issue today, after four long years, Brisbane’s Olympic blueprint is being unveiled. Really looking forward to seeing what they’ve got for us today. Scott, we’re finally going to have a concrete plan. Will it be enough, though, to calm the farm?

SCOTT EMERSON: Well, I think the problem for Premier David Crisafulli is he did say repeatedly before the election that there wouldn’t be any new stadiums. What everyone is expecting today is that there will be a new stadium at Victoria Park. I guess his argument will be we’ve got to do it right. We’re going to be on the world’s spotlight in 2032. We’ve got to have appropriate stadiums. All the previous Labor government had a was all over the shop. It was three years of wasted planning. So, today is the big day, the D day. What will be interesting is if they scrap the Brisbane arena, which is going to be funded by the Federal government, and get that $2.5 billion reallocated to the other stadium and other facilities.

JAMES BRACEY: Amanda, a lot of work’s got to be done between now and 2032. Can Brissy pull it off?

AMANDA RISHWORTH: I am very hopeful that Brisbane can pull it off because it’s such an exciting opportunity. Of course, the Federal government will work with the state government. We, of course, need to make sure that for our contribution, we’re getting value for that. Any investment provides a lasting legacy for Brisbane beyond the games. But look, we are ready to work, of course, across the board to make sure that this is the best games that Australia could possibly put on.

JAMES BRACEY: There’s a lot of heavy reading ahead of us today with the budget and Brisbane’s big announcement. Thanks so much for your time today, Amanda and Scott.