Housing reforms are about making system ‘fairer’ for young people, Albanese says
The prime minister expressed his commitment to addressing intergenerational inequity following a decline in home ownership rates below 50% in most major capital cities after the government’s housing reforms.
During an appearance on ABC’s 7.30 program on Monday evening, Anthony Albanese responded to criticism suggesting that the post-budget fall in housing prices indicated Labor had erred in legislating taxation changes:
"What is important is that last Saturday, when people went to buy their own home … they weren’t competing against investors who knew that if they could bid an extra $20,000, or $50,000, then taxpayers would essentially be subsidising that by increased deductions."
Albanese reiterated that the housing system was “broken” and referenced Treasury estimates forecasting continued house price increases, albeit at a slower rate. Major banks have predicted prices will remain flat or decline slightly through 2026.
"This is about making the system fairer … We know there’s been a 400% increase in house prices since 1999 – more than double than wages, and that’s why we couldn’t continue to sit back and not pursue this reform … We’ve seen home ownership rates drop for younger Australians. And I don’t want to live in a society that’s defined by intergenerational inequity."
Greg Jericho has conducted detailed analysis on house prices and the validity of concerns over falling prices.
‘I want us to have more cut through’ McIntosh doubles down on rebrand call
Melissa McIntosh returned to media appearances following controversy sparked by her comments on the need for the Liberal Party to reconsider its branding.
She acknowledged her remarks were blunt but reaffirmed her position during an interview on the Today show, suggesting that if the party’s message does not resonate with the public, a brand refresh might be necessary.
Recapping her statement from the previous day:
"Some people think that we’re stuck in the past and our policies need to resonate with the Australia of today and the future. So I think it’d be a really good time for us to revisit our values."
Today, McIntosh emphasized that while the party holds strong values in supporting small businesses and individuals, these values are not effectively reaching voters.
"If things aren’t resonating, and if people are actually latching onto our policies and believing in that, but they’re not wanting to vote for us, then maybe we need to do something about the brand,
I want us to have more cut through on our policies. I worked for John Howard back in the day, and my patch, we were the Howard battlers, we’re the Menzies Forgotten people, and we’re Tony Tradie. So we are pretty much the heartland of Australia. And when the heartland of Australia tells you that you need to get more cut through to get more voters on your side, then you need to listen to the people."
Yesterday, the Labor Party used her comments as a point of attack during question time; it remains to be seen if they will do so again.
Chalmers won’t commit to giving workers under-18 superannuation
Treasurer Jim Chalmers declined to commit to guaranteeing superannuation payments for workers under 18, despite calls from the Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Greens.
Current legislation requires workers under 18 to work more than 30 hours per week to be eligible for superannuation contributions.
Speaking on ABC News Breakfast, Chalmers noted ongoing consultations with young workers but emphasized that the government’s immediate priority is implementing payday super, which mandates employers to pay superannuation concurrently with wages from tomorrow.
"This is a really important issue. I actually met with a delegation of young workers about this last week. We are always looking for ways to strengthen the superannuation system to make it deliver for more workers."
When asked twice whether all workers under 18 should receive superannuation, Chalmers expressed openness to future changes but did not provide a timeline or firm commitment.
"We’ve indicated a willingness to continue to engage with young people, with unions, with the super sectors, but what the next set of changes may be. For us the focus is payday super because it comes in from tomorrow."
Fuel prices increase (slightly) tomorrow
In response to the ongoing fuel crisis and conflict in the Middle East, the government previously halved the fuel excise, saving motorists approximately 26 cents per litre. This cut was scheduled to end tomorrow.
Earlier this month, the government extended the excise cut for an additional month but reduced the discount to 16 cents per litre, resulting in a slight increase in fuel prices.
The government has directed the consumer price watchdog to ensure petrol retailers pass on the full benefit of the excise cut to consumers.
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast, Treasurer Jim Chalmers stated that the extension provides continued cost-of-living relief.
"This is a really important warning from the ACCC because we want to make sure that every cent of the government’s fuel excise cut is passed on to motorists who need this extra bit of relief.
It’s been really terrific to see petrol prices and diesel prices come down very substantially in recent months. In fact, this week, we think for the first time, both petrol and diesel is cheaper than it was before the war in the Middle East began. But people are still under pressure. That’s why we’re extending this fuel price relief, this petrol and diesel tax cut for another month, at a tapered rate."
Good morning, Krishani Dhanji here with you, thanks to Martin Farrer for getting us started!
It will be another busy day in Parliament with only a few sitting days remaining before the winter recess.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is undertaking multiple media engagements this morning. Despite a modest improvement in government polling yesterday, efforts continue to promote the budget and recent tax reforms passed late last week.
With coffee in hand, the day’s coverage begins. Happy last day of the financial year to those observing.
Tomorrow marks the commencement of numerous legal changes, including minimum wage increases, payday superannuation implementation, parental leave adjustments, and more.
A comprehensive summary of these changes is available.
Australian engagement with Asia ‘facing existential crisis’
Anthony Albanese’s special envoy for the Indian Ocean, Labor MP Tim Watts, has warned that Australia risks significant strategic disadvantage by insufficiently engaging with key Asian neighbours.
Launching a new parliamentary report, Watts highlighted a decline in Australian educational and business engagement with Asian cultures, languages, and history, despite the growing importance of regional skills as a sovereign capability.
He described a concerning trend: enrolments in Southeast Asian languages at Australian universities have dropped by 75% since 2005, with only about 500 students currently studying Indonesian. In 2023, just 3.3% of Year 12 students studied a priority Asian language.
The report also noted that Australia’s diplomatic and think tank workforce is insufficient to support an independent foreign policy, with current Asia expertise largely a legacy of past investments rather than ongoing government support.
Watts emphasized the need for sustained national policy focus over the long term.
"The dividends of these efforts, and the costs of inaction, are not realised within a single electoral cycle. Asia capability has always been too difficult to tackle today, and too easy to leave to a future government."
The report recommends establishing a 10-year national Asia capability strategy, creating a network of “leader schools,” and renewing investment in immersion experiences and higher education courses.
‘Paul Hogan nailed it,’ Albanese says in praise of the actor’s One Nation critique
During his 7.30 interview, Prime Minister Albanese also addressed Pauline Hanson’s advocacy for a “monocultural” Australia, affirming that multiculturalism is fundamental to Australian identity.
He commended actor Paul Hogan for his public rejection of Hanson’s views, noting Hogan’s dismissal of Hanson as “living in the past” and his reminder that “we’re all migrants.”
When asked to define multiculturalism, a question many politicians have faced following Hanson’s National Press Club address, Albanese stated:
"It’s who we are as Australians, and I thought that Paul Hogan nailed it today as well. We’ve never been a monocultural society … We are a modern country that is multicultural in our nature. That means that we have respect for each other."
Albanese was also questioned about support for One Nation, which has declined in recent polls but remains around 30%. When asked why many Australians feel Labor does not understand them, he responded:
"What my job is to do is to represent the national interest. That’s what I do to respect every voter … Pauline Hanson has a long political career. But we have seen the rise of populist rightwing parties throughout the western world."
He noted that this trend reflects various frustrations but emphasized the government’s primary focus on addressing cost-of-living pressures.
Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog
As Parliament’s final week before the winter break continues, Martin Farrer presents the top overnight stories before handing over to Krishani Dhanji for the day’s main coverage.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended the government’s housing reforms, stating on 7.30 that he does not want Australia to be defined by intergenerational inequity.
He also praised Paul Hogan for his critique of Pauline Hanson’s attack on multiculturalism, describing the actor’s comments as having “nailed it.”
