Wilson claims Labor taxes delivered ‘trifecta of housing failures’ Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson, is first up at the dispatch box today and asks if the government will confirm it’s on track to miss its housing build target by at least 300,000 homes (“woah” shout the opposition members). Wilson attributes it to toxic taxes delivering “a trifecta of housing failures. Fewer homes, higher rents, and confidence in the Australian housing market smashed.” The government had promised to build 1.2 million homes over five years to mid-2029. The housing minister, Clare O’Neil, says the housing crisis has been cooking for more than 40 years and then goes into a bit of a compare and contrast with the opposition’s policies. double quotation markThe combined effect of our supply measures as a government is going to build an additional 400,000 homes for Australians, a big part of that, Speaker, is our push on social and affordable homes. We have a fundamental belief on the Labor side of politics that the government has got to be involved in the task of housing Australians. Now, that 55,000 Speaker, we had a question here that relates to supply, do you remember how many homes they built, in nine years of government? 373 homes. Wilson then makes a point of order and says O’Neil isn’t answering the question. Speaker Milton Dick tells the minister not to “stray” into too much talk about the opposition. O’Neil won’t confirm the opposition’s number and spruiks the government’s housing targets and policies like previously increasing commonwealth rent assistance. Housing minister Clare O’Neil. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP Key events Chalmers to release latest intergenerational report with AI a major feature Patrick Commins Jim Chalmers will release the latest intergenerational report on 21 September, which the treasurer described as “a snapshot of all of the changes we expect to see in our economy and in our society over the next 40 years”. The government is required to release an IGR at least every five years under the charter of budget honesty, but can be more frequent (the most recent was in 2023). In the words of Treasury officials, the reports “examine the long-term sustainability of current policies and how demographic, technological and other structural trends may affect the economy and the budget”. Artificial intelligence is likely to be a major feature of this year’s report, given its potential to transform the way we work and live over coming years and decades. That said, Treasury officials have already advised they expect AI will only help productivity growth return to historical levels, rather than unleash a new wave of prosperity. The IGR will also look at the effects of an ageing population on the economy and the country’s finances. The last IGR highlighted how compulsory super had lightened the burden of paying for aged pensions. The first IGR was delivered in 2002 under then treasurer Peter Costello, and this year’s report will be the seventh. Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP After a final dixer to Mark Butler, the PM calls time on QT. Kate Chaney stands up looking annoyed – she was probably due to get the next question. Liberal MP Garth Hamilton asks Anthony Albanese if he will scrap a $5,000 cap on allied health services for veterans, instead of spending $150m on an “overseas climate talk fest” (the COP climate summit). It’s an issue the opposition pushed heavily last sitting fortnight – and called for the minister responsible to be sacked. Albanese says the government has increased the fees for allied health workers to stop disincentivising treatment for veterans. double quotation markNow the review is after $5,000, that will be more than 12 visits. And then, if further care is required, if there’s a clinical need, then they’ll receive it. Importantly, changes will not impact veterans on the special rate disability pension, on the totally and permanently incapacitated pension, or determined to be catastrophic injured. These changes come into effect on July 27, and the government continues to consult. Prime minister Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP Butler refutes claim tobacco policies have ‘led to more Australians smoking illicit cigarettes’ Take three: Liberal MP Mary Aldred, who was on a Coalition-led parliamentary inquiry that recommended cutting the tobacco excise, has a go now to corner the government over the policy. She again quotes NSW premier Chris Minns warning on the impact of the excise policy, and asks if the health minister will “admit Labor’s failed tobacco policies have led to more Australians smoking illicit cigarettes?” The health minister, Mark Butler, says he begs to differ and that smoking rates have been going down despite the hiked up excise. double quotation markI don’t agree with that. The Institute of Health and Welfare, which has been the statutory authority under governments of both political persuasions for many, many years, says otherwise as well. I think we should all be glad the authoritative body set up under statute, supported at least until today, by both major political parties, have said that smoking rates over the last three years have declined by about half a million on daily adult smoking rates. Australian Border Force uncovered an illegal cigarette manufacturing operation in Sydney earlier this year. Photograph: Department of Home Affairs Labor fumes over Coalition question on tobacco excise Nationals frontbencher Anne Webster asks the assistant treasurer, Daniel Mulino, why he is “refusing to protect his own constituents” by supporting an excise cut, after a tobacco store in his electorate was firebombed overnight. Mulino was asked about the firebombing in an interview this morning but wouldn’t provide any details on it. There’s a bunch of back and forth over whether the question is within standing orders or not. Milton Dick calls part of the question a slur, and the government argues that it doesn’t go to Mulino’s portfolio at all. Webster has another crack and asks why Mulino is “refusing to protect Australians …” which gets some more groans and Dick once again tells Webster to remove that part of the question completely. Finally we get to the answer. Mulino defends himself, saying he did answer the question about the firebombing responsibly, because, “what would’ve been irresponsible is for me to speculate on live TV about what actually happened this morning and what might have driven it.” double quotation markCan I quote the illicit tobacco and e-cigarette commissioner: ‘Lowering tax on its own is not likely to resolve the criminal side of the market. It does not remove demand, eliminate supply, or the underlying profit opportunities, they, as the organised criminals, can undercut prices no matter where we see the excise.’ We have said repeatedly a responsible approach is to continue our policy on enforcement. Assistant treasurer Daniel Mulino. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP Opposition playing ‘follow the leader’ on tobacco excise, Butler says Angus Taylor gets on to the wedge train and tries to pressure the government over comments from NSW Labor premier Chris Minns again, this time on the tobacco excise. This morning Minns (who has publicly questioned the efficacy of the excise remaining high) said: “It’s perversely driving a situation where you’re seeing more people, not less people, smoking because they’ve got access to readily available cheap [black market] cigarettes. The health minister, Mark Butler, says the government is “not interested in joining the Coalition, in following the leader, that he pathetically appears committed to be playing with the One Nation party”. double quotation markWe’re not interested in joining the Coalition in a price discounting war with organised crime. We won’t be joining in a policy plucked out of thin air, with one apparent objective, to go a little bit further than One Nation … And the member for New England [Barnaby Joyce] is pumping his fist. He knows what’s going on here. They know this follow the leader game that he’s playing. In the middle of his answer, Labor MP Matt Burnell gets kicked out for shouting too much. Health minister Mark Butler. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP Independent MP calls for additional doctors in western Sydney Over to the crossbench, Dai Le asks if the government will review a mechanism that means her western Sydney community of Fowler doesn’t get “distribution priority area” status and can’t get additional doctors into the area. The health minister, Mark Butler, spruiks the government’s Medicare urgent care clinics and the increased number of students training to be doctors. Le makes a point of order, and says Butler is not addressing whether her area can be reviewed to access more support. Butler says the issue “is not particularly simple” and won’t commit to changes, just that he’s happy to engage with Le. double quotation markGenerally, distribution levers have distinguished pretty sharply between the big cities and rural and regional Australia so that doctors coming from overseas, which is the question the member asked, are required to practise for 10 years in rural and regional communities. Now, there’s parts of particularly outer suburban Australia, who are really struggling. Who have lower doctor rates per head of population than many parts of regional Australia. And we are grappling with that question. Every time we have an overseas doctor going to the cities, rural communities complain that’s taken from them. Happy to engage with the member more about that. It’s not particularly simple, though. Independent MP Dai Le. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP Albanese says he has a few facts to provide the opposition on housing Liberal frontbencher Melissa McIntosh is next and asks the prime minister if he agrees with NSW premier Chris Minns that Labor’s housing taxes mean less construction and fewer homes in Australia. She adds, “since Labor’s budget, 421 New South Wales building companies have gone broke. Including Bathla Group, risking 14,000 affordable homes and apartments.” Anthony Albanese says he has a few facts to provide the opposition: double quotation markFact one, the latest ABS data shows that under this Labor government the total value of housing in Australia has gone from $10.1tn to 12.7tn, an increase of some 26% in just four years. Fact two, the median national house price in August was higher than it was a year ago. McIntosh raises a point of order and says the PM isn’t addressing her question which is whether he agrees with Minns or not. There’s some back and forth here, including an accusation that Albanese dismissed McIntosh with a flick of his hand. Albanese continues with some more facts, and says Labor is giving young people a crack at housing: double quotation markFact seven, annual construction cost inflation has fallen from a half-century high, under the Coalition, it was 17%. Today, it’s 3.8% under Labor. Prime minister Anthony Albanese speaks during question time. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP Wilson claims Labor taxes delivered ‘trifecta of housing failures’ Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson, is first up at the dispatch box today and asks if the government will confirm it’s on track to miss its housing build target by at least 300,000 homes (“woah” shout the opposition members). Wilson attributes it to toxic taxes delivering “a trifecta of housing failures. Fewer homes, higher rents, and confidence in the Australian housing market smashed.” The government had promised to build 1.2 million homes over five years to mid-2029. The housing minister, Clare O’Neil, says the housing crisis has been cooking for more than 40 years and then goes into a bit of a compare and contrast with the opposition’s policies. double quotation markThe combined effect of our supply measures as a government is going to build an additional 400,000 homes for Australians, a big part of that, Speaker, is our push on social and affordable homes. We have a fundamental belief on the Labor side of politics that the government has got to be involved in the task of housing Australians. Now, that 55,000 Speaker, we had a question here that relates to supply, do you remember how many homes they built, in nine years of government? 373 homes. Wilson then makes a point of order and says O’Neil isn’t answering the question. Speaker Milton Dick tells the minister not to “stray” into too much talk about the opposition. O’Neil won’t confirm the opposition’s number and spruiks the government’s housing targets and policies like previously increasing commonwealth rent assistance. Housing minister Clare O’Neil. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP In pictures: protesters rally for justice for Zomi Frankcom outside Israeli embassy Protesters are outside the Israeli embassy in Canberra today, demanding justice for Zomi Frankcom, the Australian aid worker killed in Gaza after the Israeli Defence Force struck an aid convoy. The rally was attended by politicians including Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi, and independent senator, Lidia Thorpe. Protest rally for Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom outside the Israeli embassy in Canberra. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA Protesters rally outside the Israeli embassy in Canberra. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi speaks at a rally for Zomi Franckom. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP Albanese dodges question on UK banning commercial activity with Israeli settlements in the West Bank Anthony Albanese takes a final question on whether Australia will follow the UK’s lead and implement a ban on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The prime minister doesn’t weigh in on whether Australia would do the same, and says broadly: double quotation markI’ve made clear on a number of occasions, we support a two-state solution in the Middle East. We think that is important for both Israelis and Palestinians to be able to live in peace and security. Prime minister Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images Choice between algorithm opt-in/opt-out is ‘empowering’, Wells says Anika Wells says the government’s position is a middle ground between an opt-in and opt-out model for algorithms. The communications minister says there will be a “pop-up” notification that will ask users if they want platforms to use an algorithm or not. The government’s statement explaining the draft legislation says: double quotation markUsers can choose to opt in to having their default feed include personalised content recommended by the algorithm. Alternatively, users can opt out of personally recommended content in their default feed and see the friends and creators they choose to follow. Wells tells the press conference that this makes it a “neutral choice” for users: double quotation markYou will have a choice about whether you want the algorithm or whether you want the following feed. That is a neutral choice that Australians will be able to make. It’s empowering. And the reality is lots of people are going to want to choose the algorithm. Lots of people follow it for entertainment, lots of people follow it because they like supporting small local business in their suburb. The prime minister adds later that if people want to continue doom scrolling, well that’s their prerogative. double quotation markIf people want to doom scroll, as you call it, that’s fine, that’s up to them. Six serious harms banned for kids under Labor’s digital duty of care bill My colleague, Tom McIlroy asks Anika Wells how the government will stop “mission creep” around these rules and stop political content being drawn into the bill. The communications minister says there are six serious harms that are outlined under the bill for kids, while for adults there will be a ban on “just illegal content”. Digital platforms will be required to protect kids from serious harms including: double quotation markThere are six of those, which is content around the promotion of eating disorders. So like I said, a chatbot giving a teenage girl advice about how to exist on 600 calories a day. Misogynistic content that promotes hostile attitudes towards women, so that might be a particular platform, circulating content that women or girls are equivalent to beasts or animals. Pornography, content that glorifies crime or dangerous stunts, so, you know, there’s people at the moment that still can circulate that footage online. And then content that causes serious distress, and that includes abuse and cyberbullying, so that is like a chatbot, telling a teenager how to self-harm. So these are all things that the esafety commissioner currently grapples with and has for some time, but we are making those the six serious harms that will be regulated for Australian children. For Australian adults. It’s just illegal content. Communications minister Anika Wells. Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images Albanese ‘emphatically’ rules out censoring political statements on social media Anthony Albanese is asked about concerns that the duty of care bill could amount to political censorship. Critics have claimed Labor is trying to use the legislation to shut down criticism of the government. The prime minister says he can “emphatically rule that out”. He says the bill is not about government control, but individual control. double quotation markIt’s not about censorship. It’s about giving people control themselves over what they see. We can emphatically rule that out. This is about basic safety standards online for online services and about the onus being on big tech to identify risks on their platform and to mitigate against those risks. Wells is also asked whether she will have the power to designate new forms of harm, she says: double quotation markThe rule making power exists elsewhere in the Online Safety Act. I used it, you’ll recall, to include YouTube in the social media minimum age laws when I became the communications minister, that would have been disallowable in the Senate. Nobody disallowed it in the Senate. Labor says ‘global reckoning’ coming for big tech Anthony Albanese says the digital duty of care bill will give people control over their social media, and require tech platforms to “protect children from harmful content, including content that promotes eating disorders, misogynistic content, pornography, and content that glorifies crime”. Albanese is joined by communications minister Anika Wells, as well as a group of advocates who have been pushing for digital safety. The prime minister says the bill is not about government control, and adds tech giants could face penalties of more than $100m for breaches. double quotation mark[This legislation] will require social media platforms to provide user empowerment tools that give people over the age of 16 genuine and enduring choice about what they see in their feeds. We’ll provide e-safety with the power to issue removal notices for nudify apps, all websites, and streamline the child cyberbullying and adult cyber abuse schemes, and will require digital platforms to document the measures taken to address harm to Australian users, and ensure measures remain effective over time. This is sensible, pragmatic, practical reform. It gives users choice, and it will hold the big tech companies responsible for inaction. This is not about giving government control. It’s about giving people control. Wells says: double quotation markTech companies have been running real time, unregulated product testing on Australians, and their platforms and tools have infiltrated our daily lives in ways that we could never have imagined. This is a global reckoning coming for big tech. Prime minister Anthony Albanese and communications minister Anika Wells. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP Your questions answered in our brand new political newsletter – Politics, really: Have a question about the news you’d like answered by Guardian Australia’s politics team in Canberra? This week our team has been reporting on the government’s soon to be released digital duty of care bill. It’s a policy that will impact almost all Australians as we increasingly live our lives online. If you have thoughts or questions about how it will work, or why the government is continuing its regulatory agenda against big tech, please write in. We have also reported on everything from superannuation to US bases on Australian soil – if you have a question about any of those topics, we’d love to hear it too. Send us an email at politicsreally@theguardian.com, and don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter. Post navigation Carlos Alcaraz ‘insulted’ Ben Shelton with a gesture that showed his true colors Landmark study reveals extent of rugby league brain injury crisis
Wilson claims Labor taxes delivered ‘trifecta of housing failures’ Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson, is first up at the dispatch box today and asks if the government will confirm it’s on track to miss its housing build target by at least 300,000 homes (“woah” shout the opposition members). Wilson attributes it to toxic taxes delivering “a trifecta of housing failures. Fewer homes, higher rents, and confidence in the Australian housing market smashed.” The government had promised to build 1.2 million homes over five years to mid-2029. The housing minister, Clare O’Neil, says the housing crisis has been cooking for more than 40 years and then goes into a bit of a compare and contrast with the opposition’s policies. double quotation markThe combined effect of our supply measures as a government is going to build an additional 400,000 homes for Australians, a big part of that, Speaker, is our push on social and affordable homes. We have a fundamental belief on the Labor side of politics that the government has got to be involved in the task of housing Australians. Now, that 55,000 Speaker, we had a question here that relates to supply, do you remember how many homes they built, in nine years of government? 373 homes. Wilson then makes a point of order and says O’Neil isn’t answering the question. Speaker Milton Dick tells the minister not to “stray” into too much talk about the opposition. O’Neil won’t confirm the opposition’s number and spruiks the government’s housing targets and policies like previously increasing commonwealth rent assistance. Housing minister Clare O’Neil. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
Chalmers to release latest intergenerational report with AI a major feature Patrick Commins Jim Chalmers will release the latest intergenerational report on 21 September, which the treasurer described as “a snapshot of all of the changes we expect to see in our economy and in our society over the next 40 years”. The government is required to release an IGR at least every five years under the charter of budget honesty, but can be more frequent (the most recent was in 2023). In the words of Treasury officials, the reports “examine the long-term sustainability of current policies and how demographic, technological and other structural trends may affect the economy and the budget”. Artificial intelligence is likely to be a major feature of this year’s report, given its potential to transform the way we work and live over coming years and decades. That said, Treasury officials have already advised they expect AI will only help productivity growth return to historical levels, rather than unleash a new wave of prosperity. The IGR will also look at the effects of an ageing population on the economy and the country’s finances. The last IGR highlighted how compulsory super had lightened the burden of paying for aged pensions. The first IGR was delivered in 2002 under then treasurer Peter Costello, and this year’s report will be the seventh. Treasurer Jim Chalmers. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
After a final dixer to Mark Butler, the PM calls time on QT. Kate Chaney stands up looking annoyed – she was probably due to get the next question.
Liberal MP Garth Hamilton asks Anthony Albanese if he will scrap a $5,000 cap on allied health services for veterans, instead of spending $150m on an “overseas climate talk fest” (the COP climate summit). It’s an issue the opposition pushed heavily last sitting fortnight – and called for the minister responsible to be sacked. Albanese says the government has increased the fees for allied health workers to stop disincentivising treatment for veterans. double quotation markNow the review is after $5,000, that will be more than 12 visits. And then, if further care is required, if there’s a clinical need, then they’ll receive it. Importantly, changes will not impact veterans on the special rate disability pension, on the totally and permanently incapacitated pension, or determined to be catastrophic injured. These changes come into effect on July 27, and the government continues to consult. Prime minister Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Butler refutes claim tobacco policies have ‘led to more Australians smoking illicit cigarettes’ Take three: Liberal MP Mary Aldred, who was on a Coalition-led parliamentary inquiry that recommended cutting the tobacco excise, has a go now to corner the government over the policy. She again quotes NSW premier Chris Minns warning on the impact of the excise policy, and asks if the health minister will “admit Labor’s failed tobacco policies have led to more Australians smoking illicit cigarettes?” The health minister, Mark Butler, says he begs to differ and that smoking rates have been going down despite the hiked up excise. double quotation markI don’t agree with that. The Institute of Health and Welfare, which has been the statutory authority under governments of both political persuasions for many, many years, says otherwise as well. I think we should all be glad the authoritative body set up under statute, supported at least until today, by both major political parties, have said that smoking rates over the last three years have declined by about half a million on daily adult smoking rates. Australian Border Force uncovered an illegal cigarette manufacturing operation in Sydney earlier this year. Photograph: Department of Home Affairs
Labor fumes over Coalition question on tobacco excise Nationals frontbencher Anne Webster asks the assistant treasurer, Daniel Mulino, why he is “refusing to protect his own constituents” by supporting an excise cut, after a tobacco store in his electorate was firebombed overnight. Mulino was asked about the firebombing in an interview this morning but wouldn’t provide any details on it. There’s a bunch of back and forth over whether the question is within standing orders or not. Milton Dick calls part of the question a slur, and the government argues that it doesn’t go to Mulino’s portfolio at all. Webster has another crack and asks why Mulino is “refusing to protect Australians …” which gets some more groans and Dick once again tells Webster to remove that part of the question completely. Finally we get to the answer. Mulino defends himself, saying he did answer the question about the firebombing responsibly, because, “what would’ve been irresponsible is for me to speculate on live TV about what actually happened this morning and what might have driven it.” double quotation markCan I quote the illicit tobacco and e-cigarette commissioner: ‘Lowering tax on its own is not likely to resolve the criminal side of the market. It does not remove demand, eliminate supply, or the underlying profit opportunities, they, as the organised criminals, can undercut prices no matter where we see the excise.’ We have said repeatedly a responsible approach is to continue our policy on enforcement. Assistant treasurer Daniel Mulino. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Opposition playing ‘follow the leader’ on tobacco excise, Butler says Angus Taylor gets on to the wedge train and tries to pressure the government over comments from NSW Labor premier Chris Minns again, this time on the tobacco excise. This morning Minns (who has publicly questioned the efficacy of the excise remaining high) said: “It’s perversely driving a situation where you’re seeing more people, not less people, smoking because they’ve got access to readily available cheap [black market] cigarettes. The health minister, Mark Butler, says the government is “not interested in joining the Coalition, in following the leader, that he pathetically appears committed to be playing with the One Nation party”. double quotation markWe’re not interested in joining the Coalition in a price discounting war with organised crime. We won’t be joining in a policy plucked out of thin air, with one apparent objective, to go a little bit further than One Nation … And the member for New England [Barnaby Joyce] is pumping his fist. He knows what’s going on here. They know this follow the leader game that he’s playing. In the middle of his answer, Labor MP Matt Burnell gets kicked out for shouting too much. Health minister Mark Butler. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Independent MP calls for additional doctors in western Sydney Over to the crossbench, Dai Le asks if the government will review a mechanism that means her western Sydney community of Fowler doesn’t get “distribution priority area” status and can’t get additional doctors into the area. The health minister, Mark Butler, spruiks the government’s Medicare urgent care clinics and the increased number of students training to be doctors. Le makes a point of order, and says Butler is not addressing whether her area can be reviewed to access more support. Butler says the issue “is not particularly simple” and won’t commit to changes, just that he’s happy to engage with Le. double quotation markGenerally, distribution levers have distinguished pretty sharply between the big cities and rural and regional Australia so that doctors coming from overseas, which is the question the member asked, are required to practise for 10 years in rural and regional communities. Now, there’s parts of particularly outer suburban Australia, who are really struggling. Who have lower doctor rates per head of population than many parts of regional Australia. And we are grappling with that question. Every time we have an overseas doctor going to the cities, rural communities complain that’s taken from them. Happy to engage with the member more about that. It’s not particularly simple, though. Independent MP Dai Le. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Albanese says he has a few facts to provide the opposition on housing Liberal frontbencher Melissa McIntosh is next and asks the prime minister if he agrees with NSW premier Chris Minns that Labor’s housing taxes mean less construction and fewer homes in Australia. She adds, “since Labor’s budget, 421 New South Wales building companies have gone broke. Including Bathla Group, risking 14,000 affordable homes and apartments.” Anthony Albanese says he has a few facts to provide the opposition: double quotation markFact one, the latest ABS data shows that under this Labor government the total value of housing in Australia has gone from $10.1tn to 12.7tn, an increase of some 26% in just four years. Fact two, the median national house price in August was higher than it was a year ago. McIntosh raises a point of order and says the PM isn’t addressing her question which is whether he agrees with Minns or not. There’s some back and forth here, including an accusation that Albanese dismissed McIntosh with a flick of his hand. Albanese continues with some more facts, and says Labor is giving young people a crack at housing: double quotation markFact seven, annual construction cost inflation has fallen from a half-century high, under the Coalition, it was 17%. Today, it’s 3.8% under Labor. Prime minister Anthony Albanese speaks during question time. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Wilson claims Labor taxes delivered ‘trifecta of housing failures’ Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson, is first up at the dispatch box today and asks if the government will confirm it’s on track to miss its housing build target by at least 300,000 homes (“woah” shout the opposition members). Wilson attributes it to toxic taxes delivering “a trifecta of housing failures. Fewer homes, higher rents, and confidence in the Australian housing market smashed.” The government had promised to build 1.2 million homes over five years to mid-2029. The housing minister, Clare O’Neil, says the housing crisis has been cooking for more than 40 years and then goes into a bit of a compare and contrast with the opposition’s policies. double quotation markThe combined effect of our supply measures as a government is going to build an additional 400,000 homes for Australians, a big part of that, Speaker, is our push on social and affordable homes. We have a fundamental belief on the Labor side of politics that the government has got to be involved in the task of housing Australians. Now, that 55,000 Speaker, we had a question here that relates to supply, do you remember how many homes they built, in nine years of government? 373 homes. Wilson then makes a point of order and says O’Neil isn’t answering the question. Speaker Milton Dick tells the minister not to “stray” into too much talk about the opposition. O’Neil won’t confirm the opposition’s number and spruiks the government’s housing targets and policies like previously increasing commonwealth rent assistance. Housing minister Clare O’Neil. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP
In pictures: protesters rally for justice for Zomi Frankcom outside Israeli embassy Protesters are outside the Israeli embassy in Canberra today, demanding justice for Zomi Frankcom, the Australian aid worker killed in Gaza after the Israeli Defence Force struck an aid convoy. The rally was attended by politicians including Greens deputy leader Mehreen Faruqi, and independent senator, Lidia Thorpe. Protest rally for Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom outside the Israeli embassy in Canberra. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA Protesters rally outside the Israeli embassy in Canberra. Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi speaks at a rally for Zomi Franckom. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Albanese dodges question on UK banning commercial activity with Israeli settlements in the West Bank Anthony Albanese takes a final question on whether Australia will follow the UK’s lead and implement a ban on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The prime minister doesn’t weigh in on whether Australia would do the same, and says broadly: double quotation markI’ve made clear on a number of occasions, we support a two-state solution in the Middle East. We think that is important for both Israelis and Palestinians to be able to live in peace and security. Prime minister Anthony Albanese. Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images
Choice between algorithm opt-in/opt-out is ‘empowering’, Wells says Anika Wells says the government’s position is a middle ground between an opt-in and opt-out model for algorithms. The communications minister says there will be a “pop-up” notification that will ask users if they want platforms to use an algorithm or not. The government’s statement explaining the draft legislation says: double quotation markUsers can choose to opt in to having their default feed include personalised content recommended by the algorithm. Alternatively, users can opt out of personally recommended content in their default feed and see the friends and creators they choose to follow. Wells tells the press conference that this makes it a “neutral choice” for users: double quotation markYou will have a choice about whether you want the algorithm or whether you want the following feed. That is a neutral choice that Australians will be able to make. It’s empowering. And the reality is lots of people are going to want to choose the algorithm. Lots of people follow it for entertainment, lots of people follow it because they like supporting small local business in their suburb. The prime minister adds later that if people want to continue doom scrolling, well that’s their prerogative. double quotation markIf people want to doom scroll, as you call it, that’s fine, that’s up to them.
Six serious harms banned for kids under Labor’s digital duty of care bill My colleague, Tom McIlroy asks Anika Wells how the government will stop “mission creep” around these rules and stop political content being drawn into the bill. The communications minister says there are six serious harms that are outlined under the bill for kids, while for adults there will be a ban on “just illegal content”. Digital platforms will be required to protect kids from serious harms including: double quotation markThere are six of those, which is content around the promotion of eating disorders. So like I said, a chatbot giving a teenage girl advice about how to exist on 600 calories a day. Misogynistic content that promotes hostile attitudes towards women, so that might be a particular platform, circulating content that women or girls are equivalent to beasts or animals. Pornography, content that glorifies crime or dangerous stunts, so, you know, there’s people at the moment that still can circulate that footage online. And then content that causes serious distress, and that includes abuse and cyberbullying, so that is like a chatbot, telling a teenager how to self-harm. So these are all things that the esafety commissioner currently grapples with and has for some time, but we are making those the six serious harms that will be regulated for Australian children. For Australian adults. It’s just illegal content. Communications minister Anika Wells. Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images
Albanese ‘emphatically’ rules out censoring political statements on social media Anthony Albanese is asked about concerns that the duty of care bill could amount to political censorship. Critics have claimed Labor is trying to use the legislation to shut down criticism of the government. The prime minister says he can “emphatically rule that out”. He says the bill is not about government control, but individual control. double quotation markIt’s not about censorship. It’s about giving people control themselves over what they see. We can emphatically rule that out. This is about basic safety standards online for online services and about the onus being on big tech to identify risks on their platform and to mitigate against those risks. Wells is also asked whether she will have the power to designate new forms of harm, she says: double quotation markThe rule making power exists elsewhere in the Online Safety Act. I used it, you’ll recall, to include YouTube in the social media minimum age laws when I became the communications minister, that would have been disallowable in the Senate. Nobody disallowed it in the Senate.
Labor says ‘global reckoning’ coming for big tech Anthony Albanese says the digital duty of care bill will give people control over their social media, and require tech platforms to “protect children from harmful content, including content that promotes eating disorders, misogynistic content, pornography, and content that glorifies crime”. Albanese is joined by communications minister Anika Wells, as well as a group of advocates who have been pushing for digital safety. The prime minister says the bill is not about government control, and adds tech giants could face penalties of more than $100m for breaches. double quotation mark[This legislation] will require social media platforms to provide user empowerment tools that give people over the age of 16 genuine and enduring choice about what they see in their feeds. We’ll provide e-safety with the power to issue removal notices for nudify apps, all websites, and streamline the child cyberbullying and adult cyber abuse schemes, and will require digital platforms to document the measures taken to address harm to Australian users, and ensure measures remain effective over time. This is sensible, pragmatic, practical reform. It gives users choice, and it will hold the big tech companies responsible for inaction. This is not about giving government control. It’s about giving people control. Wells says: double quotation markTech companies have been running real time, unregulated product testing on Australians, and their platforms and tools have infiltrated our daily lives in ways that we could never have imagined. This is a global reckoning coming for big tech. Prime minister Anthony Albanese and communications minister Anika Wells. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
Your questions answered in our brand new political newsletter – Politics, really: Have a question about the news you’d like answered by Guardian Australia’s politics team in Canberra? This week our team has been reporting on the government’s soon to be released digital duty of care bill. It’s a policy that will impact almost all Australians as we increasingly live our lives online. If you have thoughts or questions about how it will work, or why the government is continuing its regulatory agenda against big tech, please write in. We have also reported on everything from superannuation to US bases on Australian soil – if you have a question about any of those topics, we’d love to hear it too. Send us an email at politicsreally@theguardian.com, and don’t forget to sign up for the newsletter.