Anthony Albanese

A collection of 26 posts

Politics

Albanese defends Isaac Herzog visit as MP joins calls to rescind invitation

Anthony Albanese has defended the federal government’s invitation for Israeli president Isaac Herzog to visit Australia in February, after another federal MP joined calls to cancel the visit in the wake of the December Bondi Hanukah shooting that left 15 people dead. Herzog’s spokesperson said he would travel

Politics

Labor offers delay to NDIS autism program to secure hospitals and disability funding deal

The Albanese government has offered to delay the start of a new early intervention autism program and to provide budget top-ups for smaller states as part of efforts to secure an overdue hospitals and disability funding deal. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and health minister Mark Butler proposed pushing back the

Politics

Albanese to press states on national gun buyback despite Queensland and NT refusals

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will push national cabinet at Friday’s meeting to finalise details of the federal government’s looming gun buyback program, even as Queensland and the Northern Territory refuse to sign up, the Guardian reports. Laws establishing the buyback were rushed through parliament last week in response

World

1,500 gather at Sydney Opera House for national mourning after Bondi attack

About 1,500 mourners packed the Sydney Opera House at 7.01pm on Thursday and fell silent for a minute during a national day of mourning for the 15 people who were gunned down six weeks earlier while celebrating the first night of Hanukah in Bondi, in what has been

Politics

Sussan Ley surpasses Downer’s mark as Liberal leader but faces fresh revolt

Sussan Ley this week passed eight months and eight days as leader of the Liberal party, a span that meant she has now lasted longer in the role than Alexander Downer did as the party’s shortest-serving leader. Her tenure has unfolded amid party room meetings and tense negotiations with

World

National day of mourning for 15 victims of Bondi beach attack

Australia held a national day of mourning for the 15 victims of the 14 December Bondi beach terror attack, with fresh wreaths laid at Bondi, children cooking meals for those in need and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying it was an opportunity to “wrap our arms around” the Jewish community.

World

Australia approves national gun buyback and tighter controls after Bondi attack

Australia’s Parliament has passed new laws implementing a national gun buyback, limiting firearm imports and tightening background checks, moves adopted swiftly after the Dec. 14 mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration in Bondi Beach, Sydney, in which two men killed 15 people and wounded dozens. Under the new measures,

Politics

Parents of Wieambilla officers back federal gun buyback as Queensland set to opt out

The parents of police killed in the 2022 Wieambilla ambush have voiced support for the federal government’s proposed gun buyback scheme, while The Guardian understands the Queensland LNP government decided not to support the buyback at a marathon cabinet meeting on Monday. Constables Rachel McCrow and Matthew Arnold, and

Politics

Prime minister condemns alleged antisemitic incident targeting Jewish boys in Melbourne

The prime minister condemned an "antisemitic hate incident" after school-age Jewish boys were allegedly targeted on Glen Eira Road in St Kilda East, Melbourne, where "Nazi slogans" were said to have been yelled, police said. Victoria police said investigators were told up to five boys were

Politics

Incoming NT administrator criticised PM and blamed First Nations for crime in 2024 speech

David Connolly, the Northern Territory’s incoming administrator, insulted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and said First Nations people were “the main group responsible” for crime in the Top End in a 2024 speech, it can be revealed. Connolly is due to begin his tenure as administrator — the King’s representative

Politics

Shadow cabinet agrees to work with Labor on hate speech laws after Bondi attack

A deal on new hate speech laws is increasingly likely after Sussan Ley’s shadow cabinet agreed to work with Labor to pass the legislation in a special parliamentary sitting in response to the Bondi beach massacre. The opposition leader met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday to discuss a

Politics

Dreyfus becomes emotional as parliament holds condolence motion for Bondi victims

Federal parliament suspended standing orders as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese moved a condolence motion for the 15 people killed when two gunmen, allegedly inspired by Islamic State, attacked a Hanukah event at Bondi beach on 14 December. Labor MP Josh Burns recalled the fear he felt on learning of the

Politics

Jewish leaders urge compromise after Labor pauses vilification elements of hate speech bill

Jewish leaders have warned that their community remains at risk from the promotion of antisemitic hatred and urged a last-minute compromise after Labor agreed to split draft hate speech laws ahead of a special sitting of parliament. After Anthony Albanese split the bills introduced following the Bondi Beach terror attack,

Politics

Faith leaders urge delay to Labor hate speech bill over free‑speech concerns

A coalition of faith groups, including the bishop of south Sydney’s Anglican diocese, the head of the Australian National Imams Council and the archbishop of Sydney’s Catholic archdiocese, has written to prime minister Anthony Albanese expressing “serious concern” about Labor’s hate speech bill due to be debated

World

Australia deactivates nearly five million teen social accounts under new ban

Nearly five million social media accounts belonging to Australian teenagers have been deactivated or removed, the government said, about a month after a law banning people younger than 16 from using the services took effect. The law required 10 social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and Reddit, to prevent

Politics

Labor’s hate speech and gun bill set to fail after Coalition and Greens rule out support

Labor’s proposed hate speech and gun laws look set to fail in federal parliament after both the Coalition and the Greens ruled out support, prompting angry claims of hypocrisy from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The draft bill, introduced in response to the Bondi terror attack that killed 15 people,

Politics

Government to consider widening hate-speech protections to LGBTQ+ and religious groups

The federal government will consider extending legal protections to religious groups, people with a disability and LGBTQ+ Australians after new hate speech laws drafted in the wake of the Bondi Beach shootings pass parliament. Parliament will sit on Monday and Tuesday next week to debate a bill that includes new

Politics

Albanese calls Grok images 'abhorrent' but Australian politicians remain on X

In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described X’s AI chatbot Grok generating sexualised images of women and children as “abhorrent”, but he — and most other politicians in Australia — have not stopped using the platform. Albanese said Australians deserved better and that the online safety regulator would look into the

Politics

ASIO chief to be able to recommend organisations be proscribed as hate groups

The head of Australia’s security agency would be able to recommend organisations be proscribed as hate groups under a Labor government draft bill released on Tuesday, the legislation shows. The draft also includes new hate speech and anti‑vilification laws and provisions for a major gun buy‑back scheme.

Politics

Attorney general says new hate speech laws will be toughest in commonwealth history

Australia’s attorney general, Michelle Rowland, said new laws aimed at countering hate speech will be crafted to address the “pure evil” of the Bondi terror attack and help keep Australians safe. Rowland told RN Breakfast that once passed the measures will be “the toughest hate speech laws the commonwealth

Politics

Albanese recalls parliament to fast-track hate speech and gun reforms

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will recall parliament two weeks early, bringing MPs back to Canberra on 19 and 20 January to debate urgent hate speech and gun laws proposed in the wake of the Bondi terror attack. The government said the new hate speech and anti‑vilification laws would be

World

Human remains found near Longwood as Victoria bushfires scorch large areas

Independent.co reports that police confirmed on Sunday human remains were discovered by a vehicle near the town of Longwood, roughly 110 km north of the state capital Melbourne, as bushfires continued to rage across Victoria's southeast. The blazes have consumed over 350,000 hectares of bushland since

Politics

Albanese orders federal royal commission into antisemitism after reversal

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a federal royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion from a lectern at Parliament House in Canberra, reversing a position he had defended ten days earlier and saying such an inquiry is vital to heal and unite a wounded nation after its worst-ever terror attack.

Politics

Albanese orders federal royal commission into Bondi attack and antisemitism

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a federal royal commission into the Bondi terror attack and the prevalence of antisemitism in Australia, reversing his earlier opposition to a wide-ranging commonwealth inquiry. Albanese said the commission will examine four areas: the prevalence of antisemitism, how law enforcement will respond to antisemitism, the

Politics

Labor senator urges royal commission into alleged Bondi attack

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing growing pressure from within his party to call a royal commission after the alleged Bondi terror attack, with Labor senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah the latest government MP to publicly back such an inquiry. Ananda-Rajah, a senator from Victoria who formerly served as the member for