Australia information stay: Allan authorities accused of ‘capitulating to tabloid media’ with ‘dangerous’ Victorian bail legal guidelines

Libby Mettam says she won’t proceed as Western Australian Liberal occasion chief however will search to remain on as deputy, after it turned clear she lacked the assist of occasion colleagues after one other vital election defeat.

As AAP studies, the transfer opens the door for high-profile Perth lord mayor Basil Zempilas, who narrowly secured the seat of Churchlands on the current election, to imagine the management now he has been elected to parliament and a change is not hypothetical.

Mettam mentioned she would step ahead as a candidate for the position of deputy.

Whereas I might have favored and hoped to proceed as chief, it has turn into clear I do not need that assist of my colleagues to proceed as chief by way of to the election in 2029.

I would be the solely skilled Liberal within the legislative meeting and consequently many colleagues have inspired me to assist our new members and our new chief in the best means I can.

The WA Liberals occasion room will meet on Tuesday however Mettam mentioned it was applicable to announce her intentions forward of time. She took accountability for the occasion’s defeat on the state election earlier this month however mentioned management hypothesis was a big contributor to the end result.

Labor and the Coalition have drawn stage with voters, AAP studies, because the prime minister prepares to name the federal election.

The newest YouGov ballot exhibits the opposition clawing again floor on the federal government, with the main events tied 50-50 on a two-party most well-liked foundation.

The end result comes after two weeks of Labor holding a slender 51% to 49% lead within the polls, off the again of the response to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred and public response to the federal government’s backing of Ukraine.

Whereas the Coalition gained floor within the lead-up to the election, Anthony Albanese continues to be forward of Peter Dutton as most well-liked prime minister. The ballot confirmed 45% of these surveyed backed Albanese as most well-liked chief in contrast with 40% for Dutton.

Labor’s major vote stays unchanged because the final ballot at 31%. Nonetheless, the Coalition has elevated its voter share, gaining one level to 37%.

The YouGov ballot surveyed 1,500 individuals between 14 March and Wednesday, with a margin of error of three.4%.

Chalmers says ‘risks outweigh the benefits’ of breaking apart the large supermarkets

Jim Chalmers was additionally up on ABC Information Breakfast this morning, the place he was requested if there’s a motive the federal government can’t decide to extra of the 20 suggestions?

He mentioned they have been committing to all the suggestions “in principle” and, like earlier, he mentioned the federal government was engaged on a few of them already.

The treasurer rejected calls from the Nationals and Greens for a break-up of the large supermarkets to extend competitors – which isn’t a advice of the report – and mentioned “the risk of that outweigh the benefits.”

The ACCC has handed down a 441-page report and never on any of these pages does it assist the divestiture powers which have been proposed by our political opponents.

Requested why the dangers outweigh the advantages, Chalmers responded:

For those who make one of many large chains promote locally, there’s a threat that it’s simply snapped up by the opposite large participant within the grocery store sector and that may be counter-productive. Or if it chases grocery store choices out of city in regional communities. It’s bought hairs throughout it frankly.

Jim Chalmers says that even with inflation coming down, Australians are “still feeling that pressure at the checkout”.

The treasurer was up on the Right this moment present earlier to debate the ACCC’s report into the supermarkets and mentioned plenty of its suggestions have been on “areas that we’re already acting on”,

We’re making the meals and grocery code obligatory. We’re empowering the ACCC. We’re cracking down on mergers and acquisitions. We’re working to make it simpler for brand spanking new entrants to compete with the 2 large supermarkets specifically. These are all the issues that we’re cracking down on relating to the supermarkets.

We don’t need the supermarkets to be treating Australians like mugs.

Reactions have been flowing after the Victorian authorities handed its controversial new robust bail legal guidelines in a single day.

Nerita Waight, CEO of the Victorian Aboriginal Authorized Service, mentioned tightening bail legal guidelines “only causes more harm to Aboriginal communities, there is clear and ample evidence on this”.

There’s nonetheless time for premier [Jacinta] Allan to indicate robust management by listening to the consultants, taking an evidence-based strategy and investing in what truly works – early intervention, preventative, community-based helps that deal with the underlying causes of offending behaviour.

The First Nations director on the Human Rights Legislation Centre, Maggie Munn, mentioned it was “deeply shameful” the Allan authorities had not learnt from “past policy failures”, and as a substitute “capitulated to the tabloid media to entrench dangerous bail laws that undermine people’s right to liberty”.

And Louisa Gibbs, CEO of the Federation of Neighborhood Authorized Providers Victoria, mentioned the state’s authorized sector was “united in our position that rewinding bail laws is a costly and dangerous mistake that will cause far more harm than good, without addressing community safety”.

Information exhibits that when persons are incarcerated, together with on remand, they’re extra more likely to offend once more. So, locking up extra individuals runs the danger of extra offending in our neighborhood in the long run.

Swan says extra grocery store competitors and value scrutiny wanted amid ACCC report

ALP president Wayne Swan has additionally weighed in on the ACCC’s report into the large supermarkets, telling the Right this moment present that it “shows what every consumer knew back at the end of 2022, 2023, that they were price gouging”.

And now the federal government has to place in place an entire algorithm and laws and scrutiny, which might be sure that this by no means occurs once more on this means.

Swan mentioned there wanted to be “more new entrants into the market, [and] much more price scrutiny”.

I feel they took benefit of the inflationary surge that was on again then, which makes their behaviour all of the extra disgusting. In order that’s why they’re going to have much more scrutiny as we go ahead.

He mentioned that “sunlight is the best disinfectant when it comes to the behaviour of corporates”.

And we’d like much more scrutiny, not simply of the large supermarkets, however large tech and all of these firms which are inclined to cost gouging.

As Martin flagged earlier, the long-awaited competitors watchdog’s report into the large supermarkets says the retailers raised costs within the cost-of-living disaster to assist them turn into among the many most worthwhile on this planet.

AAP studies that the supermarkets preserve they haven’t engaged in price-gouging, claiming their revenue margins haven’t elevated dramatically in recent times.

Coles mentioned in a press release in response to the report:

Prospects are more and more cross-shopping and splitting their grocery spend throughout a spread of shops – each in retailer and on-line. Coles should compete vigorously for a share of shoppers’ grocery baskets.

Coles added that it understood the cost-of-living challenges confronted by households and warned in opposition to measures that may “increase red tape and drive up costs”.

You’ll be able to learn the total particulars of the ACCC under:

In a single day, Victoria handed its robust new bail legal guidelines following a mammoth sitting that stretched into the evening.

The premier, Jacinta Allan, shared a video to X round 12.30am and mentioned:

We’ve simply handed the robust new bail legal guidelines, the hardest within the nation. And these legal guidelines have penalties for individuals who break the principles, placing neighborhood security first.

Labor’s controversial “tough” bail legal guidelines come amid ongoing debate over what some have labelled a “youth crime crisis” within the state.

The bail regulation modifications scrap the precept of remand solely as a “last resort” for accused youth offenders. As a substitute, neighborhood security would turn into the “overarching principle” when deciding bail for kids and adults.

Emily Wind right here, signing on for running a blog duties – due to Martin for getting us began this morning. I’ll be taking you thru our stay protection for many of immediately.

As all the time, you’ll be able to attain out with any suggestions, questions or suggestions by way of electronic mail: emily.wind@theguardian.com. Let’s go.

Sarah Basford Canales

Greens urge Labor to extend revenue helps above poverty line

The Greens are urging the Albanese authorities to carry revenue assist funds in subsequent week’s federal finances, including it’s the final alternative earlier than Australians go to the polls to “to turn [Labor’s] platitudes into meaningful action”.

The minor occasion’s social companies spokesperson, Penny Allman-Payne, wrote to the treasurer, Jim Chalmers, yesterday in a last-minute bid to boost charges above the poverty line.

The federal government’s personal financial inclusion advisory committee launched its 2025 report earlier this month recommending the jobseeker charge be elevated to 90% of the aged pension.

As Guardian columnist Greg Jericho outlined on Thursday, the present base charge of the age pension is $1,047.10 or $1,144.40 with dietary supplements. If jobseeker was raised to 90% of the bottom charge, it could value the federal government $3.5bn, and to boost it to 90% of the entire together with dietary supplements would value $5.2bn.

Welfare assist funds obtained a minor enhance on Thursday after indexation got here into impact. These receiving jobseeker funds over 22 and with out youngsters obtained a $3.10 fortnightly enhance to $789.90 whereas {couples} on jobseeker will now get $1,149 after a $4.60 enhance.

The jobseeker base charge was raised by $40 a fortnight in Labor’s 2023 federal finances, coming into impact in September that 12 months. Allman-Payne wrote:

This finances is your authorities’s final alternative earlier than the federal election to show platitudes into significant motion by elevating the speed of all Centrelink funds to above the poverty line. On behalf of the tens of millions of individuals on this nation who proceed to battle on poverty funds, we implore you to take action.

Greens name for office racial equality company

Krishani Dhanji

The Greens have referred to as to ascertain a office racial equality company to doc experiences of racism in workplaces and enhance racial fairness.

The company would accumulate information and public data on indicators akin to illustration within the workforce and in governing our bodies, document cases of racism, and would attempt to enhance equality in hiring practices, pay and office coaching.

The minor occasion says it could put ahead virtually $100m to assist the company within the medium time period and it comes on the Worldwide Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

The deputy Greens chief, Mehreen Faruqi, says the company will assist “provide the proactive focus needed to eliminate racism in workplaces”.

Systemic and entrenched racism in workplaces is just not going to go away by itself, it wants concerted effort.

As Dutton and the Liberals mirror Trump to ramp up their assaults on range and inclusion within the office, we should double down on robust motion for racial fairness to deal with deep-seated racism.

Welcome

Martin Farrer

Good morning and welcome to our stay information weblog. I’m Martin Farrer with the highest in a single day tales after which my colleague Emily Wind will take you thru the day.

Australia’s quickly altering relationship with the USA is the topic of two of our prime tales this morning. First, former chief of the defence drive Chris Barrie has warned that “the vandals in the White House” are not dependable allies and urged the Albanese authorities to reassess its strategic partnership with the US.

On the similar time, a few of America’s largest tech firms akin to Apple, Meta, Google, Amazon and Elon Musk’s X have lodged a proper grievance urging the Trump administration to focus on “coercive and discriminatory” Australian media legal guidelines.

Nearer to residence, in the meantime, the long-awaited competitors watchdog’s report into the large supermarkets says the retailers raised costs within the cost-of-living disaster to assist them turn into among the many most worthwhile on this planet. In a 441-page report launched final evening, the Australian Competitors and Shopper Fee made 20 reform suggestions to the federal authorities, together with forcing Coles, Woolworths and Aldi to publish all costs on their web sites, and notify buyers when package deal dimension modifications in a bid for transparency round “shrinkflation”. Response arising.