- Labor has used a short parliamentary week to make some political points, looking to regain the initiative as it continues to languish in opinion polls. During the three-day sitting week, the government introduced legislation to make it harder for a future government to privatise the National Broadband Network (NBN) and launched an inquiry into the Coalition’s nuclear energy plan.
- The federal government has clarified its language on the Middle East conflict, with a notable change in tone from key figures within the party. Health Minister Mark Butler, a major factional backer of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has delivered Labor’s strongest defence of Israel since the 7 October Hamas attacks, backing Israel’s right to retaliate against its enemies, particularly Iran, for recent missile strikes.
- Australia has put its trade relationship with China back on track at the ASEAN Summit in Laos, while also discussing improved security relationships with regional partners. A key focus of the summit has been China’s growing aggression in the South China Sea, where territorial disputes are creating tensions between Beijing and its neighbours, including the Philippines. Separate from the security talks, Australia’s trade relationship with China returned to normal, with the removal of import restrictions on Australian lobsters.
- The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) says GPs remain critical to the country’s healthcare system, but the federal government will need to continue supporting the sector. Its latest Health of the Nation report highlights ongoing challenges and opportunities within Australia’s health system and the critical role of GPs, with almost 90 per cent of Australians visiting a GP each year.
- Australia’s energy transition continues to face challenges as rising wholesale power prices and a renewed increase in coal power generation complicate the shift to renewables. For the third consecutive quarter, coal-fired power generation increased, alongside significant price hikes across the National Electricity Market (NEM). Victoria saw the steepest rise, with prices more than doubling from the previous year, reaching A$125.13 per megawatt-hour (MWh).
- The federal government has introduced legislation to create its first standalone Cyber Security Act, a significant step aimed at strengthening the nation’s defence against rising cyber threats. With cyberattacks becoming more frequent and sophisticated, the new legislation is seen as having a wide-ranging impact across businesses, government agencies, and consumers. Under the new laws, businesses with an annual turnover of more than A$3 million, as well as government entities, will face stricter cybersecurity requirements.
- The inaugural Global Nature Positive Summit in Sydney has been an opportunity for Australia’s agriculture sector to engage in the global effort to halt biodiversity loss and restore ecosystems. With biodiversity loss threatening industries worldwide, including agriculture, the summit aims to drive investment and innovation in nature conservation. More than half the world’s economy is directly dependent on nature, meaning biodiversity decline is putting an estimated US$44 trillion (A$64 trillion) of economic value at risk globally.
The full CMAX Advisory Australian Weekly Report is available on our website every Friday.
