PM works to shore up Queensland vote

• As Queensland Labor faces a stint in opposition, the federal party has once again lost control of the political narrative. In an effort to shore up support, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese headed north to announce funding support for the construction of 500 homes. The government wanted the media — and voters — to see the measure as part of its wider efforts to address the housing and cost of living crises. But it was a house further south that dominated the media cycle.
• The federal government will establish a new Defence Precinct at Henderson, Western Australia, as part of its ongoing commitment to naval shipbuilding and nuclear-powered submarine maintenance under AUKUS. The project, which is expected to inject tens of billions of dollars into WA’s defence industry, will create around 10,000 highly skilled jobs over the next two decades. Henderson will play a central role in the country’s continuous naval shipbuilding program, including the construction of landing craft for the Army and new general-purpose frigates for the Navy.
• Australia is set to launch a fast-track pathway for specialist international medical graduates (SIMGs) from the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand on 21 October 2024. The reform, part of the broader SIMG reforms endorsed by the country’s health ministers, aims to streamline the registration process for overseas-qualified GPs to address workforce shortages, particularly in regional areas. However, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has raised concerns.
• The Coalition says it will subsidise gas power plants through the government’s Capacity Investment Scheme (CIS) if it wins the next federal election. Under the proposal, the Coalition would provide public funds to support both new and existing gas projects, arguing that gas is essential to maintaining stability in Australia’s electricity grid. Such a move would mark a significant shift from the Labor government’s current policy, which excludes fossil fuels from the CIS and focuses on underwriting renewable energy and storage projects.
• Tech companies and major banks have urged the federal government to avoid broad AI regulations, calling for a more focused approach that targets high-risk uses such as facial recognition. In submissions to the government, National Australia Bank (NAB), Amazon, and Atlassian have argued that sweeping regulations could stifle innovation and have unintended consequences on AI’s development and deployment. In contrast, human rights and public interest groups are pushing for stronger regulatory oversight, calling on the government to adopt an approach similar to the EU.
• On her first visit to Western Australia as Agriculture Minister, Julie Collins has announced an additional A$32.7 million in funding to support the state’s sheep industry as it transitions away from live exports by 2028. The expanded funding, which brings the total transition package to A$139.7 million, is intended to address concerns from farmers and the Western Australian government, who had previously criticised the original A$107 million package as inadequate.

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