New beginning for Greens after senator's defection
Greens leader Larissa Waters announced she will take over the First Nations portfolio after the minor party's last Indigenous member quit the Greens to join Labor.
Dorinda Cox's move represents another setback for the Greens, following a disappointing federal election result that cost them three out of four seats in the lower house.
But Senator Waters' new portfolio allocations, unveiled on Wednesday, are aimed at providing a fresh start.
"This parliament could achieve real progress," she said.
"With the Greens being in the sole balance of power, there is no excuse now for Labor to resist real reform to help people and nature."
Though Senator Cox has been added to Labor's ranks, it only has 29 members in the upper house which means the federal government would still need support from the Greens to pass legislation.
Citing an "epidemic" of violence against women, women's safety and equality will become a priority for the party under Senator Waters' leadership.
However, the Greens will continue to take action on environment, housing and the cost of living, Senator Waters said.
Every member of the federal Greens has been allocated to at least one portfolio.
Senator Waters will oversee climate change and energy, and women's issues while her deputy Mehreen Faruqi will be in charge of tertiary education, anti-racism and international aid.
Most members have generally kept to the same portfolios as previously allocated, but some have picked up extra areas to focus on, with Barbara Pocock set to lead housing and Nick McKim heading LGBTQI issues.
Senator Cox's defection came after she reportedly lost a bid to become party deputy and told the new leader to "grow a spine", though Senator Waters said she did not remember the incident.
"There was a lot going on that day," she told the Today show.
"I am a conciliatory person but I'm also pretty firm."
Senator Cox was accused of bullying Greens staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service.
Though Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the allegations had been examined, Nationals senator Matt Canavan said Australians needed answers about whether Labor contacted those who made the claims and what kind of due diligence had been undertaken.
The Greens have unveiled a blueprint to rebuild the party in the aftermath of a senator's shock defection to Labor.
Greens leader Larissa Waters announced she will take over the First Nations portfolio after the minor party's last Indigenous member quit the Greens to join Labor.
Dorinda Cox's move represents another setback for the Greens, following a disappointing federal election result that cost them three out of four seats in the lower house.
But Senator Waters' new portfolio allocations, unveiled on Wednesday, are aimed at providing a fresh start.
"This parliament could achieve real progress," she said.
"With the Greens being in the sole balance of power, there is no excuse now for Labor to resist real reform to help people and nature."
Though Senator Cox has been added to Labor's ranks, it only has 29 members in the upper house which means the federal government would still need support from the Greens to pass legislation.
Citing an "epidemic" of violence against women, women's safety and equality will become a priority for the party under Senator Waters' leadership.
However, the Greens will continue to take action on environment, housing and the cost of living, Senator Waters said.
Every member of the federal Greens has been allocated to at least one portfolio.
Senator Waters will oversee climate change and energy, and women's issues while her deputy Mehreen Faruqi will be in charge of tertiary education, anti-racism and international aid.
Most members have generally kept to the same portfolios as previously allocated, but some have picked up extra areas to focus on, with Barbara Pocock set to lead housing and Nick McKim heading LGBTQI issues.
Senator Cox's defection came after she reportedly lost a bid to become party deputy and told the new leader to "grow a spine", though Senator Waters said she did not remember the incident.
"There was a lot going on that day," she told the Today show.
"I am a conciliatory person but I'm also pretty firm."
Senator Cox was accused of bullying Greens staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service.
Though Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the allegations had been examined, Nationals senator Matt Canavan said Australians needed answers about whether Labor contacted those who made the claims and what kind of due diligence had been undertaken.
The Greens have unveiled a blueprint to rebuild the party in the aftermath of a senator's shock defection to Labor.
Greens leader Larissa Waters announced she will take over the First Nations portfolio after the minor party's last Indigenous member quit the Greens to join Labor.
Dorinda Cox's move represents another setback for the Greens, following a disappointing federal election result that cost them three out of four seats in the lower house.
But Senator Waters' new portfolio allocations, unveiled on Wednesday, are aimed at providing a fresh start.
"This parliament could achieve real progress," she said.
"With the Greens being in the sole balance of power, there is no excuse now for Labor to resist real reform to help people and nature."
Though Senator Cox has been added to Labor's ranks, it only has 29 members in the upper house which means the federal government would still need support from the Greens to pass legislation.
Citing an "epidemic" of violence against women, women's safety and equality will become a priority for the party under Senator Waters' leadership.
However, the Greens will continue to take action on environment, housing and the cost of living, Senator Waters said.
Every member of the federal Greens has been allocated to at least one portfolio.
Senator Waters will oversee climate change and energy, and women's issues while her deputy Mehreen Faruqi will be in charge of tertiary education, anti-racism and international aid.
Most members have generally kept to the same portfolios as previously allocated, but some have picked up extra areas to focus on, with Barbara Pocock set to lead housing and Nick McKim heading LGBTQI issues.
Senator Cox's defection came after she reportedly lost a bid to become party deputy and told the new leader to "grow a spine", though Senator Waters said she did not remember the incident.
"There was a lot going on that day," she told the Today show.
"I am a conciliatory person but I'm also pretty firm."
Senator Cox was accused of bullying Greens staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service.
Though Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the allegations had been examined, Nationals senator Matt Canavan said Australians needed answers about whether Labor contacted those who made the claims and what kind of due diligence had been undertaken.
The Greens have unveiled a blueprint to rebuild the party in the aftermath of a senator's shock defection to Labor.
Greens leader Larissa Waters announced she will take over the First Nations portfolio after the minor party's last Indigenous member quit the Greens to join Labor.
Dorinda Cox's move represents another setback for the Greens, following a disappointing federal election result that cost them three out of four seats in the lower house.
But Senator Waters' new portfolio allocations, unveiled on Wednesday, are aimed at providing a fresh start.
"This parliament could achieve real progress," she said.
"With the Greens being in the sole balance of power, there is no excuse now for Labor to resist real reform to help people and nature."
Though Senator Cox has been added to Labor's ranks, it only has 29 members in the upper house which means the federal government would still need support from the Greens to pass legislation.
Citing an "epidemic" of violence against women, women's safety and equality will become a priority for the party under Senator Waters' leadership.
However, the Greens will continue to take action on environment, housing and the cost of living, Senator Waters said.
Every member of the federal Greens has been allocated to at least one portfolio.
Senator Waters will oversee climate change and energy, and women's issues while her deputy Mehreen Faruqi will be in charge of tertiary education, anti-racism and international aid.
Most members have generally kept to the same portfolios as previously allocated, but some have picked up extra areas to focus on, with Barbara Pocock set to lead housing and Nick McKim heading LGBTQI issues.
Senator Cox's defection came after she reportedly lost a bid to become party deputy and told the new leader to "grow a spine", though Senator Waters said she did not remember the incident.
"There was a lot going on that day," she told the Today show.
"I am a conciliatory person but I'm also pretty firm."
Senator Cox was accused of bullying Greens staffers in 2024, with as many as 20 employees leaving in three years and complaints made to parliament's workplace support service.
Though Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the allegations had been examined, Nationals senator Matt Canavan said Australians needed answers about whether Labor contacted those who made the claims and what kind of due diligence had been undertaken.
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Employees will be legally allowed to demand to work from home two days a week if an Australian-first proposed law is passed. The Victorian government has promised to introduce legislation to make working from home a right in 2026, in contrast to other states that want public servants to spend more time in the office. The proposed law would apply to all public and private sector employees in Victoria who can reasonably do their job from home. Yet to be determined are the legislation's definition of remote work, who can do it and the types of businesses the law would apply to, but the government promised to consult before its introduction to parliament in 2026. It sets up a major contest with business groups in an election year, with Labor seeking a fourth consecutive term that polls indicate it's on track to win. The November 2026 election will be the first as premier for Jacinta Allan, who lags opposition leader Brad Battin as preferred state leader. Ms Allan said legislating the right to work from home was good for families and the economy. "Not everyone can work from home, but everyone can benefit," she said. "If you can do your job from home, we'll make it your right." The coalition's push to end to working-from-home for public servants was partly blamed for its unsuccessful result at the May federal election, despite abandoning the policy before polling day. NSW Premier Chris Minns has described remote-work provisions as a thing of the past but stopped short of seeking an end to working from home, instead ordering public servants to work principally in offices. More than one third of Australian employees usually work from home but that number swells to 60 per cent of managers and people in professional services, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The bureau says 43 per cent who work from home do overtime, compared to one quarter of those who do not. Employees will be legally allowed to demand to work from home two days a week if an Australian-first proposed law is passed. The Victorian government has promised to introduce legislation to make working from home a right in 2026, in contrast to other states that want public servants to spend more time in the office. The proposed law would apply to all public and private sector employees in Victoria who can reasonably do their job from home. Yet to be determined are the legislation's definition of remote work, who can do it and the types of businesses the law would apply to, but the government promised to consult before its introduction to parliament in 2026. It sets up a major contest with business groups in an election year, with Labor seeking a fourth consecutive term that polls indicate it's on track to win. The November 2026 election will be the first as premier for Jacinta Allan, who lags opposition leader Brad Battin as preferred state leader. 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The results highlighted how the nearly two-year long war on Gaza had resonated with Australians, YouGov director of public data Paul Smith said. "This poll shows there's clearly across the board support for the Australian government to be doing much more in response to the situation in Gaza," he told AAP. "Sixty-one per cent shows the depth of feeling Australians have towards this issue." More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed including more than 17,000 children, according to local health authorities, with reports of dozens of people dead in recent weeks due to starvation. Israel's campaign began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, reportedly killing 1200 people and taking 250 hostages. More than 60 per cent of Australians want tougher government measures to stop Israel's military offensive in Gaza, a poll has found, as protesters await a court verdict to march across an iconic landmark. The NSW Supreme Court is due to hand down a decision on Saturday morning after a bid by NSW Police to halt thousands of anticipated protesters marching across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The demonstrations slated for Sunday aim to highlight what the United Nations has described as "worsening famine conditions" in Gaza. They have garnered support from activists nationwide, human rights and civil liberties groups as well as several MPs and public figures such as former Socceroo Craig Foster. In solidarity with their interstate peers, protesters in Melbourne are gearing up to rally through the city's CBD, aiming to reach the King Street Bridge. A last-minute application on Friday was also lodged to police by a pro-Israel fringe group for a counter-protest in the tunnel under Sydney Harbour, the court heard. Police confirmed to AAP the group withdrew the application soon after. Respondents to a YouGov poll published on Friday and commissioned by the Australian Alliance for Peace and Human Rights believed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's condemnations of Israel had fallen short. "While the government has recently signed a statement calling for an immediate ceasefire, 61 per cent of Australians believe this is not enough," the alliance said. "(Australians) want to see concrete economic, diplomatic and legal measures implemented." The alliance called for economic sanctions and the end of any arms trade with Israel, which the federal government has repeatedly said it has not engaged in directly. The poll surveyed 1507 Australian voters in the last week of July, coinciding with a deteriorating starvation crisis and while diplomatic efforts from countries such as Canada have ramped up. Some 42 per cent of polled coalition voters supported stronger measures and more than two thirds of Labor voters, 68 per cent, are pushing their party to be bolder in placing pressure on Israel. An overwhelming number of Greens voters (91 per cent) wanted a more robust suite of measures as did 77 per cent of independent voters. The results highlighted how the nearly two-year long war on Gaza had resonated with Australians, YouGov director of public data Paul Smith said. "This poll shows there's clearly across the board support for the Australian government to be doing much more in response to the situation in Gaza," he told AAP. "Sixty-one per cent shows the depth of feeling Australians have towards this issue." More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed including more than 17,000 children, according to local health authorities, with reports of dozens of people dead in recent weeks due to starvation. Israel's campaign began after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, reportedly killing 1200 people and taking 250 hostages.
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Victorian Premier launches push to make work from home legal right
Working from home for two days a week could become a legal right in Victoria, under new plans proposed by Premier Jacinta Allan. The state government is promising to introduce the law — covering both public and private sectors — by next year, with it applying to anyone who can 'reasonably' carry out their work away from the office. Ms Allan will tell the annual state Labor conference: 'Working from home works for families and it's good for the economy. 'Day after day, unions are being contacted by workers who have been denied reasonable requests to work from home, and across the country, Liberals are drawing up plans to abolish work-from-home and force workers back to the office and back to the past. 'That's why the Allan Labor government is acting. Enshrining work from home in law means this life-changing practice isn't something you or your loved ones have to politely ask for. It's a right you'll be entitled to.' She will add that a consultation will take place on the proposed Australia-first law, but added it won't determine if the plans should go ahead. 'We're already clear on that: it should be. We just need the appropriate laws to reflect it,' she said. Ms Allan said the new policy is aimed directly at supporting families, promising average savings of $110 per week, or $5308 annually in commuting costs. 'Work from home supports women with children, carers and people with a disability to work,' Ms Allan said. 'Thanks to work from home, workforce participation is 4.4 per cent higher than before the pandemic.' The legislation is expected to be introduced later this year. The move follows significant debate about work from home policies during the federal election, with Peter Dutton forced to backtrack on a proposed policy to limit remote work for public servants due to public backlash. Originally published as Victorians could soon have the right to work from home two days a week
