Is Australia ready for another female leader?
Ley's elevation to the liberal leadership is a significant moment in Australian political history, and it sets twin tests. The first is for the Liberal Party: after years of decline in female support because of perceptions it is too male-dominated, too blokey, is it ready to be led by a woman? And will the party give her time to grow into the role?
The second test is for those Australians who struggled, during Gillard's prime ministership, with the mere fact that a woman was leading the country – many of whom shared sexist and denigrating memes.
We don't know yet whether Australians are ready for a woman to lead a major political party once again, let alone whether a majority would be prepared to vote a woman into the prime ministership. (And that's before you factor in the 33 seats the Coalition has to win back to form government.)
The federal political landscape is supposed to have changed for the better in the past decade, with shocking revelations raised by Brittany Higgins and Rachelle Miller leading to the Respect@Work report into sexual harassment, the Set the Standard report into parliament's workplace culture and more.
Steps have been taken to improve the culture in Canberra with the creation of a Parliamentary Workplace Support Service and an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission – though both lack the teeth they need.
In theory, the arrival of another federal leader who happens to be a woman should be no big deal. It has become commonplace for state premiers and chief ministers to be women. Women have held almost every senior portfolio federally, though not as treasurer.
Countering that, the Liberal Party has, to be blunt, failed in the past decade with its treatment of and appeal to women, with its policy offering becoming less and less appealing to women under Scott Morrison and then Peter Dutton.
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9 News
2 hours ago
- 9 News
Aussies told to avoid more parts of Thailand as locals flee fighting along border
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Australians are being warned to avoid more parts of holiday hotspot Thailand , as conflict with neighbouring Cambodia increases. More areas have been added to the list of places Aussies should "reconsider" going to, as tens of thousands of local people sought refuge as border fighting entered a second day, heightening fears of an extended conflict. "Armed conflict between Thai and Cambodian forces along the Thai-Cambodian border has increased," Smartraveller says. Thai residents evacuate from their homes following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers in Sisaket province, Thailand, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (AP) "We now advise reconsider your need to travel to eight districts in the Chanthaburi and Trat provinces. Martial law has been declared in these areas." Chanthaburi is a town on the Chanthaburi River famous for growing durian. Trat is Thailand's eastern-most province, about 315km from Bangkok. Earlier warnings were made against going to the areas of Buriram, Si Saket, Surin and Ubon Ratchathani provinces along the Cambodia border. Smartraveller also warned Australians to reconsider their need to travel to the Cambodian border provinces of Preah Vihear and Oddar Meanchey. The Cambodian provinces are just north of Siem Reap, a historic city globally famous for stunning temples such as Angkor Wat. Smartraveller reports military strikes, violence and landmines and says there have been casualties. Border crossings in the area are closed. The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting behind closed doors on Friday in New York, while Malaysia, which chairs the 10-nation regional bloc that includes both countries, called for an end to hostilities and offered to mediate. A Thai resident prepares to evacuate from home following clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers in Sisaket province, Thailand, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (AP) The council did not issue a statement but a council diplomat said all 15 members called on the parties to deescalate, show restraint and resolve the dispute peacefully. The council also urged the regional bloc, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations known as ASEAN, to help resolve the border fighting, the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the meeting was private. Cambodia's UN Ambassador Chhea Keo told reporters afterward that his country, which called for the emergency meeting, "asked for immediate ceasefires, unconditionally, and we also call for the peaceful solution to the dispute." He responded to accusations that Cambodia attacked Thailand asking how a small country with no air force could attack a much larger country with an army three times its size, stressing, "We do not do that." Keo said the Security Council called for both sides to exercise "maximum restraint and resort to diplomatic solution" which is what Cambodia is calling for as well. Cambodians who fled their villages take refuge in Wat Tham Kambar in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, Friday, July 25, 2025, as Thai and Cambodian soldiers have clashed along the border between their countries in a major escalation. (AP Photo/Heng Sinith) (AP) Asked what he expects next, the ambassador said: "Let's see how the call can be heard by all the members there." Thailand's UN ambassador left the meeting without stopping to talk to reporters. The Thai Health Ministry said more than 58,000 have fled from villages to temporary shelters in four affected border provinces, while Cambodian authorities said more than 23,000 people have evacuated from areas near the border. The latest flare-up in a long-running border dispute between the two countries has killed at least 19 people in Thailand — mostly civilians —while Cambodia confirmed its first fatality on Friday. Thailand's acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, said on Friday that Cambodia may be guilty of war crimes due to the deaths of civilians and damage caused to a hospital. He said Thailand had exercised the "utmost restraint and patience in the face of provocations and aggression" from Cambodia. Tensions over a disputed border area erupted into fighting after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers on Wednesday. Thai forces examine a landmine near the Cambodian border. (AP) The Thai military reported clashes early on Friday in multiple areas along the border, including near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple claimed by both sides. Associated Press reporters near the border could hear sounds of artillery from early morning hours. The Thai army said Cambodian forces had used heavy artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket launchers, prompting what Thai officials described as "appropriate supporting fire" in return. Thailand said six of its soldiers and 13 civilians were killed, including children, while 29 soldiers and 30 civilians were wounded. Cambodia's chief official in Oddar Meanchey province, Gen. Khov Ly, said a man died Thursday after a Thai rocket hit a Buddhist pagoda where he was hiding. At least four civilians in the province were also wounded on Thursday. The Cambodian Education Ministry claimed that on Friday two Thai rockets had hit a school compound in Oddar Meanchey but caused no injuries. It said all schools in the province have been closed. The Thai army denied it targeted civilian sites in Cambodia, and accused Cambodia of using "human shields" by positioning their weapons near residential areas. Thai people who fled clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers take shelter in Surin province, northeastern Thailand, Thursday, July 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Sunny Chittawil) (AP Photo/Sunny Chittawil) As the fighting intensified, villagers on both sides have been caught in the crossfire, leading many to flee. Around 600 people took shelter at a gymnasium in a university in Surin, Thailand, about 80 kilometres from the border. Evacuees sat in groups, on mats and blankets, and queued for food and drinks. Seamstress Pornpan Sooksai was accompanied by four cats in two fabric carriers. She said she was doing laundry at her home near Ta Muen Thom temple when shelling began on Thursday. "I just heard, boom, boom. We already prepared the cages, clothes and everything, so we ran and carried our things to the car. I was frightened, scared," she recalled. Rattana Meeying, another evacuee, said she had also lived through the 2011 clashes between the two countries but described this flare-up as worse. "Children, old people, were hit out of the blue," she said. "I never imagined it would be this violent." At the nearby Phanom Dong Rak hospital, periodic explosions could be heard on Friday, and a military truck arrived with three injured Thai soldiers, including one who had both legs severed. Thursday's shelling shattered windows at one of the hospital's buildings and damaged its roof. In the neighboring Sisaket province, more villagers took their belongings and left homes in a stream of cars, trucks and motorbikes after they received an evacuation order on Friday. Across the border in Cambodia, villages on the outskirts of Oddar Meanchey province were largely deserted. Homes stood locked, while chickens and dogs roamed outside. Some villagers earlier dug holes to create makeshift underground bunkers, covering them with wood, tarpaulin and zinc sheets to shield themselves from shelling. Families with children were seen packing their belongings on home-made tractors to evacuate, though a few men refused to leave. A remote Buddhist temple surrounded by rice fields accommodated several hundred evacuated villagers. Women rested in hammocks, some cradling babies, while children ran about. Makeshift plastic tents were being set up under the trees. Veng Chin, 74, pleaded with both governments to negotiate a settlement "so that I can return to my home and work on the farm." A convenience store at a gas station is damaged after Cambodia fired artillery shells in Sisaket province, Thailand, Friday, July 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit) (AP) The conflict marks a rare instance of armed confrontation between ASEAN member countries though Thailand has tangled with Cambodia before over the border and has had sporadic skirmishes with western neighbour Myanmar. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Friday that Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to a ceasefire and to withdraw their troops from the border, but requested more time before implementing the action, according to a report by Malaysia's Bernama national news agency. Anwar said he had spoken to both Cambodian leader Hun Manet and Thailand's Phumtham and urged them to open space for "peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolution," while offering to have Malaysia facilitate talks. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has also called for restraint and urged both countries to resolve disputes through dialogue, according to U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq. It's the latest flareup in longstanding border tensions The 800-kilometre frontier between Thailand and Cambodia has been disputed for decades, but past confrontations have been limited and brief. The last major flare-up in 2011 left 20 dead. The current tensions broke out in May when a Cambodian soldier was killed in a confrontation that created a diplomatic rift and roiled Thailand's domestic politics. Things got worse when a land mine wounded five Thai soldiers on Wednesday, leading Bangkok to close the border and expel the Cambodian ambassador. The next day, clashes broke out along the border. Thailand Cambodia World conflict Travel CONTACT US
ABC News
4 hours ago
- ABC News
As Tasmania waits to find out who will form the next state government, here are the priorities of the new parliament's independents
Tasmania has elected another large crossbench that once again might equal or outnumber Labor Party members. Regardless of which major party forms government, they will need support from some or most of these politicians. The Liberal Party has the easier job when it comes to making up the numbers, but Labor has more in common with them. With negotiations underway, most of the independents are keeping tight-lipped on what they might be seeking, so what do we know about their priorities? Kristie Johnston was first elected as an independent in the 2021 election. This time around, she's had a massive swing towards her. Ms Johnston has been a fierce anti-stadium critic and has regularly raised concerns about the impact of pokies on her constituents. She even introduced a bill to the last parliament that would've forced gambling companies to repay money that had been stolen to put through poker machines. She's also used her time in parliament to raise awareness about the greyhound racing industry, and push for greater transparency and accountability around a range of issues including the budget and the stadium. Ms Johnston said the state has some very big decisions in front of it, and she wants to understand what the leaders are offering, particularly when it comes to budget repair. "What I want to see is someone after the election, after listening to what the people have said, is to come up with a clear plan," she said. "Treasury in their own PEFO report have indicated that we need to look at a number of factors to address the budget crisis. "The expenditure side, but also the revenue side, and they simply said looking at economic growth is not going to be enough to fix the issue. Speaking on election night, Ms Johnston said she wanted the major parties to do a better job at listening to and collaborating with the crossbench. "We need to see a respectful mature parliament that's respectful of everyone's voices." She has confirmed she would not want a ministry in a power-sharing government. Peter George is best known as an anti-salmon campaigner, having been the spokesperson for Neighbours of Fishfarming for years. While he leant into his anti-salmon reputation during the campaign, it certainly wasn't the only thing he spoke about. He was vocal in his opposition to the proposed Macquarie Point AFL stadium, and rolled out a variety of policies addressing concerns about health, housing and education. Like most of the independents and The Greens, Mr George wants to see a strengthened Integrity Commission with public hearings. He also wants to end native forest logging, crack down on short-stay accommodation, and address the state's soaring debt. "We have 5,000 people in this very small state … waiting to get decent roofs over their heads, we have a health system that's sort of tottering and teetering under the weight of demand, and we have an education system that's turning out functional illiteracy of somewhere close to 50 per cent. "Those are important things that we need to deal with. "I want to hear about that, and I want to see a parliament of 35 people roll up their sleeves and do some serious work across political lines." Mr George said he wants to hear what the parties' plans are for "rebuilding Tasmania's future" but so far his dealings with them have not won him over. "One area of concern is that Labor and Liberal seem to have drawn lines in the sand saying we won't talk about this, we're going to insist on that," he posted on a video on Facebook. "Well, that's not how minority government works, that's certainly not how collaboration works, so slight warning there, but we'll deal with this down the track." North West coaster Craig Garland received a massive jump in his primary vote this election. The fisherman was perhaps best known for his views on salmon farming before he was elected to parliament in 2024 — and he has certainly peppered the government with a lot of questions about the industry. But he has also spoken out on integrity and was so concerned about the budget, he was prepared to vote against it. This time around, Mr Garland wants a seat at the table. He wants to be included in budget repair and the development of policy. Speaking on election night, Mr Garland said "the focus has to flip". "The domestic violence in the North West Coast. We have four beds to deal with women fleeing domestic violence. One hundred and fifty women turned away, 147 children, and we're talking about building the biggest stadium." Mr Garland has spoken to both leaders but has yet to discuss any sort of policies or requests. "There's a lot of talk, and then in the same breath I hear, 'We're not moving on salmon, we're not moving on native forest logging,'" he said. Mr Garland is opposed to Hobart's waterfront stadium, which likely helped his vote in the seat of Braddon, and he is no fan of the proposed undersea electricity and data interconnector between Tasmania and Victoria, known as Marinus Link. A Labor Party veteran turned independent, David O'Byrne managed to make it work during the last parliament with Liberal leader Jeremy Rockliff's minority government. He was one of the few crossbenchers who did not support the no-confidence motion in the premier. Speaking after the election about his dealings with the leaders, Mr O'Byrne said he is "not a transactional politician". He does not have "a shopping list of issues" and is instead focused on who could offer the most functional parliament. "My view is we need to get on with governing, we need to find someone who can not only get the numbers on the floor of parliament for the first vote, but can sustain those numbers for a long period of time," he said. In terms of his core issues, they are unsurprisingly Labor core issues — health, housing and the cost of living. In the last parliament, he spent a lot of time questioning the government about the ongoing staffing and reliability issues facing Metro Tasmania, various women's healthcare issues, and TasNetworks' wage negotiations. His bill to amend the Family Violence Act to include the abuse of animals passed parliament last year. He also tabled a bill to introduce Industrial Manslaughter laws, but it was superseded by Labor. Mr O'Byrne is the only crossbencher who supports the stadium. The Greens are the party neither the Liberals, nor Labor, wants to deal with — but having won five seats, they may not be easily ignored. Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has made it clear that in a balance of power situation, she would do all she could to stop the stadium from being built. "We've been really strong. We're going to fight and do everything we can to pile on the pressure to stop this stadium. "We know that's what's needed. The budget's in a desperate situation. We will not support cuts to essential services." Other things on the Greens' agenda include a strengthened Integrity Commission, something Labor has voiced support for in the past, and they want to see a Treaty with Tasmania's First Nations, another policy Labor is on board with. They are also likely to try and seek some improvement for renters while clamping down on short stay accommodation. The party also wants to keep pushing the major parties to find new revenue for the budget. They would like to see salmon farming companies pay some royalties for the use of Tasmania's waterways, and increased mining royalties to bring Tasmania into line with other jurisdictions. The Greens will not hold the balance of power if the Liberals form a minority government as there will be at least four other crossbenchers they could rely on to get votes through. Labor will likely have to deal with the Greens, if it wants to govern with just 10 of its own MPs, but it will need some form of confidence and supply guarantee from the minor party. That does not mean there will necessarily be any trade on policy or concessions from Labor, but the two parties did combine forces several times in the last parliament to pass their own legislation, including introducing Industrial Manslaughter laws and lowering the political disclosure threshold to $1,000. As counting continues in the state election, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate Carlo Di Falco does not even know if he has been elected in the seat of Lyons, but that hasn't stopped him from getting calls from the two major party leaders. He describes himself as a "former blue collar worker" and "not much of a public speaker". Mr DI Falco said that, like the name suggests, he will be fighting for the rights of rural Tasmanians. "The phone coverage of a lot of the Tasmanians that are missing out. Even where I live in Forcett, not that far from Sorell, I've got really patchy coverage where I am," he said. "We need to improve that." Mr Di Falco said there were also a lot of issues with "social cohesion". "That's why I'm pushing for more funding for Neighbourhood Houses because sometimes when people's lives go to custard, probably the best place to go is somewhere where you can talk to somebody in the community." Mr Di Falco is pro development but he is not too keen on the proposed AFL stadium on Hobart's waterfront. "I'd be taking that money and increasing Hydro storage. If you want to increase wealth, that comes off the back of cheap, reliable energy."
Sky News AU
5 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Ken Henry says tax system is failing young Australians and warns the case for lifting tax-to-GDP ratio is now ‘much, much stronger'
Former Treasury Secretary Ken Henry has urged Australia to 'prepare ourselves for the worst,' cautioning that while he hopes the government can avoid lifting the nation's tax-to-GDP ratio, the argument for doing so is now 'much, much stronger'. Mr Henry made the comments at a tax reform roundtable hosted by independent MP Allegra Spender on Friday, where he outlined the need to reduce reliance on income tax and flagged concerns about the growing economic burden on younger Australians. 'Tax reform packages must be revenue neutral, and I suggest that we should be thinking about designing the tax system that would do least economic damage as we lift the revenue-to-GDP ratio over time,' Mr Henry said. 'I can understand that some people don't want to quantitate that prospect, but we've been aware of the need to avoid that prospect for 23 years since the first intergenerational report was published in 2002 and the case for having to lift the tax-to-GDP ratio is much, much stronger, but I still hope we can avoid it.' Mr Henry, who served as Treasury boss from 2001 to 2011, said the current tax mix was too heavily dependent on personal income tax and offered little fairness between generations. He argued the system should do more to support productivity growth, warning that bracket creep – where inflation pushes workers into higher tax brackets – placed disproportionate pressure on the young. 'We need to reduce reliance on bracket creep,' he said, adding that boosting productivity was essential for raising wages and lifting national revenue without further tax hikes. Mr Henry also didn't shy away from politically sensitive areas, calling for reforms that could improve housing affordability. He said the government should be open to examining negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions for property investors. 'Anything that makes housing more affordable,' he said, should be on the table. In a stark assessment of Australia's preparedness for a changing global economy, Mr Henry said the tax system was no longer suited to today's challenges. 'The current tax system is not fit for today's increasingly dangerous times,' he said. 'I used the word dangerous quite deliberately.' He also raised concerns about high corporate tax rates deterring overseas investment, while suggesting that politically favoured sectors were under-taxed. Ms Spender, the Member for Wentworth, echoed Mr Henry's concerns and said younger Australians were bearing the brunt of a tax system stacked against them. 'We have a tax system that taxes people most heavily when they are young and under most financial pressure – paying off student loans, trying to buy a house, starting families, paying childcare – and less when they can afford it,' she said. 'Young people are the group that can least afford it.' Speaking ahead of the roundtable, Ms Spender said her goal was to make tax reform more relatable to the broader public, even if that meant stepping outside her comfort zone. 'We're actually doing lifestreaming on YouTube. I've been doing some slightly cringe-worthy Instagram videos on tax reform recently, just trying to bring more people into this conversation,' she said on ABC Radio National. 'Because tax matters to all people, it influences our country, but it's sometimes pretty hard to get your head round and I do want people to be able to get informed.' Ms Spender said Friday's discussion was part of a broader push, with Treasurer Jim Chalmers set to convene his own tax roundtables in the coming weeks. 'The Treasurer has now opened the door to tax reform,' she said. 'I feel that tax reform has the opportunity to help Australia solve some of its biggest problems like sluggish productivity growth, like the fact that young people can't get ahead, like the fact that we need to make this climate transition as cheap as possible. 'But to be honest tax hasn't really been on the table until now.' Treasurer Jim Chalmers has welcomed Ms Spender's initiative, saying he would 'obviously listen to and respect the views put forward'.
