Latest news with #Albo
Daily Mail
36 minutes ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Opinion: Albanese's unprecedented act of political ruthlessness
Few Australians would be upset about the PM cutting the number of political staffers paid for by taxpayers. But what if he only did it to the Opposition - and not his own team? Would that feel like he's just seeking an advantage for his party? Because that's exactly what Albo has done. He's cut the number of shadow ministerial advisers the Coalition gets by 20 per cent without instituting a similar cut to the number of staffers in his own ministerial ranks. It's a blatant attempt to diminish the Coalition so that it's a less competitive opposition. It's also an unprecedented act of political ruthlessness. The number of staff allocated to the federal Opposition has long been a routine exercise, done with bipartisan acceptance and little controversy. For the better part of three decades, Oppositions (Coalition and Labor alike) have been given 21 per cent of the staffing allowance made available to the PM and his ministers. The rules began when Labor knew it was heading towards a massive defeat in 1996. So it put in place a policy to guarantee that an opposition, irrespective of how it performed, was guaranteed a set number of political advisers for its shadow ministry relative to what the government had. John Howard honoured the rule, despite his massive majority matching Albo's thumping majority today. Every other PM until now also honoured the convention, irrespective of the size of their victory. So what Albo has delivered on staff resourcing is a significant and targeted cut to the Opposition's capacity to do its job. And make no mistake, this isn't just a bureaucratic adjustment: It is a choice designed to weaken parliamentary accountability, thereby undermining the very principles that underpin democratic governance. Albo has unilaterally cut 20 roles from the Coalition's total, including 16 senior adviser positions. These are key roles for an opposition. They help build a substantive alternative policy agenda. It's retribution dressed up as reform. I've long held the view that the rise in political staffing positions across the parliament (government, opposition, crossbench) is an unnecessary waste of taxpayer money. But cuts to this wastage shouldn't deliberately disadvantage parliamentary opponents. It's hard to take seriously the government's excuses for making the change. Labor won't disclose its own staffing numbers, which it would have done were they proportionally curtailed to match the cuts to the Coalition. It's even possible that Labor's staff has increased , widening the gap between the government and opposition. So much for transparency. Labor's other suggestion, that this is simply about proportional representation in Parliament (courtesy of the reduction in Coalition MPs and Senators at the election), misses the point entirely. The size of the Shadow Cabinet (23 senior members, plus seven outer shadow ministers) hasn't changed. Their responsibilities haven't shrunk, only their resources have. The staffing allocation provided for the last 30 years is for opposition frontbenchers, and the size of that team doesn't change when election results deliver larger or smaller backbench teams. Ministers have entire departments to support their work. Opposition spokespeople, by contrast, rely almost entirely on a handful of advisers at best. Take those advisers away, and you don't just hamstring the individuals, you dilute the Parliament's ability to interrogate, contest and improve public policy. You don't have to be a partisan to see how corrosive this all is. Excessive centralisation of power within the executive not only marginalises the public service, it erodes parliamentary scrutiny as well. Cutting Opposition staff disproportionately to the allocation the government gets is a decision that may look tactical, but carries serious institutional consequences. It's also a poor reflection on a government that claimed it would do politics differently. Labor promised to restore decency to the political process. Instead, it has used its large majority to gut the Opposition's capacity, and worse still it tried to do so under the radar, knowing full well that staffing allocations don't command much attention outside the Canberra bubble. It's the kind of cynical move that feeds public mistrust in politics. This decision also runs counter to well-established democratic principles. Political theorists from John Stuart Mill to Bernard Crick have long stressed the indispensable role of a strong Opposition in a functioning democracy. As Crick put it: 'democracy is not simply majority rule, but rule that permits opposition'. That principle is weakened when the capacity to hold government accountable is structurally undermined by the government itself. The Westminster tradition thrives not merely on government competence, but on adversarial scrutiny. You can't have that if one side is starved of resources while the other operates with the full weight of the public service, ministerial staff, and political machinery behind it. This is especially true in modern policymaking, where legislation is more complex, timeframes are tighter and ministerial spin is more carefully managed than ever before. Throw in the decline of the Fourth Estate in a challenging media environment and concern with Albo's one-sided resourcing only grows. The PM may think he has scored a tactical win. But in the long run, this kind of decision corrodes the checks and balances that prevent majority rule from becoming majoritarianism. Albanese should reverse course, not because it's convenient for the Opposition, but because it's essential for Australian democracy.
Sydney Morning Herald
22-07-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Cutting HECS debt is the least Albanese could do for young Australians. He should do more
You don't pay the tuition fee upfront – the government pays the university on your behalf, and you repay the government. But, unlike any commercial loan you'll ever get, when you to have start repaying, and the size of your repayment, depend on how much you're earning. So, in principle, you should never be paying more than you can afford. Loading You don't pay interest on the loan, but the outstanding balance is indexed to the rate of inflation – which, to an economist's way of thinking, means you're paying a 'real' interest rate of zero. If you never earn enough to be able to repay the loan – say because you become a monk – you never have to pay the loan back. That's by design, not accident. Trouble is, successive governments have not only made the scheme less generous, the post-COVID inflation surge has added greatly to people's HECS debts. Debts have become so big they reduce the size of the home loans banks are willing to give graduates. Worse, in the name of encouraging young people to take supposedly 'job-ready' courses such as teaching, nursing and STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths), in 2021 the Morrison government reduced their annual tuition fees, whereas fees for courses such as business, law and the humanities were greatly increased. Fortunately, this half-brained scheme did little to change students' choices, but did mean abandoning the previous arrangement in which the fees for various courses were geared roughly to the size of the salaries those graduates were likely to earn. The cost of an arts degree is now about $17,000 a year, or a massive $50,000 for the full three years. So it's people who have studied the humanities who now have debts quite out of whack with their earning ability. Smart move, Scomo! Albanese's 20 per cent cut in debt levels will do little to fix this crazy misalignment of fees with future earning potential. The cut will have a cost to the budget of about a huge $16 billion in theory, but more like $11 billion when you allow for all the debts that were never going to be repaid anyway. By making it a percentage cut rather than a flat dollar amount, too much of the benefit will go to highly paid doctors and lawyers. And, in any case, of all the young adults having trouble with the cost of living in recent years, those on graduate salaries are hardly the most deserving. On the other hand, at a time when, justifiably, the young feel the system has been stacked against them, I can't be too disapproving of Albo's flashy measure to help keep the younger generation's faith that, in the end, the democratic process will ensure most age groups get a reasonable shake. Loading The young are right to feel bitter about the way earlier generations have enjoyed the ever-rising value of their homes while allowing the cost of home ownership to become unreachable for an ever-growing proportion of our young. And that's before you get to other features of our tax and benefits system that favour the old. Thankfully, the government is making the rules for HECS repayments much less onerous, making them work the same way as the income tax scale. The minimum threshold for repayments will be raised from income of $56,000 a year to $67,000. Your income between $67,000 and $125,000 will require a repayment of 15 per cent, and 17 per cent on income above that. This will yield significant savings to those with debts. But, of course, the lower your repayments, the longer it will take to clear your debt and the more your outstanding balance will be indexed for inflation.
The Age
22-07-2025
- Business
- The Age
Cutting HECS debt is the least Albanese could do for young Australians. He should do more
You don't pay the tuition fee upfront – the government pays the university on your behalf, and you repay the government. But, unlike any commercial loan you'll ever get, when you to have start repaying, and the size of your repayment, depend on how much you're earning. So, in principle, you should never be paying more than you can afford. Loading You don't pay interest on the loan, but the outstanding balance is indexed to the rate of inflation – which, to an economist's way of thinking, means you're paying a 'real' interest rate of zero. If you never earn enough to be able to repay the loan – say because you become a monk – you never have to pay the loan back. That's by design, not accident. Trouble is, successive governments have not only made the scheme less generous, the post-COVID inflation surge has added greatly to people's HECS debts. Debts have become so big they reduce the size of the home loans banks are willing to give graduates. Worse, in the name of encouraging young people to take supposedly 'job-ready' courses such as teaching, nursing and STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths), in 2021 the Morrison government reduced their annual tuition fees, whereas fees for courses such as business, law and the humanities were greatly increased. Fortunately, this half-brained scheme did little to change students' choices, but did mean abandoning the previous arrangement in which the fees for various courses were geared roughly to the size of the salaries those graduates were likely to earn. The cost of an arts degree is now about $17,000 a year, or a massive $50,000 for the full three years. So it's people who have studied the humanities who now have debts quite out of whack with their earning ability. Smart move, Scomo! Albanese's 20 per cent cut in debt levels will do little to fix this crazy misalignment of fees with future earning potential. The cut will have a cost to the budget of about a huge $16 billion in theory, but more like $11 billion when you allow for all the debts that were never going to be repaid anyway. By making it a percentage cut rather than a flat dollar amount, too much of the benefit will go to highly paid doctors and lawyers. And, in any case, of all the young adults having trouble with the cost of living in recent years, those on graduate salaries are hardly the most deserving. On the other hand, at a time when, justifiably, the young feel the system has been stacked against them, I can't be too disapproving of Albo's flashy measure to help keep the younger generation's faith that, in the end, the democratic process will ensure most age groups get a reasonable shake. Loading The young are right to feel bitter about the way earlier generations have enjoyed the ever-rising value of their homes while allowing the cost of home ownership to become unreachable for an ever-growing proportion of our young. And that's before you get to other features of our tax and benefits system that favour the old. Thankfully, the government is making the rules for HECS repayments much less onerous, making them work the same way as the income tax scale. The minimum threshold for repayments will be raised from income of $56,000 a year to $67,000. Your income between $67,000 and $125,000 will require a repayment of 15 per cent, and 17 per cent on income above that. This will yield significant savings to those with debts. But, of course, the lower your repayments, the longer it will take to clear your debt and the more your outstanding balance will be indexed for inflation.
Sky News AU
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'Your street cred has been spent': Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's top 10 Australian songs list divides social media
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has stirred up debate online after revealing his top 10 Australian songs of all time as part of Triple J's upcoming Hottest 100 vote. Posting to Instagram on Thursday, the 67-year-old Labor leader shared his list, which leaned heavily on classic pub rock and '90s indie anthems. "Hard to narrow down to just 10," Albanese wrote, placing The Angels' iconic track 'Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again' in the number one spot. Also featured were 'Flame Trees' by Cold Chisel at number two, 'Dogs Are The Best People' by The Fauves at three, and 'Cattle and Cane' by The Go-Betweens in fourth place. Midnight Oil's politically-charged 'Beds Are Burning' and Paul Kelly's storytelling ballad 'How to Make Gravy' also made the cut. According to Triple J, the special edition countdown, which airs on July 26, is "dedicated to the homegrown artists and tracks that have resonated across generations, and helped define our nation's sound". While some praised the PM's musical taste and joined in with their own suggestions, many others weren't impressed, particularly those angry over what they saw as a lack of attention to serious global and domestic issues. Most of the criticism came from supporters of the 'Free Palestine' movement. "Your PR team going in overdrive to try and make you seem human/ relatable… but there is NOTHING relatable to a PM who has absolutely lost touch with his humanity," one user wrote. "Seriously??? This is what gets posted??? Far out. What a disgrace," said another. "We don't care, Albo. All of your street cred has been spent #freepalestine," a third wrote, while another simply added: "Cringe. Genocide Albo." Others used the moment to comment on their desire for a Treaty between the Government and First Nations peoples. "Still no Treaty?" one follower asked, while another added: "How about Treaty by Yothu Yindi? It's time!" Still, there was support in the comments too, with users welcoming the list as a bit of fun and an insight into the PM's personal taste. "Albo mate wheres Carrion by Parkway Drive," one user joked. "Respect to Albo!" said another. "All beauties, but so many more gems missing… I can't even make a top 10!" added a third. The post even earned the attention of the artists involved. "I'm glad Albo picked Flame Trees," Cold Chisel frontman Jimmy Barnes told The Australian. "It's a great song and he's a great leader. Maybe he could lead us all into singing the chorus. Come on Anthony, let's sing!" The Angels' guitarist Rick Brewster also weighed in, saying: "It's an honour to be included with all these amazing artists." He joked about the track's famous crowd chant, "No way, Get f****d, F**k off!" suggesting Albanese may have had a hand in its origins. "How Face Again took such a sharp left turn when the well-known chant began is anyone's guess. No internet, no mobile phones… just good old Aussie bush telegraph! Maybe you started it, Anthony?" Known for his love of spinning tracks as alter ego 'DJ Albo', the Prime Minister has long expressed his passion for music. Late last year, he shared his Spotify Wrapped list of favourite 2024 tracks, all by Australian artists. That list, which saw Melbourne artist G Flip's Australia taking top spot, also sparked backlash from followers. "Is he for real?" one X user wrote in response at the time. "I'm not interested in your music selections. I'm more interested in what your selections for our country are," said another. Still, there were those who defended the post. "Come on, even the PM is allowed to have some fun," one user said.
Sky News AU
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Australia made ‘irrelevant' after US strikes on Iran: Sharma
Australia's former ambassador to Israel and Liberal senator Dave Sharma says Anthony Albanese has made Australia 'irrelevant' after the US launched strikes on Iran and the Prime Minister failed to secure a meeting with Donald Trump. Speaking to Sky on Monday, Senator Sharma said while Australia never had a 'huge' amount of influence, 'we've largely made ourselves irrelevant through this conflict'. 'I mean, look, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese didn't have a meeting with Trump where this would have obviously come up if he'd had a discussion,' he said. 'We had Richard Marles on the television yesterday calling for de-escalation at the very same time, almost, that US B-2 bombers (were) flying from Missouri (and) were striking nuclear targets in Iran.' He said Labor had 'dealt ourselves out of a traditional role' as being a contributor and 'major player' in international discussions. 'No one listens to our views seriously anymore in the on these issues, particularly in the Middle East,' he said. '(On) Israel, the relationship with this government is very bad. 'The United States, we don't yet seem to have a relationship with the new Trump administration, or at least key parts of it.' Hastie lashes 'flat-footed' Albo Acting opposition foreign affairs spokesman Andrew Hastie has accused Mr Albanese of a 'flat-footed' response to the US attack and having poor instincts on the issue. Speaking to ABC Radio National on Monday morning, Mr Hastie said he was happy to see his counterpart Penny Wong had backed in the US on the strikes however the delayed response demonstrated Mr Albanese' mismanagement. 'I'm glad we have bipartisanship on this—that the world, as she said, has agreed Iran cannot be allowed to get a nuclear weapon,' he said. 'We support action to prevent that, which is why we supported the US strikes yesterday. I think, though, what yesterday demonstrated was that the Prime Minister is flat-footed. 'His instincts aren't great on this, and he should have called an NSC meeting yesterday for an event of such significance. Instead, it's happening this morning.' Mr Hastie added the strikes 'needed to happen' in order to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. 'Iran would not come to the table, and the risk of them getting a nuclear weapon was huge, and it was a direct threat to regional stability and world peace,' he said. 'Intelligence agencies will debate when Iran planned to break out and put all the componentry together and have an actual nuclear weapon. 'But the risk was there, and that's why action was taken, and I think that's the context in which we need to see the strikes that took place yesterday.' Albo's 'deathly silence' blasted Nationals leader David Littleproud and independent Jacqui Lambie have also called on Mr Albanese to address Australia's stance on the conflict and US involvement. Mr Littleproud labelled Mr Albanese not having made a public statement as of Monday morning a 'deathly silence'. 'This was a decisive, strategic act that will make the world safer,' Mr Littleproud said. 'Now, we don't want to see a protracted conflict. And it sounds as though the United States doesn't want to be involved in a protracted Middle East conflict. 'There's no way in the world that we could get ourselves involved in that. 'We do need to be able to defend ourselves first when we've got Virgin pilots finding Chinese ships in our waters. There is an underinvestment here that needs to be rectified.' Mr Littleproud claimed the move showed the government was trying to 'sit on the fence' due to domestic politics. Senator Lambie urged against committing Australian forces that were 'not ready'. 'What I do know is that Trump said, 'You've got two weeks', and within 48 hours you took them out,' she said. 'So if there was any sort of relationship still ongoing there that is now gone, that's the first thing. 'I think the other thing is that you Americans said you weren't going back into a war in the Middle East. Well, you just went back in.' 'But what I will say is that we certainly can't back you up this time, and we don't owe you anything.' 'I say this to (Mr Albanese) – we are not fit for purpose to be involved in any war. The most that you can offer anywhere around the world right now is peacekeepers. 'Do not follow the USA into this war for 20 years – (our troops] are not ready.' 'Time for clarity': Ex-PM's call On Sunday, former prime minister Scott Morrison accused the Albanese Labor government of not showing enough 'clarity' on the Israel-Iran conflict. 'I think there's been far too much ambiguity about this from Australia, far too much ambiguity, and it's time for clarity,' Mr Morrison said. 'And the clarity is we were dealing with a theocratic authoritarian state that had sponsored an attack on close friends in Israel back on the seventh of October, and they have shown their true colours, and Iran is not a friend of Australia.' Mr Morrison echoed these sentiments while speaking to 2GB's Ben Fordham on Monday morning, saying the evening news was the time to 'ensure that response was made clear'. 'When things are as they are, Australia 'When things are as they are, Australia needs to know where it stands and its allies need to know where Australia stands. I think that's why clarity is so important,' he said. Following reports Mr Albanese would give comment after a National Security Committee meeting on Monday, Mr Morrison said it could have met earlier but hoped they would 'come out with a very strong statement in support of our allies'. More to come Originally published as Liberal senator Dave Sharma says Aus made 'irrelevant' after US strikes on Iran
