Latest news with #InstituteofPublicAffairs'
Sky News AU
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
‘Faces of Net Zero': Documentary reveals farmers' struggles under renewable rollout
Sky News host Peta Credlin discusses the Institute of Public Affairs' new documentary called 'The Faces of Net Zero', sharing the stories of farmers impacted by the renewable rollout. 'Particularly the VNI West transmission line project,' Ms Credlin said. 'Heartbreaking stuff … all Australians can watch and start to fight for these sorts of farmers.'
Sky News AU
11-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek says millions of Australians to benefit from welfare payment changes as new measures announced
Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek has revealed sweeping measures in a bid to ease cost of living pressures, with millions of Australians soon set to receive a boost in welfare payments. A number of rates, limits and thresholds will see a 2.4 per cent increase to 'ensure they keep pace' with cost of living, the minister has announced. Households collecting Family Tax Benefit Part and Part B payments will be among those covered, with rates to increase to up to $295.82 every fortnight. More Australians will also be eligible for Paid Parental Leave (PPL), with income limit adjustments among the new measures coming into effect next month. Ms Plibersek has claimed over 2.4 million people who receive welfare payments will be aided by the changes. 'Indexation keeps payment rates and thresholds in line with the wider economy and makes sure our social security system remains a safety net that Australians can rely on,' a statement from the minister's office said. . More Australians will also be eligible for Paid Parental Leave (PPL) with income limits among the new measures. People earning up to $180,007 annually can receive PPL under the new measures, as well as families with a taxable income of up to $373,094 per year. Ms Plibersek has insisted that tackling cost of living pressures is a top priority for the Albanese government. 'From 1 July, millions of recipients of social security payments will see more money in their bank accounts,' the Social Services Minister said in the announcement. 'Payments like the Family Tax Benefit help cover the costs of raising children for many Australian families, and indexation is a crucial way to help families when cost of living rises. 'Combined with Labor's tax cuts, increased wages, cheaper medicines, cuts to student debt, and energy bill relief, Labor is making a real difference to help ease the cost of living.' Some of the other changes coming into effect on July 1 include increases to asset limits for JobSeeker Payment, Austudy, and Youth Allowance recipients. The Albanese government came under heavy criticism over its efforts to mitigate of cost of living pressures in the lead-up to this year's federal election, and Institute of Public Affairs' Colleen Harkin on Tuesday blasted Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for his 'negligence' in addressing the issue when he spoke at the National Press Club earlier that day. 'There was a lot of lofty motherhood statements. It was like reading a Hallmark gift card, really,' Ms Harkin told Sky News Host Rita Panahi regarding the speech. '...But the problem with this is it's not ambition, it's actually negligence, because the real difference that he can make in people's lives is the coast of living and their energy bills.'
Sky News AU
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
VIC Labor government falls through $250 million promise of a high speed express bus way
Institute of Public Affairs' Colleen Harkin says the Labor government spending $250 million on a high-speed express busway is an 'extreme waste of taxpayers' money'. Despite the high-speed promise, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan says the journey from Doncaster to Melbourne will take even longer, with instead of 100 km speed limits, it might be down to 60 km. 'It's like a Monty Python episode,' Ms Harkin told Sky News host Rita Panahi. 'It's just a crazy situation.'
Sky News AU
10-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
‘Lopsided perspective of news': The Project leaves Melbourne among 130,000 other businesses
Institute of Public Affairs' Colleen Harkin discusses Channel 10's decision to axe The Project after being on air for 16 years. 'It's a lopsided, not balanced perspective of the day's news,' Ms Harkin told Sky News host Rita Panahi. 'The IPA research will tell you that there's 130,000 businesses have left Victoria in the last year. 'There's an undercurrent of businesses leaving Melbourne regardless of The Project.'
Sky News AU
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Albanese blasted for ‘negligent' speech by not addressing cost of living issues
Institute of Public Affairs' Colleen Harkin says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's speech at the National Press Club on Tuesday was 'negligent' and was not filled with 'ambitiousness'. 'There was a lot of lofty motherhood statements,' Ms Harkin told Sky News host Rita Panahi. 'The real difference he can make in people's lives is the cost of living and energy bills. 'He really should be focused on what's broken at home. 'It was sort of, like being at an afternoon tea with the girls and a few glasses of champagne and not really concentrating on what people need him to do.'
