Joe Hinchliffe
Protesters interrupt Jim Chalmers’ budget preview in Queensland
Protesters have interrupted the treasurer Jim Chalmers’ federal budget preview to the Queensland Media Club, with anti-coal and gas signs and chants.
Chalmers was only minutes into what was slated as a relatively lengthy speech followed by questions posed from accredited media, opening with the “big new pressure” on the budget posed by ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred, when the first protester slipped on to stage and stood right next to him holding a small sign reading: “no new coal and gas”.
“When will the Labor party stop funding new coal and gas projects?” the man, who had grey, thinning hair, said repeatedly as he was led from the stage.
Chalmers attempted to relaunch his speech when a younger woman appeared beside him on stage with the same slogan and interrupted him once again. She was also escorted from the stage.
Both went peacefully and were only on stage for moments, but peppered the treasurer with questions.
Chalmers briefly laughed nervously before ploughing ahead with his pre-planned speech.
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Updated at 23.22 EDT
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Heavy rainfall and flooding forecast in north-east Queensland
The Bureau of Meteorology has shared an update on the heavy rainfall and flooding forecast in north0east Queensland:
Severe Weather Update: Heavy rainfall and flooding developing for the North-East Tropical Queensland coast.
Video current: 12:00pm AEST 18 March 2025.
Latest forecasts and warnings: https://t.co/4W35o8iFmh or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/sOm3tsdv7h
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) March 18, 2025Share
Updated at 23.35 EDT
Joe Hinchliffe
Protesters interrupt Jim Chalmers’ budget preview in Queensland
Protesters have interrupted the treasurer Jim Chalmers’ federal budget preview to the Queensland Media Club, with anti-coal and gas signs and chants.
Chalmers was only minutes into what was slated as a relatively lengthy speech followed by questions posed from accredited media, opening with the “big new pressure” on the budget posed by ex-tropical Cyclone Alfred, when the first protester slipped on to stage and stood right next to him holding a small sign reading: “no new coal and gas”.
“When will the Labor party stop funding new coal and gas projects?” the man, who had grey, thinning hair, said repeatedly as he was led from the stage.
Chalmers attempted to relaunch his speech when a younger woman appeared beside him on stage with the same slogan and interrupted him once again. She was also escorted from the stage.
Both went peacefully and were only on stage for moments, but peppered the treasurer with questions.
Chalmers briefly laughed nervously before ploughing ahead with his pre-planned speech.
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Updated at 23.22 EDT
Patrick Commins
Chalmers confirms budget will include deficit close to $29.6bn predicted in December
Jim Chalmers has confirmed next Tuesday’s budget will unveil a deficit close to the $26.9bn predicted at the December update, as he flagged windfall tax gains from high commodity prices and a booming jobs market were now a thing of the past.
The government has had to scramble to finalise a fourth Labor budget after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred nixed plans to call an earlier April election.
But Chalmers, in a speech in Brisbane, welcomed the opportunity to put the economy “front and centre” in the upcoming election campaign. He warned a vote for Peter Dutton risked torpedoing a fragile post-pandemic recovery.
Continue reading the full story below:
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAPShare
Updated at 23.18 EDT
Palestinian advocates condemn Israel’s ‘obliteration of the ceasefire in Gaza’ as at least 100 killed
The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network has condemned Israel’s “obliteration of the ceasefire in Gaza”, where the death toll has risen to at least 100.
In a statement, Apan’s president, Nasser Mashni, said Israel had “shattered any illusion that it ever intended to uphold this ceasefire”, calling on the Australian government to unequivocally condemn the move.
Today it has made very clear that it will continue its genocidal campaign against Palestinians in Gaza, in full view of the world, without consequence.
The question is no longer whether Israel will commit further atrocities. The question is, will the Australian government finally act – or will it continue enabling these atrocities? …
Australia must cut all ties with this rogue state, impose sanctions and an arms embargo, and stop shielding it from accountability.
You can follow updates on our separate live blog, below:
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Updated at 23.05 EDT
Cait Kelly
Welfare recipients and advocates demand jobseeker be lifted to reduce rates of poverty
Thursday will mark five years since the Scott Morrison government raised income support by $275 a week amid pandemic lockdowns, a move that lifted nearly a million people above the poverty line overnight.
This year on Thursday, the Albanese government will increase jobseeker by the indexation rate – $1.55 a week – leaving single jobseeker recipients $220 below the poverty line.
Welfare recipients and advocates will campaign this week at Parliament House, arguing poverty is a policy choice and demanding jobseeker be lifted to reduce rates of poverty.
Avery Howard, vice-president of the Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union and a jobseeker recipient, said:
With the fourth budget from this government being handed down next week, they have shown us time and time again that they are choosing to keep millions of us in poverty.
The supplement made it obvious that they can vastly alleviate poverty in Australia, but they are intentionally keeping us back in some misguided attempt at a “responsible budget”. There’s never anything responsible about trapping people in poverty.
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Updated at 22.56 EDT
Jordyn Beazley
NSW premier and police minister again refuse to say when they learned caravan plot was likely a hoax
The New South Wales premier and police minister have again refused to directly answer what date they learned of investigators’ belief that the caravan found laden with explosives on the outskirts of Sydney was not a terror event.
During question time, the opposition leader, Mark Speakman, asked the Chris Minns, when he was first briefed the incident “could be a fake terrorism plot”. Minns responded by pointing to comments from police that they ruled out the possibility the incident was terrorism on 21 February.
This is the same day controversial hate speech and religious worship bills aimed at curbing antisemitism that were rushed through state parliament were passed.
Minns said:
As we’ve said many times in the media in the last few weeks, we were briefed early on that this could be something other than terrorism as it’s classically defined, and that no line of inquiry was being ruled out by NSW police.
I want to make it clear, however, that despite it not being terrorism as it’s defined, this did instil terror into members of our community.
The police minister, Yasmin Catley, was also asked during question time when she learned the caravan plot was believed to be fake.
She said:
I have answered this question time and time again in budget estimates and I have said, and I will say, that I will not reveal the contents of confidential police briefings. Over summer, we have experienced abhorrent, abhorrent scenes on our streets of antisemitism.
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Updated at 22.38 EDT
Almost half of murders in NSW last year were domestic violence related, data shows
Jordyn Beazley
The NSW peak body for domestic violence has said data released today that shows almost half of murders last year were domestic violence-related is “sadly not surprising”.
The data, from the state’s Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (Bocsar), showed NSW recorded the highest number of murders in a calendar year since 2014, reaching 85 last year. In 2014, there were 95 murders.
Bocsar said the high number was “due to an unusually large number of murders involving multiple victims”.
45.9% of the 85 murders were DV-related. One in four of the DV-related murder victims last year were children, an increase of one in 10 in 2023.
Delia Donovan, the chief executive of Domestic Violence NSW, said the data showed “the grim reality”:
These findings are sadly not surprising for us at DVNSW and for those working across the domestic, family and sexual violence sector. Each life lost represents a failure of our systems to protect and support those at risk. It’s completely unacceptable that we’re begging for a baseline funding increase when we are presented with these harrowing figures.
NSW has one of the lowest per-capita spends on domestic and family violence services in the country, with Domestic Violence NSW calling for an immediate 50%, totalling $163m, increase in baseline funding to address the crisis.
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Updated at 22.28 EDT
Cait Kelly
Renters need annual income of $130k to afford average rental, new report shows
Australian renters now need an annual income of $130,000 to afford an average rental, with even six-figure earners facing housing costs exceeding 30% of their income in capital cities and many regional areas, a new report has found.
The 2025 Priced Out report by national housing campaign Everybody’s Home shows a single person needs to earn at least $130,000 per year to comfortably afford the national weekly asking rent for a typical unit. An even higher income is required to afford the average unit rent across capital cities.
The report, which analyses rental affordability for Australians earning between $40,000 and $130,000 per year, found rental stress has extended well beyond low-income earners.
Middle-to-high income Australians are increasingly struggling to find affordable homes. People earning $70,000 per year would have to spend more than half of their income on the national median unit rent.
Even renters earning $100,000 per year – well above the median income of $72,592 – are struggling in locations across Australia.
Housing at Indooroopilly in Brisbane. Photograph: Jono Searle/AAP
Everybody’s Home spokesperson Maiy Azize said a $100,000 salary “used to be considered a secure income” but the research shows “people on this wage are struggling in both cities and regional areas because rents are so staggeringly high”.
The situation is even more dire for those on lower incomes, with people earning $40,000 per year facing extreme rental stress nationwide. They are facing rents that are up to 119% of their income, putting a stable home out of their reach.
Everybody’s Home is urging the government to boost social housing and scrap investor tax handouts, such as negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount.
It is unfair to spend billions of dollars propping up investors and pushing up costs while people on low and middle incomes are left behind.
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Updated at 22.14 EDT
Former Liberal senator lashes Coalition referendum plan
Former attorney general and high commissioner to the UK George Brandis has lashed the Coalition’s proposed referendum on giving the federal government more powers to deport criminals with dual citizenship.
In an opinion piece published by the Sydney Morning Herald, the former Liberal senator labelled the move “as mad an idea as I have heard in a long time”, and said it should not go ahead:
An unwanted referendum, without bipartisan support, to overturn the high court? It is as mad an idea as I have heard in a long time. If it is indeed under consideration, that consideration should stop right now.
Brandis said the high court made the right call in 2022, when it ruled amendments to the Australian Citizenship Act – enabling the minister to revoke the Australian citizenship of dual nationals – were invalid.
He said three of the judges who decided the case were appointed on his recommendation – and that he only considered those who were “strong upholders of the independence of the judiciary against over-reach by the executive government”.
When [the 2022 ruling] was delivered, I was glad about the result. I also felt quietly vindicated in the legal advice I had given cabinet at the time about the constitutional risk the amendments to the Citizenship Act presented. A referendum to overturn the high court’s decision has no chance of success.
George Brandis in 2017. Photograph: Mike Bowers/The GuardianShare
Updated at 22.12 EDT
Body of 23-year-old found after he fell into water at weekend
Queensland police have located the body of a 23-year-old man who fell into the water at Jindalee at the weekend and failed to resurface.
After an extensive search and rescue operation around the Jindalee boat ramp, police today located the body of the man downstream, within the search area.
He was first reported missing shortly before 5.40am on Sunday. A search and rescue operation involving water police, the dive squad, general duties police, the SES, marine rescue and aerial assets was launched.
A report will now be prepared for the coroner, police said in a statement.
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Updated at 21.55 EDT
Graham Readfearn
Superfund trustees must pay $10.5m in greenwashing court case brought by corporate watchdog
Trustees of an Australian superannuation fund have been ordered to pay $10.5m plus costs by the federal court in a greenwashing case brought by the corporate watchdog.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission had brought the case against LGSS Pty Ltd, the trustees of Active Super.
The court agreed last year with Asic that Active Super had told its members it had stopped investments in gambling, coalmining, oil tar sands and Russia, after that country’s invasion of Ukraine.
In fact, the court found Active Super’s claims made in various official documents were “false or misleading and liable to mislead the public” because the fund had direct and indirect investments in several companies related to those four issues, including Gazprom, Shell and Whitehaven Coal.
LGSS was also order to email relevant members an “adverse publicity notice” outlining the misleading conduct, which would also have to be published on the Active Super website.
Active Super merged with Vision Super on 1 March this year.
A spokesperson for Vision Super said LGSS “remains responsible for the payment of the penalty” and the company had insurance and reserves set aside to pay the fine.
A spokesperson for LGSS said the company acknowledged the finding and was reviewing the judgment and “considering its options”.
Last year the federal court ordered another superannuation company, Mercer Super Trust, to pay $11.4m after members were wrongly told their investments would exclude companies involved with fossil fuel extraction, gambling and alcohol.
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Updated at 21.55 EDT
Josh Taylor
Bandt labels Dutton referendum call ‘dog-whistling’
In response to the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, calling for a public debate on changing the constitution to allow politicians to deport dual citizens, the Greens leader, Adam Bandt, said Dutton is “dog-whistling to cover up for the fact he has absolutely no plans to make people’s lives better, zero plans to address the housing and rental crisis or the massive cost-of-living crisis pushing people to the brink”.
Instead he just punches – goes out and starts race dog-whistling, trying to find any excuse other than coming up with policies that are actually going to make people’s lives better.
I worry that we’re going to see more of this. We’re going to see more of this dog-whistling as we head towards the election as a cover-up for the fact that he’s got zero answers about how to actually make people’s lives better.
The Greens leader, Adam Bandt. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAPShare
Updated at 22.00 EDT
Josh Taylor
Greens urge shift away from for-profit early childhood education
The Greens’ early childhood education spokesperson, Steph Hodgkins-May, said in a press conference earlier that funding for early education should go exclusively to high-quality government and not-for-profit centres, and there should be a move away from for-profit businesses in the industry.
Early childhood education is a fundamental right for our kids and should be treated exactly the same at primary and secondary school. We’ll continue to pressure the government to ensure these reforms are seen through and, frankly, only by voting Green are we going to ensure that we keep Peter Dutton out of that place and push the Labor government to go better and stronger on protecting and educating our kids across the country.
After revelations about the industry on ABC’s Four Corners last night, the Greens have suggested it warrants a royal commission but Hodgkins-May said that should not happen at the exclusion of what the government can do now to fund government centres.
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Updated at 21.45 EDT
Jordyn Beazley
More from Minns on NSW laws aimed at curbing antisemitism
Continuing on from our last post: Chris Minns has also said that the government drafted controversial laws aimed at curbing antisemitism and which restrict protest outside places of worship “with a view to a potential constitutional challenge.”
It comes after the Palestine Action Group yesterday launched a legal challenge against the laws in the NSW supreme court, arguing the laws were invalid because the change “impermissibly burdens the implied [commonwealth] constitutional freedom of communication on government or political matters”. Minns told reporters:
We obviously have confidence, if we introduced the legislation, that it would hold up to scrutiny. We’ll leave it up to the court to make a decision. We introduced legislation believing it’s constitutionally sound, but not just that, we believe that it’s necessary.
There’s a lot of people who have religious faith in NSW of many different kinds and they’ve got every right to practice their religion free of intimidation, free of humiliation to or from that place of worship.
The laws are among a suite passed by the government in February meant to curb antisemitism. The laws cover a number of measures, including displaying a Nazi symbol on or near a synagogue, and create an aggravated offence for graffiti on a place of worship.
But the most controversial changes have been the government’s move to criminalise people making racist remarks in public and restrict protests near places of worship. Both carry a maximum penalty of two years in prison.
The bill that restricts protests near places of worship, make it an offence to block or impede a person leaving or entering a place of worship, and to also intimate or harass a person.
The laws also give police full application of their move-on powers “in or near” places of worship, regardless of what a protest is about and whether it is directed at a religious institution. This means that if someone is obstructing someone “in or near” a place of worship, police can issue a move on order.
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Updated at 21.44 EDT
Minns says ‘summer of racism’ justified controversial hate speech laws
Jordyn Beazley
The NSW premier Chris Minns has said controversial hate speech and religious worship bills aimed at curbing antisemitism were rushed through state parliament because “there’d been a summer of racism in NSW”.
It comes as Minns and his police minister Yasmin Catley come under fire over when they became aware of the police theory that a caravan found laden with explosives on the outskirts of Sydney was not a terror event but a “con job” by organised crime, and if it was before controversial hate speech and religious worship bills were rushed through state parliament.
The Greens and members of the crossbench have accused the pair of misleading the public and parliament in a bid to rush the laws through. Meanwhile, the NSW opposition has indicated it would support a parliamentary inquiry to “get to the bottom” of the matter.
An ad, sponsored by the NSW Council for Civil Liberties who is calling for an inquiry, began airing on commercial radio station 2GB this morning critical of the premier rushing through the laws when there may have been no terror threat, saying “the people of New South Wales deserve a government that tells the truth”.
Minns told reporters earlier this morning:
I introduced those laws because there’d been a summer of racism in NSW. Separate and aside to the police operation related to [Operation] Kissinger and the caravan out at Dural, it’s just inarguably the case we saw a shameful summer and the hate speech laws we introduced were absolutely necessary to send a message that we won’t tolerate it.
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Updated at 21.51 EDT
Eelemarni Close-Brown
Australian Monarchist League calls for Irish rap group’s visas to be cancelled
The Australian Monarchists League (AML) has called for Irish rap group Kneecap to have their visas cancelled after the solid bronze severed head of Melbourne’s decapitated King George V statue appeared on stage during one of its performances in Melbourne.
The AML took aim at Anthony Albanese and said there had been “nothing but silence” from him and his ministers on the matter – comparing it to the government’s outage at an American influencer who snatched a baby wombat.
A despicable act indeed, but no less despicable than the onstage attack on Australia by the visiting Irish rap group ‘Kneecap’ … However, there has been nothing but silence from Albanese and his ministers.
The statue in the King’s Domain parklands was beheaded during the King’s birthday weekend in June 2024 – one of a series of anti-colonial acts of sabotage targeting British memorials in Melbourne.
There has been no comments about the incident from Albanese and his ministers.
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Updated at 21.44 EDT
