Opposition leader doubles down on immigration policy and defends preferencing One Nation over independent in Farrer in ABC interview

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The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, has said “there is a higher risk that some bad people come from those bad countries”, doubling down on his immigration policy and refusing to call out Pauline Hanson’s hardline stance.

Speaking to the ABC’s Insiders program on Sunday, Taylor said Indigenous welcome to country ceremonies were overused, after booing incidents at some of Saturday’s Anzac Day dawn services. He also defended preferencing One Nation above the independent community candidate, Michelle Milthorpe, in the upcoming Farrer byelection, arguing the teals “vote with the Greens”.

David Pocock says prime minister – who is trying to shore up fuel supplies – is parroting industry talking points

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Labor is poised to reject a growing push for a new 25% tax on gas exports in next month’s budget, prompting David Pocock to accuse the government of “caving in” to the gas industry.

It’s understood the government has elected not to pursue a new tax on gas exports in the budget, prompted in part by the global oil crisis and Anthony Albanese’s diplomatic efforts in shoring up fuel supply from Asian allies by pledging reliable access to liquefied natural gas.

The government has defended its response, citing the upcoming royal commission and work done by the Islamophobia and antisemitism special envoys

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Federal Labor has been accused of dragging its feet on a plan to combat systemic racism in Australia, nearly 18 months after it received recommendations from the human rights commission.

New documents released to the Senate show no progress on the national strategy delivered to the government and published in November 2024 – despite the race discrimination commissioner imploring the government to take action in five letters and at least two meetings.