Normal view

Guardian Essential poll: Australians want higher tax on gas exports and extension of petrol excise cut

29 April 2026 at 15:00

The fuel crisis is seeing more voters keen to shift to renewable energy rather than stick with fossil fuels

Most Australians support taxing profits from gas exports and extending the cut to the fuel excise, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll, despite Anthony Albanese on Wednesday ruling out a new tax on existing gas export contracts.

The poll also found the fuel crisis is seeing more voters keen to shift to renewable energy rather than stick with fossil fuels. Australians also say they are already cutting back on travel, switching to public transport and reducing their use of aircon and heating amid the global fuel uncertainty.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

© Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

© Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

  • ✇The Guardian World news
  • Trump administration labels Australia’s media bargaining laws ‘foreign extortion’ Josh Butler
    Albanese defends plan forcing Meta, Google and TikTok to make deals with Australian news publishers through a levy The Trump administration has described Australia’s moves to make big tech companies pay for news online as “extortion” but Anthony Albanese defended the plan by saying it was about protecting and rewarding media outlets for the work they produce.Labor’s plan to encourage Meta, Google and TikTok to make deals with Australian news publishers, or face a 2.25% levy, is likely to be supp
     

Trump administration labels Australia’s media bargaining laws ‘foreign extortion’

29 April 2026 at 06:25

Albanese defends plan forcing Meta, Google and TikTok to make deals with Australian news publishers through a levy

The Trump administration has described Australia’s moves to make big tech companies pay for news online as “extortion” but Anthony Albanese defended the plan by saying it was about protecting and rewarding media outlets for the work they produce.

Labor’s plan to encourage Meta, Google and TikTok to make deals with Australian news publishers, or face a 2.25% levy, is likely to be supported by the Coalition and Greens in parliament. But a bigger problem may be the ire of Donald Trump, who has strongly opposed extra regulation being imposed on US-based tech companies. A major tech industry lobby group on Wednesday urged the White House to consider retaliatory trade measures.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Yuri Gripas/Pool/Yuri Gripas - Pool/CNP/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Yuri Gripas/Pool/Yuri Gripas - Pool/CNP/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Yuri Gripas/Pool/Yuri Gripas - Pool/CNP/Shutterstock

Anthony Albanese rules out gas export tax on existing contracts and criticises ‘populist’ campaign

29 April 2026 at 05:48

Prime minister says the middle of a global fuel crisis is ‘the worst possible time to jeopardise’ Australia’s partnerships with Asian trading partners

Anthony Albanese has confirmed next month’s federal budget will not include a new tax on existing gas export contracts as he criticised the “populist” campaign calling for a levy on producers.

As reported last week, the prime minister was poised to reject pressure to introduce a 25% tax on gas exports amid concerns the intervention could alienate the Asian trading partners Australia is relying on for supplies of diesel and petrol.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Guardian Essential poll: more Australians approve of Hanson’s party leadership than Albanese or Taylor’s

28 April 2026 at 15:00

One Nation outperforms the Coalition for the first time, while the rightwing populist party’s leader has a positive rating among all age groups

A majority of surveyed Australians approve of Pauline Hanson’s leadership of One Nation, giving her a higher job approval rating than Anthony Albanese and Angus Taylor, as the Guardian Essential poll finds the rightwing populist party is outperforming the Coalition for the first time.

The results come as Australians are becoming more pessimistic about the country and the economy, with the majority of respondents saying they expected things to get worse in coming months.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/EPA

Google, Meta and TikTok face new levy to pay for Australian news as Albanese reveals media plan

28 April 2026 at 02:06

Labor’s draft news bargaining incentive scheme includes 2.25% levy on local revenues of digital giants

Anthony Albanese has urged Google, Meta and TikTok to make deals with Australian media outlets to avoid a dedicated 2.25% levy on local revenues, warning digital giants should not be able to exploit the work of journalists to boost profits.

Releasing an exposure draft for the government’s news bargaining incentive (NBI) scheme on Tuesday, the prime minister said platforms could avoid the levy by signing new deals with publishers to pay for news content, and even greater offsets for making deals with smaller publishers. The government expects the plan will raise up to $250m annually for Australian journalism.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Danielle Villasana/Reuters

© Photograph: Danielle Villasana/Reuters

© Photograph: Danielle Villasana/Reuters

  • ✇The Guardian World news
  • Labor senator deletes Anzac Day Instagram post after mistakenly including raunchy rap song Josh Butler
    Images in Helen Polley’s post included a marching band, people laying wreaths and ex-serving members giving speeches set to a track by US rapper ChingyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA federal Labor senator has deleted a social media video which mistakenly included audio of an explicit rap song over a carousel of photos of Anzac Day commemorations.Senator Helen Polley, a former shadow minister and current chair of parliament’s committee on law enforcement, posted a vid
     

Labor senator deletes Anzac Day Instagram post after mistakenly including raunchy rap song

27 April 2026 at 09:56

Images in Helen Polley’s post included a marching band, people laying wreaths and ex-serving members giving speeches set to a track by US rapper Chingy

A federal Labor senator has deleted a social media video which mistakenly included audio of an explicit rap song over a carousel of photos of Anzac Day commemorations.

Senator Helen Polley, a former shadow minister and current chair of parliament’s committee on law enforcement, posted a video compilation of images paying respect to Australia’s defence forces.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Anti-immigration group claims it did not organise Anzac Day booing despite post asking ‘how loud will you be’

27 April 2026 at 09:48

Booing by rightwing groups of Indigenous leaders giving welcome to country speeches marred ceremonies for a second year running

An anti-immigration group has claimed it did not “organise” booing at welcome to country ceremonies at Anzac Day dawn services despite a social media post asking followers “how loud will you be this year”.

Booing by rightwing groups of Indigenous elders giving welcome to country speeches marred Anzac Day ceremonies for a second year running, and sparked another public debate about their role at public events. Uncle Ray Minniecon, who served in the armed forces and was booed while giving an acknowledgment of country at Sydney’s dawn service, said the mocking was “unexpected and unnecessary, but it happens”.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Ye Myo Khant/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Ye Myo Khant/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Ye Myo Khant/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

  • ✇The Guardian World news
  • Ben Roberts-Smith to attend first Anzac Day service since war crime charges Ben Doherty and Josh Butler
    Former soldier says he will ‘pay my respects’ at commemoration in Queensland where he has been living since being released on bailGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBen Roberts-Smith will attend an Anzac Day service in Queensland on Saturday morning, describing the day as “sacred” to him, the first commemoration since he was criminally charged.Roberts-Smith, the recipient of the Victoria Cross and once one of Australia’s most lionised soldiers, faces five charges of the w
     

Ben Roberts-Smith to attend first Anzac Day service since war crime charges

24 April 2026 at 07:58

Former soldier says he will ‘pay my respects’ at commemoration in Queensland where he has been living since being released on bail

Ben Roberts-Smith will attend an Anzac Day service in Queensland on Saturday morning, describing the day as “sacred” to him, the first commemoration since he was criminally charged.

Roberts-Smith, the recipient of the Victoria Cross and once one of Australia’s most lionised soldiers, faces five charges of the war crime of murder, allegedly committed during his service with the SAS in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: AAP

© Photograph: AAP

© Photograph: AAP

Anthony Albanese accused of ‘caving to gas companies’ as Labor set to reject new export tax

24 April 2026 at 03:49

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

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.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Greg Wood/AFP/Getty Images

Australians ‘uneasy’ about NDIS cuts amid $53bn in new defence spending, Mark Butler concedes

23 April 2026 at 06:41

Minister tells Guardian Australia despite substantial changes to disability scheme, it will remain one of best support services ‘anywhere in the world’

Mark Butler has defended the government’s decision to trim the NDIS just days after announcing $53bn in new defence spending, with the health minister conceding Australians may be “uneasy” but insisting it would remain one of the best support services “anywhere in the world”.

The Coalition looks likely to back the proposed changes, despite alarm from the Greens and some in the disability sector about the 160,000 participants expected to be removed by 2030 and changes to who can access the scheme.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Albanese’s visits to key allies have borne early fruits of fuel and fertiliser but ‘resilience’ is on the budget agenda

17 April 2026 at 07:45

The prime minister has weathered the crises – for now – and there is a growing recognition that Australia is too vulnerable to world events

Anthony Albanese’s fuel diplomacy tour of Asia has already started paying dividends, but the real test could still be to come.

After last week’s rush to Singapore and pulling forward a planned visit, the prime minister dashed back to Australia from Malaysia on Thursday, to survey the damage at one of the nation’s only remaining fuel refineries. The hastily arranged trips, were to show a leader on the job; to demonstrate Albanese’s attention to the fuel crisis.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/Reuters

© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/Reuters

© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/Reuters

No ‘specific request’ to help US in strait of Hormuz, Marles says, as Trump repeats criticism of Australia

16 April 2026 at 22:13

US president told reporters he was ‘not happy with Australia because they were not there when we asked them to be there’

Donald Trump has again accused Australia of not doing enough to help him in the Middle East war, claiming the US “asked them to be there” despite Australia’s defence minister saying there had been no “specific request”.

The US president made the comments while taking questions from reporters, including Australian correspondents, as he left the White House on Thursday.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

❌