In a significant development for small island nations threatened by rising seas, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) has found greenhouse gases constitute marine pollution. The tribunal handed down a unanimous advisory opinion this week in its first climate-related judgement. It declared countries must take measures to combat […]
politics
On a rainy afternoon in London, an increasingly damp Rishi Sunak confirmed what many had been speculating for most of the day in a speech outside 10 Downing Street – that the UK is heading for an election earlier than anticipated. Here’s what to expect in the weeks ahead. When […]
Last week’s budget was Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ third and – for practical purposes – final for the current parliamentary term. Even if the 2025 election is delayed long enough to give Labor another budget, that speech would represent more of an election manifesto than any deliverable legislation. We are therefore […]
A central focus of this week’s budget is the treasury’s forecast for inflation. By this time next year, inflation is projected to be back within the Reserve Bank’s 2-3% target range. Inflation has dropped dramatically from its peak of 7.8% just 18 months ago, but the last mile – getting from the present […]
A contentious new Bill proposing sweeping powers for the Australian government to impose country-wide travel bans has been labelled “racist” and “inhumane”. The proposed legislation, which faces vehement opposition, is under scrutiny as calls grow for it to be scrapped entirely. Protests against the Entry Ban and Deportation Bill, slated […]
The federal government’s push for tougher deportation laws is facing renewed criticism in the wake of a recent ruling by the High Court. The ruling, delivered last Friday, authorises the indefinite detention of non-citizens who resist deportation, stirring fresh opposition from political adversaries and community organisations. In March, the Government […]
The Albanese government will introduce legislation to ban deepfake pornography and provide more funding for the eSafety Commission to pilot age-assurance technologies. The contribution of internet sites to gender-based violence was one major issue at Wednesday’s special national cabinet meeting on the issue of violence against women. After the meeting […]
The Queensland state election will be held in October. A YouGov poll for The Courier Mail, conducted April 9–17 from a sample of 1,092 people, gave the Liberal National Party a 56–44% lead over Labor, a four-point gain for the LNP since the early October 2023 YouGov poll. Primary votes were 44% […]
There’s been much talk in recent months about what a possible second Donald Trump presidency in the United States could mean for Europe, Russia’s war in Ukraine, the Israel-Palestinian conflict and China. But there’s one more country closely watching the race: Iran. Another Trump presidency could pose immense risks for the Iranian leadership, especially given […]
A national Newspoll, conducted April 15–18 from a sample of 1,236, gave Labor a 51–49 lead, unchanged from the previous Newspoll in late March. Primary votes were 38% Coalition (up one), 33% Labor (up one), 12% Greens (down one), 7% One Nation (steady) and 10% for all Others (down one). Anthony […]
