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Chalmers maintains tax changes about making a ‘tangible difference’ in the housing market
Chalmers says he understands some Australians will have “strong views” about the politics surrounding the changes to the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing. He went on:
We understand that people will have strong views about the politics of this but it is the substance of the changes that we are making that matters most and the substance of what we are announcing today: tens of thousands of new homes for Queenslanders including tens of thousands of homes for first home buyers.
This is how you make a tangible difference to the housing market in this country, taking difficult decisions, building more homes, making more of those homes available to first home buyers.
He was asked if he made a “mistake” after breaking a campaign promise. Chalmers said:
I’m confident that the substance of what we’re doing is the right decision, taken for the right reasons.
Federal government announces $2bn effort to build 50,000 new homes in Queensland
The federal government has announced a major housing investment in Queensland, a deal between the Albanese government and the state government to build 50,000 homes for Queenslanders.
Of these, 21,000 will be reserved for first home buyers. It will be supported by $2bn in loans and grants from the federal government, with the Queensland government contributing as well.
Jim Chalmers is speaking at a press conference in Brisbane. He said:
This is a budget which makes hard decisions to get more Australians into homes.
It is a budget for workers, a budget for first home buyers and a budget for future generations who would otherwise be locked out of the housing market.
The status quo in housing and in tax is broken and we are fixing it.
We’ll bring you more shortly.
Nearly 1,000 people charged in NSW operation targeting those with history of domestic violence
New South Wales police charged nearly 1,000 people during a four-day, statewide operation targeting offenders with a history of domestic violence.
Officials said the operation ran from 13 May to 16 May and was an intelligence-led effort to “ensure the safety and wellbeing of domestic and family violence victims and the broader NSW community”. Over the period, 993 people were arrested and charged, with 2,063 charges laid and 94 firearms seized.
Yasmin Catley, the NSW police minister, said in a statement:
Domestic and family violence is a stain on our society. These offenders rely on fear and control, and [Operation] Amarok is about turning that pressure back onto them.
If you use violence, intimidation or coercive control, police will come for you.
Opposition pushes back on assertions that immigration plans are similar to One Nation’s
Dave Sharma, the shadow assistant minister for citizenship and multicultural affairs, also spoke to RN this morning, where he was asked about any difference between the Coalition and One Nation immigration policies. Opposition leader Angus Taylor outlined a controversial migration policy last week, which prime minister Anthony Albanese said appeared to be a copy of Pauline Hanson’s own ideas.
Sharma pushed back against those assertions this morning, saying the policies were “quite different” while saying he wasn’t a student of One Nation’s politics.
I wouldn’t pretend to be a student of One Nation’s policy … but the policies we’ve put forward are what we believe are in the nation’s interest, and that is to make sure that when we bring people to Australia, there’s enough housing to accommodate them in a way that does not put pressure on the existing housing stock for people who are already here and to make sure that our immigration program is working in Australia’s national interests.
When pressed about where cuts to the migration figures will come from, Sharma said there were still years to go until the next election, and those details would be revealed closer to that date.
Sacked pianist’s case against Melbourne Symphony Orchestra heads to court
The opening strains of a concert pianist’s discrimination case against the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra are about to be heard in the Federal Court, AAP reports.
Jayson Gillham’s case is set to become a test of workplace rights in Australia and the pianist has crowdfunded more than $175,000 to cover his legal costs.
He is suing the orchestra over the termination of his contract after a performance at an MSO event in 2024, when he performed a solo piece called Witness dedicated to journalists killed in Gaza.
Gillham introduced the piece by saying Israel targeted journalists in an effort to prevent the documentation and broadcasting of war crimes to the world.
The orchestra then cancelled his performance at the Melbourne town hall, citing safety concerns, with the controversy making international headlines.
The trial is expected to run for three weeks and the MSO is expected to call around 20 witnesses.
Watt says ‘too many Australians locked out of the housing market’
Murray Watt was asked about the response to the federal budget last week, which is starting to filter through opinion polls this morning. He said the government didn’t design the budget to see the government’s standing go up or down in those surveys, but to see more Australians get into homes.
He went on:
I don’t think that anyone listening to the program this morning would seriously think that the current situation can continue … We could either sit back and allow the current situation to continue with too many Australians locked out of the housing market, especially younger Australians, or we could take some difficult decisions.
Now, of course, it’s our job to get out there and explain these decisions.
Watt said the government had an obligation to explain its change in stance on the CGT discount and negative gearing, saying the Labor party was about making sure Australia has an equitable system for both younger and older generations.
Australian health officials to work on Ebola outbreak response, minister says
Murray Watt, the federal environment minister, says he expects Australian health officials will be working with other countries as the world responds to the latest outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda.
The World Health Organization declared the event a “public health emergency of international concern” on Sunday, urging robust global efforts to limit its spread.
Watt spoke to RN Breakfast this morning, providing a brief update on Australia’s role in that response. He said:
I’m sure that our health officials will be working with other countries in terms of the response to this. You know, I think we’ve seen previously around the world outbreaks of Ebola have been of great concern to the world. So as I say, I’m sure that some of our officials in the health department would be working with their international counterparts about this as well.
No one has ever been diagnosed with Ebola virus disease in Australia, according to the Centre for Disease Control. The agency says that just one diagnoses would trigger an urged public health response.
Albanese on three-state blitz to tout budget tax changes
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is speaking on Triple M Hobart this morning about the budget plans, continuing the campaign to tout the latest federal budget. He’s stressing once more that changes to the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing are a recalibration of fairness in the housing system.
He said:
First home buyers who rock up to an auction, and they’re competing against an investor, the investor has the taxpayer by their side.
If they [the investor] have to choose, and they get down to the business end … they’re in a stronger position, because the taxpayer, [if they have to pay more], they have increased tax deductions … now that’s not fair.
Albanese is on a three-state blitz today – breakfast in Hobart, lunch in Adelaide and dinner in Perth.
Good morning
Good morning, and happy Monday. Nick Visser here to get the blog started. Here’s what’s on deck:
New South Wales police have charged nearly 1,000 people with more than 2,000 charges in total as part of a statewide operation targeting offenders with a history of domestic violence. Officials said the effort was meant to ensure the safety and wellbeing of domestic and family violence victims.
Meanwhile concert pianist Jayson Gillham’s discrimination case against the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will begin today. He is suing the orchestra over the termination of his contract, which was ended after he performed a piece in 2024 dedicated to journalists killed in Gaza.
I’m sure there’s much more to come, stick with us and we’ll bring you all the latest updates.
