Minns says he and Albanese ‘disagree on a fair bit’ but downplays falling out
Penry Buckley
Returning to the NSW premier, Chris Minns has also responded to speculation that his relationship with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has deteriorated after the Bondi beach terror attack.
Asked about a 16 December meeting before a press conference in which the Sydney Morning Herald reported Minns and the prime minister argued over what information to share with the public, the premier said:
I don’t remember it being particularly acrimonious. There might have been a disagreement about what to say in that media conference that was taking place in the meeting afterwards but I’ve got to say … we disagree on a fair bit. There’s no doubt about it.
But Minns added that Albanese was “excellent” in responding to natural disasters or crises:
He never goes missing. He answers the call straight away. He never says no. I mean, I’ve been in a situation where he’s bounced his own officials, his own ministers, to get money and resources for NSW even when people have told him not to.
Asked if their relationship is “on the rocks”, Minns said:
It’s not … I’m always going to fight my corner and my responsibilities are different to his. I have to stick up for NSW. I have to sometimes put on the boxing gloves and make sure that we get our fair share, and sometimes that’s uncomfortable in terms of the relationship.
In recent months, the premier has been vocally critical of federal Labor, including over the allocation of GST, as well as what he has characterised as the budget’s lack of action on changes to income tax, in particular for those in the top bracket.
Key events
Labor putting a ‘poison pill’ in budget bill, says Hastie
Coalition frontbencher Andrew Hastie says Labor is employing “classic wedge politics” to corner the opposition, by grouping capital gains tax changes with the tax offset for workers in one bill – which will be introduced Thursday.
Anthony Albanese confirmed yesterday that the working Australians tax offset (that will hand workers back $250 after the next financial year) will be in the same bill as negative gearing and CGT reforms (that the opposition has vehemently opposed).
The Coalition says will oppose the whole bill – despite supporting the tax offset.
But Hastie tells Sky News the public will see through the politics.
Labor’s trying to put a poison pill in this bill, the working Australian tax offset, which we support, but nonetheless, the Australian people did not vote for an increase to their taxes, and this is exactly what Labor is going to do, and this is ultimately a vote for more taxes, which is why we will oppose it.
This is classic wedge politics, and people can see through it, because in the end you’re going to get hit harder by a tax increase.
Haines calls for transparency on Nacc appointment
After the shock announcement from Paul Brereton that he would step down as national anti-corruption commissioner – two years early – independent MP Helen Haines is calling for a transparent process to appoint his successor.
Speaking to media, Haines is also launching the Centre for Public Integrity’s report on the oversight on integrity agencies – including the Nacc and national audit office.
Haines says there should be stronger oversight and an independent appointments panel to determine who will replace Brereton:
We don’t have a clear understanding of how people are either tapped on the shoulder or whether there is an expression of interest going out, what the criteria are for appointment, and we need stronger oversight on those appointments.
Haines – who was a key architect of the NACC – made a rare intervention on Monday to urge the government to consider new merit-based and independent selection processes for major appointments, before Brereton announced his resignation.
Minns says he and Albanese ‘disagree on a fair bit’ but downplays falling out
Penry Buckley
Returning to the NSW premier, Chris Minns has also responded to speculation that his relationship with the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has deteriorated after the Bondi beach terror attack.
Asked about a 16 December meeting before a press conference in which the Sydney Morning Herald reported Minns and the prime minister argued over what information to share with the public, the premier said:
I don’t remember it being particularly acrimonious. There might have been a disagreement about what to say in that media conference that was taking place in the meeting afterwards but I’ve got to say … we disagree on a fair bit. There’s no doubt about it.
But Minns added that Albanese was “excellent” in responding to natural disasters or crises:
He never goes missing. He answers the call straight away. He never says no. I mean, I’ve been in a situation where he’s bounced his own officials, his own ministers, to get money and resources for NSW even when people have told him not to.
Asked if their relationship is “on the rocks”, Minns said:
It’s not … I’m always going to fight my corner and my responsibilities are different to his. I have to stick up for NSW. I have to sometimes put on the boxing gloves and make sure that we get our fair share, and sometimes that’s uncomfortable in terms of the relationship.
In recent months, the premier has been vocally critical of federal Labor, including over the allocation of GST, as well as what he has characterised as the budget’s lack of action on changes to income tax, in particular for those in the top bracket.
Labor confirms women and children from Syrian camp travelling to Australia
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, has confirmed seven women and 12 children from a Syrian camp have made plans to travel to Australia.
He said – again – that the government “has not and will not provide any assistance to this group”.
In a statement, Burke said law enforcement and intelligence agencies have been preparing for the return of the cohort in 2014 and “have longstanding plans in place to manage and monitor them”.
These are people who have made the horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation and to place their children in an unspeakable situation.
As we have said many times – any members of this cohort who have committed crimes can expect to face the full force of the law.
The priority of the government, as always, is the safety of the Australian community.
Opposition says Queensland coal behind drop in energy bills
The opposition has come up with its own reason for household and small business energy prices falling over the next financial year – Queensland coal.
Joining RN Breakfast, the shadow resources minister, Susan McDonald, says that Australians are already around $1000 worse off on their energy bills than the PM had promised when Labor came to power.
She says she’ll wait with bated breath to see if prices do come down under the next default market offer and, if they do, she reckons it’s not because of more renewables in the system.
Do we think that people are ever going to get that back in their pockets? People are struggling. Small businesses are closing. I will wait and see with bated breath whether or not this happens. But if it does, I suspect it’ll be from Queensland because they’ve extended their coal-fired power stations and they’re using fossil fuels.
Resources minister dismisses BHP leaked memo
Madeleine King has dismissed the joint investigation by Guardian Australia and the ABC’s Four Corners program that shows BHP has backtracked on decarbonisation at a vast network of mines.
Leaked internal documents show the giant has quietly considered options to push major climate investments in its Western Australian iron ore operations into the next two decades.
Sally Sara asks King if she’s concerned about the reporting but King shrugs it off.
BHP is committed to cutting emissions. They will make their commercial decisions, as do others. BHP and other miners are subject to the safeguard mechanism.
Sara asks again if there are any concerns from the government over the revelations. King replies:
No, because they’re doing their job.
King takes a dig at gas industry
Sticking to energy, the resources minister, Madeleine King, says the government has opened up consultation with the gas industry over its 20% east coast gas reservation scheme – which Labor says will reduce household gas bills.
But she’s not happy with how the gas industry is handling itself.
Speaking to the ABC’s RN Breakfast this morning, she says the government released a discussion paper yesterday to promote discussion on the issue – but the industry isn’t playing ball.
We could have brought in legislation that just reflects what we think, how we think it should operate. And I imagine the CEO and others from the AEP (Australian Energy Producers) and the gas industry would have objected to that wildly. So what we have chosen to do is have a discussion paper and an open discussion for consultation. They also object to that. So I really don’t know where they hope is the middle ground. I think open consultation and development of this policy involving gas producers is the best way to go. If they disagree with that, that’s a matter for them.
Host, Sally Sara asks how much the reservation scheme will drop energy bills – but King won’t say.
She also dismisses concerns that the reservation policy would have an impact on producers who are not exporters in the long term – and takes another dig at the peak body.
I’m disappointed by the AEP’s attitude in relation to this, but it’s not unexpected, to be fair. That’s why we’re going to consult to get it to get it right.
‘This is very good value for money for Australia’: Bowen defends COP role
Chris Bowen, who has also taken on the role of president of negotiations at the Cop climate summit, says that Australia’s involvement is “very good value for money”.
He says that the price tag of $150m includes the negotiations for Cop, as well as broader engagement with the Pacific, of which he says Cop is just “one part”.
He accuses the opposition leader, Angus Taylor (who he, for God-knows-what reason, calls “Mr T”), of “lying” about the allocation of funding for Cop being $200m.
Mr T [is] out there saying it’s $200m. He’s lying. Secondly, these things do cost money. It cost money when John Howard chaired Apec. It cost money when Tony Abbott chaired G20. They were good for the country and the Labor party supported them because we’re a patriotic party. So this is an opportunity for Australia to play an outsized role in the climate negotiations.
This is a 12-month presidency. Most of the money has not yet been spent to answer your question, Mel. This is very good value for money for Australia.
Batteries are ‘flattening the peak’ of prices: Bowen
Speaking of the energy minister, Chris Bowen says three things are contributing to the drop in energy bills for households and businesses:
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More renewable energy in the grid;
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Renewable batteries absorbing some of the coal and gas being used at peak times during the night;
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Reforming the default market offer to ensure “that only the absolutely necessary prices or costs are included.”
He tells the ABC’s AM program:
What we’re seeing is batteries working to what we call flatten the peak. So the biggest pressure on prices is in the night-time when coal and gas are called upon more. When we’re calling on batteries more, which saves the renewables from the middle of the day for the night, that is really putting very significant downward pressure on prices.
Host Mel Clark asks whether we should be concerned that prices will go back up as the energy crisis in the Middle East continues but Bowen says that, unlike when Russia invaded Ukraine and gas prices skyrocketed, it’s oil that’s been affected by the latest war – which shouldn’t have an impact on household or business energy bills.
There have been impacts on gas production but we’re really mainly seeing the impact on oil at the moment. But we’re not complacent.
Household energy bills drop up to 10% across parts of east coast
The government says household standing offer time of use prices will fall between 1.1% and 10.7% in South Australia, NSW and south-east Queensland, under the latest default market offer over the next 12 months.
The DMO – which is the maximum price energy retailers can charge electricity consumers on default plans (known as standing offer contracts) – shows small business standing offer time of use prices are set to fall by between 12.1% and 20.9%.
Chris Bowen will be out and about this morning to spruik the drop in energy bills which comes as the nations main energy grids recorded over 50% renewable generation at the end of last year for the first time.
Labor says the 2026-27 DMO – which will come into effect on 1 July – will for the first time better protect households and ensure consumers “pay a price that better reflects the actual costs of supplying electricity”.
The benchmark price will down in NSW between $66 and $137, down $155 in Queensland, but up $33 in South Australia.
Josh Butler
Dan Repacholi says more can be done to support new fathers
Repacholi, the special envoy for men’s health, said fatherhood was “one of the proudest moments in a bloke’s life but it can also be one of the hardest”. He said the report “shows there is a real opportunity to make it easier for dads to talk about their health, get support early and stay connected during one of the biggest transitions of their lives.”
Pocock said he welcomed the attention Movember was bringing to the issue.
Investing in the mental health of parents sets both them and their children up for better outcomes.
Becoming a new parent is a huge transition at the best of times and, given all the additional pressures families are facing at the moment, there’s clearly more we can do to help people through it and get the best outcomes for everyone.
Josh Butler
Dan Repacholi and David Pocock push for greater support for new fathers
Men’s health project Movember is pushing for more support for new fathers, visiting parliament today with a new report warning of poor mental and physical health, isolation and loneliness for men with new families.
Labor MP Dan Repacholi and ACT senator David Pocock are supporting the push, which was also co-signed by Prince Harry during his recent visit to Australia. The Movember report found that while the overwhelming majority of men reported positive aspects of fatherhood – 84% saying it gave their life greater meaning, 77% saying it helped them express love and vulnerability more openly, 72% saying they were more involved in care than their own fathers – there were also some issues which were sometimes overlooked.
The report found 60% of new dads said they were never asked about their own mental health during their partner’s pregnancy or in the year afterward, which Movember called “a significant gap in how the health system supports dads”. A quarter of new fathers rated their mental or physical health as poor, and 20% reported feeling more isolated or lonely.
Movember is asking for more routine mental health screening for fathers as well as more investment in training health professionals and expanding community support programs to reduce isolation.
Krishani Dhanji
Good morning, Krishani Dhanji here with you. Thanks to Martin Farrer for getting us started.
It’s going to be another big day in Canberra as Labor fights against the Coalition over its capital gains tax changes (with the legislation to be introduced on Thursday), and public servants and government senators steeling themselves to face another day of grilling at estimates today. That will include the national anti-corruption commission and its commissioner, Paul Brereton, who announced his resignation yesterday. We’ll keep our eyes peeled for that later this afternoon.
And, on a very different note, there’s a push in parliament today to give new fathers more support – a campaign backed by men’s mental health envoy Dan Repacholi and independent David Pocock. More on that shortly.
I’ve got my coffee, I hope you’ve got yours – let’s get stuck in!
Josh Taylor
WiseTech chair alleges ‘threat of violence’ against CEO
WiseTech’s founder and chair, Richard White, wrote to staff late on Sunday evening to allege there had been “personal attacks, vitriol, and deeply offensive behaviour in group chats” regarding the restructure of the software company due to AI.
The company did not provide any examples of this when asked on Monday.
Multiple staff Guardian Australia spoke to suggest all questions to the executives in the chat have been seeking more information on the redundancies in a professional manner, and argue they are being attacked for asking questions.
White’s email also alleges the chief executive, Zubin Appoo, received a handwritten note “threat of violence … containing personal information and offensive comments directed at members of his family”.
A spokesperson for WiseTech said the matter “is under police investigation” and said: “WiseTech has zero tolerance for threats of violence, abuse, intimidation, harassment, vitriol or offensive behavior against anyone.”
Almost 200 WiseTech Australian employees flagged for redundancy due to AI
Josh Taylor
Professionals Australia, the union representing workers at software company WiseTech has told Guardian Australia about 190 staff on the company’s product development and customer service teams have been notified their roles could go as part of the 2,000 cut due to advancements in artificial intelligence.
Guardian Australia reported last week that staff were told that they would be informed this week after nearly three months of waiting since the initial announcement.
Guardian Australia understands emails were sent out to affected employees and those who will remain with the company informing them either way, but were recalled and re-sent an hour later.
Professionals Australia said this was to allow those staff who may be cut to provide their personal email details before being cut off from WiseTech systems.
There will be a two-week consultation with WiseTech for those affected, with employees being invited to a meeting to discuss the changes. WiseTech has not yet outlined if it plans to offer more than the required redundancy.
A spokesperson for WiseTech said no final decisions had been made yet.
No final decisions will be made about any individual roles until the relevant requirements for each local jurisdiction have been met.
We recognise that a process of this scale, nature and complexity creates uncertainty for our people. We’ve taken a careful, deliberate approach to ensure our decisions are well informed and made with full regard to our business and our people.
Renewables and batteries soar but ‘critical’ moment coming
Petra Stock
Australia has become a top-three global player in batteries, and renewable energy met nearly half of the nation’s power in 2025, but the Clean Energy Council has warned that progress could stall as investment in new wind and solar plummeted.
The industry’s annual snapshot found renewable energy supplied 43% of Australia’s power throughout 2025, up from 39% in 2024. The year ended on a high, with clean energy generating more than 50% of power in the national grid in the final quarter.
Australia ranked third in the world for utility-scale batteries, behind only China and the United States – with 2GW of large-scale battery capacity connected to the grid, up 233% on the previous year.
Yet despite these achievements, the CEC chief executive, Jackie Trad, said the energy transition was approaching a “critical juncture”.
The next five years matter most. Our sector’s highest priority in 2026 must be to remove the barriers slowing investment in new large-scale wind and solar projects that will ultimately replace unreliable coal generators that threaten the security of our energy system.
A 48% fall in new investment in onshore wind and solar signalled a likely slowdown. This was most evident for wind, with 0.9GW reaching financial close in 2025, compared with 2.2GW the previous year.
According to the report, rising inflation, regulatory bottlenecks, slow delivery of transmission and delayed coal closures contributed to weakening investor confidence.
Investment in battery storage remained strong. The uptake of home batteries surged 260%, compared with 2024, helped by the federal government’s cheaper home batteries program. More than 268,000 small-scale storage systems were added during 2025 – a number that has since grown to 400,000.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Krishani Dhanji with the main action.
There’s good news and bad news for the environment: Australia has become a top-three global player in batteries and renewable energy met nearly half of the nation’s power in 2025 – but the annual industry snapshot warns that new investments are worryingly absent (especially notable given our big exclusive today on BHP’s renewables go-slow).
About 190 WiseTech staff have been notified their roles could go as part of 2,000 cuts due to advancements in artificial intelligence, unions have told the Guardian. More coming up.
The men’s health project Movember is pushing for more support for new fathers and will lobby parliament today. More coming up on that, too.
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