Housing unaffordability has always had a pretty obvious cause. When the Howard government introduced a 50% discount on capital gains, it set the housing market aflame. Investors flocked into the system knowing that now they could negative gear properties to reduce their tax, and they could easily make up the loss when they sold the property because half of the profit would be tax free.
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It isn’t always easy to keep up with what’s happening in the US. “Shorter America” is a series where Dr Emma Shortis loops you in on what’s going on in America and shares news and analysis that you can trust.
The start of the FIFA World Cup would normally be a travel boom for the host countries. The impact of Donald Trump’s regime and the operations of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has, however, led to numerous reports that travel to the USA (which co-hosts the World Cup with Canada and Mexico) is well below expectations.
Excessive election signage in New South Wales has become an “arms race”, with a parliamentary committee finding it creates safety risks, visual clutter and an uneven playing field for candidates around polling places. The Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters has recommended the NSW Government establish a 100-metre restricted signage zone around voting booths ahead of next year’s state election.
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An influential farming group has called for reform of Australia’s largest fossil fuel subsidy, the $10 billion per year Fuel Tax Credit Scheme (FTCS). The call comes in a new report, Energy Sovereignty for Regional Australia, commissioned by Farmers for Climate Action and written by University of Western Australia Adjunct Professor Ray Wills.
The Queensland Museum is facing scrutiny from the state’s information watchdog over its handling of a right-to-information request seeking details about its partnership with Shell’s Queensland Gas Company (QGC) business.
Australia has backed an ambitious global electrification target, with Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen declaring “the world is having an electrification moment”. Greenpeace welcomed the initiative but said limiting global warming to 1.5°C would require a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, alongside greater electrification.
The Conservation Council of WA (CCWA) has called for major environmental reforms, warning Western Australia's biodiversity is under growing threat as more than 128,000 hectares of native vegetation is subject to clearing applications. According to CCWA’s newly released report, WA has already lost 16 flora species and 23 fauna species to extinction.
The destruction of a historic raintree in Cairns has reignited calls for governments to recognise urban greenery as an essential public health measure. After months of campaigning and a discontinued legal challenge, devastated locals watched on as the tree was cut down on Tuesday.
Almost nine in ten NSW residents support truth in political advertising laws, according to polling cited by a new push for reforms before next year’s state election. The findings come amid growing concern about misinformation, deepfakes and AI-generated content, with advocates warning voters are increasingly being exposed to false and misleading political claims online.
It isn’t always easy to keep up with what’s happening in the US. “Shorter America” is a series where Dr Emma Shortis loops you in on what’s going on in America and shares news and analysis that you can trust.
Over the weekend, Defence Minister Richard Marles revealed Australia would receive three used Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines, rather than the previous arrangement, which involved two second-hand and one new vessel. The trilateral security deal is facing scrutiny on multiple fronts, with internal Labor divisions surfacing alongside the launch of a public inquiry into AUKUS.
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A move to ban the gambling industry from making political donations has been launched in the ACT, as calls grow for stronger safeguards against the sector’s influence. Independent Member for Kurrajong Thomas Emerson has introduced a Private Member’s Bill to the ACT Legislative Assembly, arguing financial ties to the industry risk undermining gambling reform.
The nation has been through wars before, and history shows us that national governments have tended to let extractive industries dictate tax policy during these periods.
This week, former Canberra Liberals leader Leanne Castley left the party. This follows the Liberal party pushing out their first female leader in February, and with this move the Coalition now has just 98 women elected across Australia’s state, territory and federal parliaments – compared to over 200 men.
Former environment minister Peter Garrett will lead a public inquiry into the Australian Government’s $368 billion AUKUS defence pact, amid growing concerns over the lack of scrutiny surrounding the nation’s most expensive defence project. The independent inquiry will run for five months, with the Midnight Oil frontman and environmental campaigner saying there has never been a more critical time to uncover the facts.
