Latest political news
'It's never been a better time to vote for anyone else': Malcolm Turnbull hit by hoax text campaign
![Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also appears to be a victim of the text-messaging hoax that hit his Liberal stablemate, ...](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/j/7/4/0/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpj8ng.png/1465983583784.jpg)
Katie Burgess 7:39 PM This time it's the prime minister telling people to vote for someone other than himself.
Cowboy Katter 'shoots two dead' in campaign video
![Screen grab from Bob Katter's latest campaign ad.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/j/l/9/m/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpjl7z.png/1465966192658.jpg)
2:49 PM Maverick Queensland MP Bob Katter is well known for his fast-shooting mouth.
Anti-gay Islamic preacher's visa under review
![A video still of Farrokh Sekaleshfar.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/i/y/x/6/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpix6l.png/1465943819385.jpg)
David Wroe, Adam Gartrell 8:36 AM The Turnbull government is urgently reviewing the visa of an anti-gay Islamic preacher who sermonised in Orlando ahead of the Pulse nightclub massacre and is now visiting Australia.
Greens put Nile candidate before gay Lib
![Geoffrey Winters is the Liberals' star candidate for Sydney.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/4/m/y/d/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpimpw.png/1465968313715.jpg)
Heath Aston Greens give preference to the Christian Democratic Party of Reverend Fred Nile above the Liberal candidate for Sydney, an indigenous gay man who is wants same-sex marriage.
Prioritise Reef over coal: survey
![Hunter Valley open cut coal mine](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/t/d/6/k/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpim6w.png/1465949478284.jpg)
Nicole Hasham A thumping majority of Australians want the health of the Great Barrier Reef prioritised over coal mining, according to a survey of more than 63,000 Fairfax Media readers.
Greens to preference Labor in every Queensland seat
![The Greens in Queensland attracted 6.22 per cent of the primary vote in lower house contests in 2013.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/n/e/p/j/h/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpia1b.png/1465851673414.jpg)
Cameron Atfield ALP election chances in Queensland get significant boost.
PwC advises multinationals 'read the play'
![Nassim Khadem dinkus.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/1/2/v/d/8/h/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gphzha.png/1465850534486.jpg)
Nassim Khadem Multinationals will still strategise how to pay less tax in the new political landscape, just with a new spin.
Public servants to Armidale: the missing evidence
![Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce remains adamant public servants will be on the move .](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/4/a/9/y/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gphncr.png/1465808632893.jpg)
Noel Towell Business case for forced relocation of public servants should have been done by now: reports.
Health matters 'more than economy': over 50s
![Health trumps the economy for Australians over 50.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/1/3/a/u/p/1/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gphfix.png/1465869429286.jpg)
Peter Martin Health care is by far the most important issue determining the votes of older Australians, eclipsing economic management for the first time.
Shorten slams Trump for 'demonising' Muslims
![Opposition Leader Bill Shorten](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/h/s/0/r/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gphrf7.png/1465972223239.jpg)
David Wroe Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has taken Donald Trump to task over the presumptive Republican candidate's claims the Orlando shooting shows he was right to call for a ban on Muslims entering the United States.
Labor's big internet play - faster broadband, same price range
![Labor says it will move away from Malcolm Turnbull's NBN policy.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/l/u/r/x/x/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gphcrm.png/1465808110118.jpg)
Mark Kenny, James Massola Twice as many Australians would get faster fibre-to-the-home internet connections under a future Shorten Labor government, but the rollout of the NBN would cost taxpayers at most only $1 billion more and would be completed in the same time, Labor says.
Greens push PM on republic with cake stunt
![Greens leader Senator Richard Di Natale](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/e/g/o/0/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gph8be.png/1465718121229.jpg)
Michael Koziol The Greens will attempt to put the elusive republic back on the menu today with a cake-based stunt atop Parliament House.
Greens pledge to crack down on 'free-range' eggs
![The Greens say free-range eggs should live up to their name.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/h/k/2/u/m/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gph0e1.png/1465969565015.jpg)
Cameron Atfield The federal Greens will push for a national standard for free-range eggs that would slash the number of farm hens per hectare by 85 per cent.
Dissident voice in Parliament still speaking out
![Judith Moylan was never afraid to speak out against her own party's policies. She has been appointed an Officer of the ...](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/f/a/t/g/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpfe0j.png/1465768014273.jpg)
Nicole Hasham When former rebel MP Judi Moylan departed the party room after railing against Liberal policies, less daring colleagues often approached her in solidarity.
Rudd 'overturned' prize for 'sex lives' book
![Not suitable for a prime ministerial prize in an election year? The Sex Lives of Australians by Frank Bongiorno.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/c/h/b/v/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpf3x6.png/1465609716854.jpg)
Michael Koziol Judges of the prestigious Prime Minister's Literary Award say then prime minister Kevin Rudd overruled their decision on the 2013 history prize.
Record field for Queensland Senate ballot paper
![Australian Electoral Commission officials conduct the draw for the Queensland Senate ballot paper.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/g/f/8/5/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpgfgf.png/1465617683743.jpg)
Cameron Atfield Queenslanders will have 40 more Senate candidates to choose from than they did at the 2013 election, after 122 candidates put their names forward for election.
ALP candidate to remove army billboards
![Labor candidate Pat O'Neill's billboard, on St Paul's Terrace, will be removed along by Saturday night.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/g/3/a/q/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpg104.png/1465904350107.jpg)
Cameron Atfield Pat O'Neill used billboards depicting him in his army uniform.
Penny Wong lavishes praise on Anthony Albanese
![Anthony Albanese launching his campaign with Penny Wong at Vic on the Park Pub in Enmore.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/f/t/s/n/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpftry.png/1465488128151.jpg)
Deborah Snow Penny Wong and Anthony Albanese's political love-in points to a strong alliance between the pair after the election
Defence eyes campaign ban on wearing uniforms
![Canning MP Andrew Hastie says he won't remove photos of himself in uniform from his federal election campaign material.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/3/v/c/k/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpfouk.png/1465535053853.jpg)
David Wroe and Tom McIlroy The Australian Defence Force is seriously considering asking the next government to change the law to prohibit election campaign material featuring military uniforms, Fairfax Media understands.
The tax havens costing Australia $6b a year
![There are tricks available to multinational corporations to reduce their tax bills, Oxfam's report says.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/8/i/b/l/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpea3e.png/1465437191290.jpg)
Nassim Khadem The world's poorest people, and women in particular, bear the brunt of global tax dodging, says Oxfam.
Australians quick to embrace China, survey finds
![Some 69 per cent of Australians believe China has the most influence in Asia today.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/j/9/y/5/p/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpemj4.png/1465392438180.jpg)
David Wroe Australians think China already dominates Asia – more than the Chinese even believe it themselves.
Palmer announces Qld Senate team
![Outgoing federal MP Clive Palmer brushed off questions about whether his candidates had a legitimate chance given his ...](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/2/l/0/c/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpe5r2.png/1465357932381.jpg)
Clive Palmer has again denied his party is fuelled by nepotism after announcing two business figures and repeat candidates closely tied to him as his Queensland Senate team.
Liberals investigating 'black ops' meeting
![NSW Young Liberal president Alex Dore with Tony Abbott.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/d/8/f/j/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gp5ywl.png/1465331730140.jpg)
Michael Koziol The NSW Liberal Party is investigating an attempted leadership coup at a chaotic Young Liberal branch meeting, which sources say represents the thin end of the wedge for the factionally-riven party.
Shorten shifts focus to the economy
![Opposition Leader Bill Shorten tours the storm affected Coogee Surf Life Saving Club in Sydney on Tuesday.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/p/d/q/j/d/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpdbm3.png/1465521764578.jpg)
James Massola Focus shifts back to the economy as Labor releases economic plan in an attempt to get on the front foot and as the govt attacks Shorten over company tax.
The torment of women at Nauru
![Asylum seekers on Nauru.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/k/l/u/m/9/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpcfeq.png/1465286579134.jpg)
Nicole Hasham The sky was fast plunging into darkness when a car pulled up to Amina*, and the male driver leaned out to warn her about wild dogs.
Public servants could face court over death: lawyers
![Manus Island detainee Hamid Khazaei, who died in 2014.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/o/e/r/1/a/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpcbou.png/1465218288151.jpg)
Noel Towell Canberra bureaucrats could find themselves in the dock over young asylum seeker's death.
Subs could be vulnerable to new weapons technology: Beazley
!["Technologies in the military sphere are about to change dramatically": Former Labor leader Kim Beazley.](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/a/1/a/5/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpc167.png/1465211291751.jpg)
Deborah Snow Former Labor leader and onetime defence minister Kim Beazley has cautioned that dramatic changes in military technology over the next decade could have an impact on Australia's $50 billion submarine replacement program, given the rapid development of unmanned submersible platforms that are better able to detect conventional submarines.Â
Bob Brown's new campaign: development through the Tarkine
![Bob Brown](/web/20160615121038im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/g/v/b/r/l/image.related.thumbnail.90x60.gpbgi1.png/1465186725994.jpg)
Adam Morton Former Greens leader Bob Brown is trying to get backing for a development in pristine Tasmanian wilderness – in order to save it.