• 1 hr ago

Two panels of MPs and "citizens" would run publicly-funded advertising campaigns for and against same-sex marriage under a plebiscite plan endorsed by the Coalition party room on Tuesday.

Eddie Blewett came to Canberra to tackle the PM on why Australia has to have a plebiscite on same-sex marriage.

Searing report shows officials could not explain how they selected the businesses that received more than $3 billion.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will be forced to wait another three weeks to find out if Labor will reverse course and vote for a $170 million national plebiscite to be held on Feburary 11, 2017.

The Coalition and Labor have agreed to cut back a $1.4 billion baby-bonus payment as part of the deal to pass the $6 billion omnibus savings bill.

Liberal MP Tim Wilson has apologised to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for an apparent clash during a lengthy Coalition party room meeting on same-sex marriage.

A panel of citizens would convene with federal MPs to decide how to allocate taxpayer funding to the "yes" and "no" campaigns on same-sex marriage, under a plebiscite plan being considered by Coalition MPs.

Liberal Party's first openly-gay federal politician tells Fairfax Media the idea of a plebiscite was so "abhorrent" to him that he could not support it.

The cost of stopping the boats has been calculated at more than $9.6 billion since 2013, and will be another $5.7 billion over the next four years, according to a study by Save the Children and UNICEF.

Former Liberal Treasurer Peter Costello has launched a passionate defence of the mining sector saying is has been "treated shabbily" in Australia and asked why the industry is not included in the national curriculum. 

The Turnbull government has suffered more embarrassing scenes in Parliament, with senators forced to give rambling monologues about their colleagues and favourite television shows because the government had no bills ready for debate.

• EXCLUSIVE

The Turnbull government is facing a major test of its resolve and unity, with the controversial same-sex marriage plebiscite expected to be debated by the Coalition party room on Tuesday.

Former Labor frontbencher Sam Dastyari praised the Chinese Communist Party's official propaganda outlet for its "incredible work" in building relations with Australia.

Derryn Hinch has fulfilled his promise to "name names" in the Senate.

He bills the public up to $435 a day in "travelling allowance" while staying away from home on official business. But could the minister responsible for the dole, Christian Porter, make just over half that amount stretch across an entire week?

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has raised the spectre of young people suiciding as a result of the Turnbull government's same-sex marriage plebiscite, in his strongest sign to date that Labor will block the bill.

• ANALYSIS

The German term "amok laufer" or "someone who runs amok" describes a person who, following a long period of brooding, snaps and goes on a mass murder rampage.

A preliminary Auditor-General investigation into the Liberal Party's taxpayer funded use of the electorate software Feedback - operated by party-owned company Parakeelia - has concluded the arrangement doesn't breach any electorate or parliamentary rules.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott is maintaining his high-vis presence in national media, using morning television to cement expectations of "a term of delivery" for the Turnbull government.

The Coalition and Labor are inching towards a deal to pass the so-called $6 billion omnibus savings package, Treasurer Scott Morrison says.

The Turnbull government is at war with itself over the proposed same-sex marriage plebiscite, with two former cabinet ministers demanding the prime minister hand over millions of dollars in taxpayer funding to both sides of the debate. 

Malcolm Turnbull is coming under renewed pressure to drop plans for a plebiscite on same-sex marriage as leading LGBTIQ Australians join a new campaign calling for Parliament to block a national vote.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has refused to publicly release a cost-benefit analysis of the effects of his decision to move 175 public servants from Canberra to Armidale.

Former prime minister John Howard has urged Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to make changes to section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, saying he can focus on economic reform while also protecting free speech.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has blamed NSW Premier Mike Baird's decision to ban greyhound racing from from July 1 next year for swings against the Coalition in the state's local council elections.

Just don't ask Bill Shorten to explain quantum computing or perform any incredible feats of upper body strength.

Crossbench MPs are calling on Bill Shorten to ditch his same-sex marriage bill and support theirs in a bid to pressure Malcolm Turnbull to abandon his plebiscite plans.

The Prime Minister says he will be celebrating the first anniversary of his coup against Tony Abbott.

A coalition of Australia's biggest charities are calling on the Turnbull Government and Labor to abandon plans to cut the income of people living below the poverty line on the dole.