Naomi Woodley
Naomi Woodley reports on federal politics and policy for ABC News Online and the ABC's flagship radio current affairs programs, AM, The World Today and PM. She previously worked in the Sydney newsroom covering the court round and general news. You can follow her on Twitter at @naomiwoodley.
Peter Dutton accused of seeking 'Trump-like powers' to review visas
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Proposed changes to review the credentials of long-term visa holders could provide the Immigration Minister with too much power and represent a slide into fascism, the Federal Opposition warns.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, federal-parliament, immigration, australia
'Both sides would lose' in China-US dispute: Chinese FM warns
Posted
There "cannot be conflict" between China and the US over the South China Sea, China's Foreign Minister warns during a press conference with his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop.
Topics: foreign-affairs, territorial-disputes, world-politics, government-and-politics, defence-and-national-security, bishop-julie, australia, china, united-states, asia
Liberals issue last-minute plea to Cory Bernardi not to quit
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The South Australian senator is set to quit the Federal Government today, seven months into a six-year Senate term, despite public pleas from his colleagues to reconsider and remember his "obligation" to the Liberal Party.
Topics: liberals, political-parties, government-and-politics, federal-government, sa, australia
Australia doesn't owe Trump for refugee deal, PM says
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Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says Australia is not "indebted" to Donald Trump for agreeing to maintain a refugee resettlement deal, and his "frank and forthright" conversation with the US President made for "a very good week for Australia".
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, donald-trump, turnbull-malcolm, foreign-affairs
TPP could be reworked without Trump on board, expert says
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It would be possible to renegotiate the Trans Pacific Partnership trade deal if US President Donald Trump maintains his opposition to the 12-nation agreement, an international law expert says.
Topics: trade, government-and-politics, federal-government, world-politics, donald-trump, australia, united-states
'Father of NDIS' says board members with disability experience are essential
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The inaugural chair of the agency running the National Disability Insurance Scheme emphasises the importance of his board's independence and experience in the disability sector, as he prepares to leave the role.
Topics: disabilities, federal-government, australia
Australia's greenhouse gas emissions rising
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The Federal Government insists Australia can still meet its climate change targets after a report reveals greenhouse gas emissions rose in the year to June, as the Australian Conservation Foundation warns the country is "not on track" to meet 2030 commitments.
Topics: environment, climate-change, government-and-politics, federal-government, tax, australia
Paid domestic violence leave for all Australians would cost $120m annually: study
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New research shows providing all Australian workers with domestic violence leave would cost up to $120 million per year — a fraction of the cost imposed by the violence on Australia's economy.
Topics: domestic-violence, government-and-politics, federal-government, turnbull-malcolm, community-and-society, work, australia
Appointment of new solicitor-general praised
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The appointment of experienced Melbourne barrister Stephen Donaghue as Australia's next solicitor-general is widely welcomed, but one legal expert says it is just the first step in restoring independence to the role.
Topics: government-and-politics, parliament, federal-government, governors-general-and-state-governors, australia
Government in new bid to increase rural doctor numbers
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The Federal Government is ruling out supporting any new medical school places, as it launches another effort to increase the number of doctors working in regional and remote areas.
Topics: doctors-and-medical-professionals, education, university-and-further-education, rural, australia
'Callous and insensitive': Labor lashes Cormann's domestic violence leave remarks
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The Federal Opposition accuses Finance Minister Mathias Cormann of being "callous and insensitive" for suggesting that mandated domestic violence leave would be "another cost on the economy".
Topics: domestic-violence, government-and-politics, federal-government, work, australia
Electricity industry pushes for carbon price to aid clean energy transition
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Australia's electricity industry has issued a strongly worded plea to federal and state governments to quickly decide on ways to transform Australia's ageing energy grid, saying a national, market-based carbon price is the best option.
Topics: electricity-energy-and-utilities, climate-change, australia
Treasurers endorse new housing investment incentives
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Australia's treasurers agree to develop a new way to encourage investment in affordable rental and community housing, but the Government is resisting calls to change tax concessions.
Topics: housing, housing-industry, government-and-politics, business-economics-and-finance, australia
Revenge porn civil penalties could give victims faster justice
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The Federal Government is considering a new range of civil penalties to try to help victims of so-called "revenge porn" get justice more quickly.
Topics: pornography, community-and-society, federal-government, government-and-politics, alp, liberals, women, australia
'Short-term winners and losers' in bid to strengthen economy: PM
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Malcolm Turnbull says Australia's economy must become more "flexible and competitive" but emphasises that in the wake of Donald Trump's victory reform must be "seen to be fair" to overcome disquiet.
Topics: government-and-politics, globalisation---economy, federal-government, world-politics, tax, turnbull-malcolm, australia
Labor denies crackdown on skilled migrants was driven by One Nation
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The Federal Opposition strengthens its "Australia First" rhetoric by re-committing to tougher restrictions on the use of temporary skilled migrants, but rejects a claim by Pauline Hanson that it found inspiration in One Nation's policies.
Topics: alp, federal-government, immigration, community-and-society, unemployment, australia
Federal Government urged to find solution for all asylum seekers on Nauru, Manus Island
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The United Nations refugee agency says the Federal Government must find a solution for all asylum seekers held on Manus Island and Nauru, and not just those recognised as refugees.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, community-and-society, immigration, australia, papua-new-guinea, nauru
#Censusfail may cost an extra $30m
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The Australian Bureau of Statistics says this year's trouble-plagued census could cost an extra $30 million, but so far no-one has been fined for failing to participate.
Topics: population-and-demographics, government-and-politics, community-and-society, information-and-communication, information-technology, australia
Nick Xenophon Team says young jobseeker plan 'fundamentally unfair'
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The Federal Government's plans to make young jobseekers wait for a month to access unemployment benefits look set to be defeated in the Senate, with the Nick Xenophon Team labelling them "fundamentally unfair".
Topics: welfare, community-and-society, government-and-politics, federal-government, unemployment, social-policy, australia
Amnesty 'torture' findings on Nauru rejected by Immigration
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The head of the Immigration Department "categorically refutes" new allegations from Amnesty International that the conditions on Nauru for refugees and asylum seekers "amount to torture".
Topics: immigration, federal-government, refugees, australia, nauru
Government to target Labor recruit in industrial relations debate
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The PM will seek to switch the Government's focus to industrial relations this week by linking the debate on one of the bills used to call the double dissolution election to Kimberley Kitching.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, parliament, work, australia
Economic impact of stillbirths expected to be more than $680m
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A new study estimates the cost to the economy of stillbirths in Australia will be $681.4 million over the next five years, with the largest impact on workplaces. It is the first time the economic cost of stillbirths has been modelled.
Topics: pregnancy-and-childbirth, community-and-society, health, australia
Five stillborn births each day in Australia, figures show
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Stillbirth Foundation Australia renews calls for more funding and research into the country's stillbirth rate as new figures reveal 1,718 babies were stillborn in Australia last year, at a rate of about five per day.
Topics: pregnancy-and-childbirth, health, australia
Funding fate of renewable energy agency rests with Labor
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The Nick Xenophon Team confirms it will block the Government's proposed $1.3 billion cut to the budget of the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, leaving the fate of future funding for the body in Labor's hands.
Topics: alternative-energy, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia
Opposition may prevent AFP from using documents in NBN investigation
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The Federal Opposition looks increasingly likely to have enough support in the Senate to prevent the AFP from using thousands of documents as part of its investigation into damaging leaks from the company building the NBN.
Topics: federal-government, federal-parliament, government-and-politics, political-parties, law-crime-and-justice, australia
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