Policy
Sharia: dark ages death sentence
JENNIFER ORIELAustralia has a proud, enlightened culture and it is worth preserving and protecting against any threat.
Capital gains tax reform ‘on the table’
DAVID CROWEThe Coalition remains open to a controversial Budget increase in capital gains tax to help tackle housing affordability.
PM rejects banks tax push
DAVID CROWE, SIMON BENSON, SARAH MARTINMalcolm Turnbull has rejected a call from some Coalition MPs to drop the big four banks from his company tax cut policy.
Hospitals not exempt from blackouts
MICHAEL OWENHospitals in regional areas are not exempt from having their mains power cut during future load shedding blackouts.
Renewables rise hits farmers
PIA AKERMANThe Mulcahy brothers have a question for politicians: why are they making Australia less competitive than the rest of Asia?
‘Dramatic energy action’ doubt
MICHAEL OWEN, KYLAR LOUSSIKIANThe federal government has questioned the likelihood of ‘dramatic intervention’ in the national electricity market.
PM takes Abbott down a peg
DAVID CROWEMalcolm Turnbull has moved to quell talk of tax increases while fending off another rebuke from Tony Abbott.
Ditch green targets, states told
ANNABEL HEPWORTHLabor state governments face new demands to ditch overlapping renewable energy targets.
Badgerys ‘unviable’ without help
PAUL CLEARYDevelopment of Sydney’s Badgerys Creek airport is unviable without substantial government support, Sydney Airport says.
Door open on levy hike
SIMON BENSONMalcolm Turnbull has left open lifting the Medicare levy, as the government faces a $13bn budget writedown.
NDIS ‘has been a saviour’
GREG BROWNKirby Littley’s outlook changed when she got on a trial of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
ALP accused of rating ‘dog act’
SARAH MARTINScott Morrison says it would be a ‘dog act’ for Labor to force a downgrading of the country’s AAA credit rating.
Coalition slams super ‘let-down’
Michael Roddan, Joe KellyThe government has dismissed a long-awaited superannuation review by former RBA governor Bernie Fraser.
Deal to keep fees honest
SEAN PARNELLNew arrangements between Medibank and Healthshare will factor in finances when discussing referrals.
Wary of racing revenue changes
KYLAR LOUSSIKIANThe NSW government has played down intervening to change TAB racing revenue shares between horse and dog racing.
Native title changes lauded
STEPHEN FITZPATRICKIndigenous groups are welcoming amendments to the Native Title Act, despite Labor protests it was blindsided by the move.
Gold pass travel perk axed
SARAH MARTINThe Senate last night voted to end free lifetime travel for former parliamentarians.
Welfare ‘fraud finder’ in review
SARAH MARTINMore than $6bn spent each year on technology projects will be reviewed by the federal government.
‘Move NDIS youth from aged care’
RICK MORTONThe mission to find about 2000 youth left in aged-care homes and transfer them to the NDIS this year ‘will fail’.
Xenophon levy plan to hit families
SIMON BENSONNick Xenophon’s call for a lift in the Medicare levy to fill the NDIS gap would cost families up to $2600 a year.
