Politics

Coalition backbenchers vow to continue their fight to change section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act, even if it means defying a Cabinet decision to retain the wording of the section.

Chief executive of Early Childhood Australia, Samantha Page, discusses the Government's push to increase childcare subsidies, March 20, 2017.

The Government has no plan to allow first home buyers access to their superannuation to fund a deposit, Treasurer Scott Morrison says.

The Department of Parliamentary Services admits the mobile numbers of a large number of federal politicians, their staff and former prime ministers were wrongly published on the Parliament House website.

Labor confirms it will support legislation that will hand the Federal Government power to release veterans' personal information, should it wish to correct public statements.

Senate crossbenchers maintain their threat to block the Government's increases to childcare subsidies unless it is decoupled from family welfare cuts.

People who make secret payments to unions could be imprisoned for up to 10 years in legislation to be introduced to Parliament by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, amid a fierce political battle with Labor over penalty rates.

People who make secret payments to unions could be imprisoned for up to 10 years in legislation to be introduced to Parliament by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, amid a fierce political battle with Labor over penalty rates.

Mick Palmer is one of four former police commissioners and assistant commissioners, two former heads of Corrective Services, a former Supreme Court Judge who have joined together to call for the national decriminalisation of drugs.

After almost three years of legal mud-wrestling, Mark Dreyfus finally gets his hands on part of George Brandis' ministerial diary — but what is all the fuss about?

Doctors groups call on the ACT Government to "set a community standard" and take a firm stance against mixed martial arts and other combat sports, but should stop short of banning them.

Queensland is losing more than 500 regional jobs and about $15 million a month in royalties because the State Government is favouring a multinational company over an independent, state-owned company, a mine owner says.

The phone numbers of politicians and their staff are published online in a blunder by Department of Parliamentary Services contractors. Look back over how the events unfolded, as well as the rest of the day in politics.

Families who believe they are becoming part of a second Stolen Generation in the Northern Territory are fighting to have children cared for by relatives or Indigenous carers.

Opening up the free market and selling off government assets may have been good in the short-term, but it has left Australia in a dismal position when it comes to gas and the overarching energy crisis, business editor Ian Verrender writes.

The Federal Government's first policy statement on multiculturalism declares it a "success" but says every Australian must sign up to shared values and mutual obligations.

The Federal Opposition argues Attorney-General George Brandis' ministerial diary holds no evidence the senator met with the community legal sector ahead of sweeping budget cuts.

Simon Birmingham and Julie Bishop defend business leaders campaigning for same-sex marriage after the group comes under fire from Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.

More than 70,000 Australian seniors receive federally funded care to help them live in their own homes and now they can do something that was practically impossible before: switch the company that provides that care.

The Federal Government is ramping up pressure on Labor and the crossbench to pass its increases to childcare subsidies, citing data that shows fees are increasing across the country.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop praises US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's level of involvement in the Asia-Pacific region and describes his comments regarding military action against North Korea as a "return to stance".

Qantas will continue to advocate for same-sex marriage amid Immigration Minister Peter Dutton's criticism that "publicly listed companies stick to their knitting" and focus on delivering services for their customers.

The Parliamentary Budget Office investigates a proposal to abolish stamp duty and replace it with a broad-based land tax, adding to a fierce political battle over housing affordability.

The Federal Government will abolish the controversial Abbott-era arts fund Catalyst, after widespread criticism from the arts community.

Two elections, a world apart in the same week, has some delivering the last rites to the wave of populism that has dominated global politics, writes Stan Grant.