Analysis: Concerns over AI and data centres a dangerous force Labor must confront

Analysis: Concerns over AI and data centres a dangerous force Labor must confront

P By Patricia Karvelas

If you want to work out where the next frontier of political and social conflict will come from, it's often worth listening to what politicians on both the hard left and hard right are saying.

Last week, while everyone was focused on Pauline Hanson calling for a monoculture, railing against mainstream media, and branding Australian workers as lazy, another part of her tightly scripted speech went largely unnoticed.

The nation's now preferred prime minister also used her press club speech to tap into growing anxiety about AI's impact on jobs, promising "mechanisms" to protect workers and calling for stronger regulation of artificial intelligence.

The fact that she mentioned AI during her speech provides a clear insight into just how effective the populist leader is in detecting the anxieties Australians face. She warned that the technology's many unknowns demand "enforceable safeguards".

While she may have banged on about workers in her call to overhaul industrial relations, she was strategic in zeroing in on their anxieties about what AI will do to their jobs and the jobs of their children.

And that anxiety isn't limited to what AI will do. It's also about the bits and pieces that come with it.

Read more of PK's analysis at the link below.

Coalition wants more scrutiny of NDIS but slams Greens, Labor's 'dirty deal'

C By Courtney Gould

Angus Taylor wants more scrutiny of the changes to the NDIS, but has criticised a so-called dirty deal struck between the Greens and the government to do so.

Labor was open to holding a longer inquiry, delaying the legislation's passage until August, in exchange for the Greens' support on changes to the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing.

Taylor called it "very sad" and questioned what else the government had agreed to.

"We always find out over time the deals Labor has done with the crazy left in parliament."

On the NDIS, Taylor says:

"We do want the proposal subjected to scrutiny because we want it to work. We need a sustainable NDIS. That is critically important for those Australians who are most in need of that disability support. We want to see it work."

'No point in supporting crossbenchers': Taylor

C By Courtney Gould

Angus Taylor has taken a swipe at the independents who are reportedly close to launching a teal-led party.

The idea of a teal-led party emerged last month after Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender indicated they were open to forming a party. Monique Ryan and Kate Chaney said they weren't interested. A report in the Australian Financial Review this morning suggested the new party could launch within weeks.

The opposition leader said it was "good to see they've made official what's been the case for many years".

"They've been around for a long while," he says.

Taylor says if people want a change, there is "no point supporting crossbenchers".

"You've got to get a change of government, and that's what we offer with a credible plan …" he says.

"That's what we offer. The crossbench doesn't offer that."

Taylor wants affordable housing but won't say if that includes a drop in prices

C By Courtney Gould

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor is asked if he wants house prices to come down.

He repeats that he wants house prices to become more affordable and the only way to do that is through lower interest rates and lower inflation.

"Well, inflation and high interest rates have beaten this government, and affordability has collapsed under this government, and we want to see that turned around, and that's what we'll do."

But he won't say if that means prices going down. Asked again, if housing affordability includes a drop in prices, Taylor responds:

"Well, it means at the end of the day that it's more affordable to buy a home," he says.

📸 Taylor gets on the tools

C By Courtney Gould

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has started his day on the tools at a mechanic's workshop in Canberra's suburbs.

He's just stepped up for a press conference. I'll bring you more once we get to questions.

Ministers to meet for bird flu briefing

C By Courtney Gould

Federal and state environment ministers will meet today in order to get leaders "on the same page" on bird flu.

Environment Minister Murray Watt said he'd had a number of conversations with his counterparts over the weekend after a dead bird found off WA's south coast tested positive to the deadly H5 strain.

"We've been working very hard with states, industry, environment groups, scientists over the last couple of years to make sure that we are as well prepared as we possibly could be," he said.

"So I feel confident that we've got the systems in place, and that we're working cooperatively with states, territories and others to make sure that we can manage this outbreak if it does get more serious."

Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson and Threatened Species Commissioner Fiona Fraser will also brief the group.

Gambling reform advocates rubbish consultation process

H By Holly Tregenza

Health experts have condemned the federal government's consultation on its gambling advertising reforms as a "charade", as Labor prepares to introduce the legislation this fortnight amid growing criticism from the Greens and crossbench MPs.

In May, the draft laws were unveiled by Communications Minister Anika Wells, with the promise of "targeted" consultation.

But Curtin University professor Mike Daube said he and other colleagues were only given three days' notice and a 45-minute Zoom briefing to scrutinise the detail of the proposed legislation.

The pressure comes as the government pushes ahead with a watered-down version of recommendations from the landmark Murphy inquiry, which called for a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising.

Labor defends housing tax changes as auction clearance rate falls

C By Courtney Gould

A drop in auction clearance rates has Labor frontbenchers defending changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax amid concerns house prices could fall.

Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said the government expected house prices to continue to rise, just at a slower rate than they had in recent years.

"It used to be that the average house cost about four years of the average wage. Now it's about eight and a half years of the average wage. People just can't keep up with that, because they've been competing with property investors for those houses," she told Seven.

Meanwhile, Environment Minister Murray Watt said he wasn't surprised there was some cooling in the auction markets.

"If that makes it more possible for Australians to get into the housing market for the first time, that's a good thing," he told ABC News Breakfast.

Hanson's remarks on paid parental leave 'very confronting': Hume

C By Courtney Gould

Deputy Liberal leader Jane Hume was also asked for her response to Pauline Hanson's address to the National Press Club last week.

Hanson declared industrial relations needed a "complete overhaul" and made comments sceptical about the value of child care.

Hume tells ABC's Radio National Breakfast the One Nation leader's remarks on child care and paid parental leave were "quite confronting".

That being said, Hume also expressed concern about child care becoming one of the fastest-growing areas of the budget.

"Yet it's not delivering on the flexibility that people need. There are still childcare deserts out there where people can't access child care. Something needs to be done," she says.

On IR laws, Hume says Labor has "added more red tape and complexity", but she wanted to wait and see what reviews into the laws come up with.

"I would point out that I think that Senator Hanson missed the point of some of that legislation. She was talking about same job, same pay legislation as if it was about gender equity and equal pay, and that's not at all what it's about. So I think it's important to understand the purpose of the legislation before you pass comment on it."

Hume takes aim at Labor, Greens for Senate 'horse trading'

C By Courtney Gould

As negotiations continue over the government's tax changes, one thing is clear: the Coalition doesn't want a bar of it.

Deputy Liberal leader Jane Hume reiterated the Coalition's opposition to the proposal as she criticised the Greens and government for "horse-trading" support.

It comes after Labor opened the door to an extended NDIS inquiry in return for the Greens' vote on changes to the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing.

"We know that's exactly what it is that they do. This is their modus operandi. But I think it actually speaks volumes of Labor's priorities. If they're willing to extend an inquiry into NDIS to get what it is that they want over the line in terms of taxes, clearly they're not all that serious about cutting expenditure," she tells ABC's Radio National Breakfast.

But Hume adds she has no problem with an extended inquiry.

She notes she's never negatively geared a property and questioned how many of Labor and Greens MPs could say the same.

How does the process run to adopt a new NACC commissioner?

C By Courtney Gould

All you aspiring anti-corruption watchdog bosses out there reading the blog, it's time to get your resumes together.

A selection panel will be convened to look at the applications, and once someone is chosen, it will be sent off to a parliamentary joint committee for the NACC.

The committee doesn't have a veto, but they will be asked for their input by the government. Attorney-General Michelle Roland noted that the committee gave the tick of approval to the previous pick, Paul Brereton.

Could a 'refresh and reset' of NACC lead to more public hearings?

C By Courtney Gould

Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has just joined ABC Radio National Breakfast to discuss the hunt for a new anti-corruption watchdog boss.

Rowland says the opportunity to "refresh and reset with new commissioners" is "opportune".

Asked if that would include holding more public hearings, Rowland says she's going to leave that up to whoever is appointed to the job.

"Firstly, I don't direct the NACC. I respect its independence,"

she says.

"I think that will be a matter for the new commissioners to determine a way forward."

Rowland says the NACC has received 7,500 referrals and "finalised the vast majority of them" since it was launched in 2023.

"So whilst I don't seek to direct the NACC in any way, I do point out that they are some of the pieces of work that have been done that many people might not know about," she says.

No signs of growing outbreak of bird flu in Australia: Watt

C By Courtney Gould

Australia is well prepared to tackle an outbreak of bird flu, Environment Minister Murray Watt says.

An outbreak would have a severe impact on wildlife, but Watt says a bird found with the H5 strain in Western Australia was nowhere near a poultry farm.

"It's a wildlife matter at this point in time. In terms of the species, as I say, we know that bird flu can not only impact birds, but also mammals as well … And, really, the ones that we're most concerned about are our most endangered species, whether it be particular types of birds, the Australian sea lion, which is an endangered species and could catch bird flu as well,"

he told ABC's News Breakfast.

"We are as well prepared as we possibly could be for this, but it is a risk that we need to take seriously."

Over the weekend, authorities in WA received 16 separate reports of sick or dead birds from the public. But Watt said those cases weren't a sign of a growing outbreak just yet.

"I am aware there have been reports of other dead birds, but it's unclear whether that's related to bird flu or the many other reasons that birds die every single day."

Government on the hunt for new anti-corruption watchdog boss

C By Courtney Gould

The federal government has opened applications to find a new commissioner and deputy commissioner of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).

Last month, the NACC's inaugural commissioner, Paul Brereton, resigned from the role three years into a five-year term, saying the public focus on him personally was distracting from the body's role.

His deputy, Nicole Rose, announced her resignation in early May.

In a statement, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland says the NACC has the opportunity to "refresh and reset", and she looks forward to appointing the "best possible candidates" to the vacant roles.

Greens coy on whether it will accept longer NDIS inquiry in return for CGT support

C By Courtney Gould

Late on Friday, it emerged the government was open to a delay in its proposed overhaul of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Labor was open to holding a longer inquiry, delaying the legislation's passage until August, in exchange for the Greens' support on changes to the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing.

Greens leader Larissa Waters was reluctant to give too much away while speaking with ABC's AM.

"We are having those discussions but we are using everything we've got to make sure that these cuts are actually stopped completely but at the very least inquired into even further," she says.

Asked if more hearings on the NDIS would take place in the coming weeks, Waters responds:

"I can give you clarity that the Greens will always push to stop these cruel cuts and that we will use every lever we possibly can to try to see these cuts stopped."

Ryan again rules herself out of joining new teal-led party

C By Courtney Gould

Monique Ryan has again ruled herself out of joining a teal-led party amid fresh reports the group could be moving to formalise the push.

The idea of a teal-led party emerged last month after Zali Steggall and Allegra Spender indicated they were open to forming a party. Ryan, as well as Kate Chaney, said they weren't interested. A report in the Australian Financial Review this morning suggested the new party could launch as soon as the coming weeks.

Speaking with Nine on Monday, Ryan said her feelings hadn't changed.

"I think Australians are understandably really fed up with political parties and that's why they're looking for other alternatives,"

she said.

"I don't have any intention of joining a party. I'm very, very happy as an independent."

Extension of fuel excise cut at lower rate the 'right call': Labor

C By Courtney Gould

Sticking with the fuel excise. Labor frontbencher Tim Ayres called the tapering of the cut as the "right call" amid ongoing uncertainty in the Strait of Hormuz.

"It'll make some difference. It's a careful judgement. It's the right call in the interests of Australian motorists," he told Nine.

"We're still in an environment where there is uncertainty in terms of security