Australia's parliament enters its last week before the winter break amidst high tensions. Key events include Vanuatu's PM visit, the Midwinter Ball, and crucial negotiations on Labor's budget, NDIS cuts, tax legislation, and gambling advertising reforms.
Australia's parliament enters a 'settlement season' before its winter break, with the Labor government pushing contentious tax changes and facing opposition to NDIS reforms. Deals with the Greens and Coalition are complicated by party fury, leading to potential legislative roadblocks.
The 2026 Walkley mid-year media prizes celebrated innovative journalism, with Matilda Boseley winning the young journalist award for her Parliament-Tea series. Riley Walter was named Young Australian Journalist of the Year, also winning for short-form and specialist reporting on a $150m NAB fraud investigation. Other winners included ABC teams for reporting on women's leadership, violence against women, and science.
An audit report revealed that nearly 80% of freedom of information requests to key Australian government departments were rejected, indicating a culture of "resistance and delay" and flouting transparency laws. The review found inconsistent decision-making and inadequate record-keeping, with 62% of overturned decisions by the OAIC highlighting issues with bureaucrats' adherence to disclosure obligations.
Clare Wright's "Näku Dhäruk: The Bark Petitions" won Book of the Year at the NSW Literary Awards, celebrating its "highly original" account of Indigenous land rights. The book also secured the Douglas Stewart prize for nonfiction.
