Australia news as it happened: Albanese defends bulk-billing; Ley, Liberal senators resist calling Gaza situation ‘starvation’; NSW Police plan legal action to block Sydney harbour bridge protest

Previous investigations have uncovered widespread and large-scale non-compliance in the sector, with ombudsman Anna Booth holding “serious” concerns.

The ombudsman aims to identify the root causes of non-compliance then work with industry and government to improve compliance.

Key themes of breaches are small and unregistered providers, higher labour costs, an uptick in digital gig-platform providers and financial pressures, Booth said.

AAP

The NT Police Force confirmed in October that spit-hoods had been made available to use on youths in police watch houses and cells, with strict protocols in place.

The proposed youth justice law changes would extend the use of the hoods to youth detention centres, reversing a ban imposed eight years ago.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Steve Edgington defended anti-spit guards in youth centres, saying they were already being used in adult settings.

“When young people come into custody that are spitting, biting their tongue and spitting blood at correctional officers, we want to ensure that our frontline staff are protected,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

“We’re hoping that we will never need to use these.”

In 2016, an ABC Four Corners report into the NT’s Don Dale Youth Detention Centre prompted outrage over the use of spit-hoods and led to then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull announcing a royal commission into juvenile justice in the territory.

The NT government subsequently stopped the use of spit-hoods and restraint chairs in youth detention centres in 2017, following the federal government’s formal endorsement of a United Nations protocol against torture and inhumane punishments.

In 2022, the use of spit-hoods for youths in police custody was also banned by the then-NT Labor government.

NT Children’s Commissioner Shahleena Musk said the territory was the only Australian jurisdiction reverting to using spit-hoods on children.

AAP

“No. Nah. Not fair,” Karvelas interjected. “I’ll tell you why – your argument is not fair and must be contested strenuously by me. You have a review process. They are trying to get ahead of your own review process. That’s very interesting.”

“But so what? They’re allowed to do that,” McGrath retorted.

“They’re on the backbench. We shouldn’t be surprised by this. The whole building is having a meltdown because some members of the National Party have a different view on net zero and want to push forward and advocate their views. Guess what? Good on them. So what? Are there any other issues out there? I want to focus on [Energy Minister] Chris Bowen and Labor [promising] to cut power bills by $275. Hands up everybody whose power bills have gone down by $275.”

Karvelas ended by asking McGrath if he personally supported the net-zero target.

“As a member of shadow cabinet, I’m bound by solidarity. But I’m one of those who thinks, yes, we should reduce our emissions. We’ve got to make sure we don’t crash the economy by doing so.”

Karvelas: It is starvation, though. Donald Trump said it is starvation. It is starvation, isn’t it, James?

McGrath: We’re saying that the images we are seeing from Gaza are distressing, and the Israeli government should be doing more to ensure that the aid is getting through to the people who need it.

Karvelas: Why is there reluctance, with respect, to call it starvation?

McGrath: I don’t think there’s reluctance at all. We are saying that the Israeli government should be and could be doing more to alleviate the situation in Gaza.

Earlier today, Liberal senator James Paterson said he didn’t believe Israel was using starvation as a weapon of war – which is illegal under international law – but also that it was important aid and food were provided to civilians.

With AAP

Pocock said he supported calls from the Greens earlier today for Australia to apply the same sanctions regime to Israel as it does to Russia.

“Australia has also imposed some 1400 sanctions on individuals and entities in Russia, while there are only a dozen concerning Israel,” the Greens said in a statement this afternoon.

“Australia has also failed to match sanctions in 17 instances where the US, Canada and the European Union have implemented sanctions on Israeli individuals and entities.

“[People] want our government to act,” said Pocock.

“They can’t end the war, but we know that Australia has a very proud history of punching above our weight when it comes to international diplomacy and they want our government to do that.”

ACTU’s stand comes ahead of the Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ much-vaunted roundtable next month, aimed at devising solutions to boost Australia’s productivity.

Host Patricia Karvelas also asked Ayres about US President Donald Trump’s follow-through on his plan to impose sweeping tariffs of up to 20 per cent on Australian goods. Ayres denied the accusation from Liberal senator James Paterson that the country’s bilateral relationship with the US had broken down.

“Let’s focus on the facts as they emerge,” he said.

“It’s a baseline tariff. Australia’s competitive position has not been fundamentally altered. We are continuing to trade strongly with our partners in the United States but, of course, it underscores what the trade minister [Don Farrell] has been saying all the way through the last term. It’s in Australia’s interests to diversify not just the countries with whom we trade, particularly in our region, in South-East Asia.”