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From 1h ago Bridget McKenzie weighs in on golf course grant in PM's electorate The shadow transport minister, Bridget McKenzie – who was at the centre of the Morrison government’s sports rorts saga and was forced to resign from her position – has also weighed in on Labor’s invite-only grants program. It’s been revealed that program handed $6m to a golf club the PM’s electorate that he was an honorary member of. This morning Anthony Albanese said he made “no apology” for that funding, which he argued was used to stop sewage from the club entering the local river.
Speaking to RN Breakfast earlier this morning, McKenzie said she was “very surprised” by the story. double quotation mark I resigned my ministerial portfolio because of a perceived conflict of interest. I had an honorary membership that I didn’t know I had from a gun club that I decided under the guidelines to award funding to so women and disabled members could actually go to the toilet on site, a $36,000 grant. So I have been very surprised by the story today of the ABCs that the prime mnister has held an honorary membership to a golf club in his electorate that received a $6m grant in a grant program that was closed, non-competitive, and where only one golf club out of the 1600 golf clubs across the country was invited to participate.
For a recap of the sports rorts saga, see here . Host Sally Sara pushes back on McKenzie’s claim that she made the “choice” to resign after sports rorts, but the Nationals senator says: double quotation mark I handed him my resignation, upheld my own personal integrity, but also importantly, the integrity of the system. I’m concerned I’m going to be the last minister in this Westminster system to actually take personal responsibility.
Guardian Australia revealed in 2024 after the Morrison era that McKenzie’s office had actually proposed tripling funding for the “sports rorts” program to deliver “priorities for target and marginal” seats after consultation with MPs and senators. Key events 48m ago Australia to impose new ‘targeted measures’ to stop Israeli settler violence 1h ago Death in custody at Alice Springs correctional centre 1h ago Bridget McKenzie weighs in on golf course grant in PM's electorate 2h ago Albanese makes ‘no apology’ for $6m grant to Marrickville golf club 3h ago Migration fuelling almost half of regional growth 3h ago Chalmers: One Nation would 'diminish or destroy' super 3h ago Victorians could pay almost $100 a year more for electricity 3h ago RBA governor: inflation is still the major problem Australia's economy Benita Kolovos Conditions of Victorian roads deteriorating and funding insufficient, auditor general report finds An auditor-general report, tabled in Victorian parliament this morning, has found the condition of the state’s roads is deteriorating and funding is insufficient to maintain or improve them. It referred to a 2024 survey of the state-run roads by the Department of Transport, which showed almost half (48%) the network was in “poor or very poor condition,” compared to 39% in 2021.
The report said while the government has allocated about $900m to $1bn annually in recent budgets for road maintenance, the department stated before the most recent budget it would cost more than $3bn each year to maintain road conditions at existing levels while replacing age-expired assets. The report reads: double quotation mark The department has advised the government that funding is insufficient to maintain or improve the condition of state roads. This has meant it focuses more on reactive and safety-critical repairs rather than preventative works.
Roads are also deteriorating faster than the pace of repairs - with the auditor general finding the gap between the number of defects recorded and the number of defects repaired more than doubled between January 2025 and June 2026. The report comes after the new premier, Ben Carroll , announced he would increasing the road maintenance budget by $352m to fix 500,000 potholes by the end of January. The condition of the state’s roads has emerged as a significant issue in the lead-up to the election, particularly for regional Victorians.
White House fires warnings shots over digital duty of care bill The White House has issued a warning to Australia as the government forces social media and US based tech giants to clean up their platforms and remove harmful content. Yesterday the government released its draft bill that will require platforms to protect kids from harmful content around eating disorders, misogyny, pornography, glorifying crime, abuse and cyberbullying. All adults will need to be protected from illegal material.
In a statement provided to Guardian Australia, Trump spokesperson Kush Desai said: double quotation mark President Trump has unequivocally warned trading partners against imposing digital services taxes, fines, and other forms of extortion on America’s leading technology sector. The Administration remains committed to raising these issues with our trading partners. Eva Corlett New Zealand ‘deeply concerned’ by expansion of settler violence in West Bank New Zealand’s foreign affairs minister, Winston Peters, said he was “deeply concerned” by the deteriorating situation in the West Bank and the escalation in Israel’s actions jeopardised the prospect of “durable peace”.
He said in a statement: double quotation mark New Zealand strongly condemns violence by settlers against Palestinian civilians and calls for accountability for those responsible. Peters said New Zealand was joining international partners calling on Israel’s government to end the expansion of settlements, prevent and address settler violence and refrain from further actions that undermine peace. However, he stopped short of joining the UK in placing a ban on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank, saying traditionally, New Zealand does not pursue trade measures to address foreign policy issues. double quotation mark To do so would be complex and require a full policy process.
We are not in a position to do that ahead of the election. Peters added that New Zealand had already placed travel bans on 38 Israeli settlers, including two ministers. Australia to impose new ‘targeted measures’ to stop Israeli settler violence The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong , has announced that Australia will work with international partners to “deter illegal settlements and settler violence” but won’t follow the UK in implementing a trade ban with goods produced in Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
In a speech to the Senate chamber yesterday, Wong said the government had concerns with a blanket ban, and that it could lead to unintended consequences for Australian businesses, for Palestinians and for Israelis. Wong also accused the Netanyahu government of “extinguishing the possibility of a two-state solution” by allowing the rapid expansion of settlements in the West Bank. She told the Senate yesterday: double quotation mark I can announce Australia is pursuing further targeted measures in coordination with international partners to deter illegal settlements and settler violence.
Australia is not, at this time, pursuing a blanket-style import ban. We have concerns about the implementation of a blanket ban and unintended consequences for Australian businesses, for Palestinians and for Israelis, and we will continue to work with partners to protect the prospects of a two-state solution. Australia continues to call on Israel to take urgent steps to address the situation on the ground, including to stop settlers from destroying properties, displacing families and beating, torturing, sexually assaulting and killing Palestinians.
Penny Wong earlier this month. Photograph: Michael Errey/AAP Death in custody at Alice Springs correctional centre Douglas Smith Northern Territory police are investigating the death in custody of a 35-year-old man at the Alice Springs correctional centre on Tuesday afternoon. Police said the man died shortly after collapsing around 5.40pm.
Staff commenced CPR before St John’s paramedics took over. The man was taken to Alice Springs hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Police said initial investigations indicate the man died as a result of a medical episode.
The man’s death is being treated as a death in custody. A report will be prepared for the coroner. Bridget McKenzie weighs in on golf course grant in PM's electorate The shadow transport minister, Bridget McKenzie – who was at the centre of the Morrison government’s sports rorts saga and was forced to resign from her position – has also weighed in on Labor’s invite-only grants program.
It’s been revealed that program handed $6m to a golf club the PM’s electorate that he was an honorary member of. This morning Anthony Albanese said he made “no apology” for that funding, which he argued was used to stop sewage from the club entering the local river. Speaking to RN Breakfast earlier this morning, McKenzie said she was “very surprised” by the story. double quotation mark I resigned my ministerial portfolio because of a perceived conflict of interest.
I had an honorary membership that I didn’t know I had from a gun club that I decided under the guidelines to award funding to so women and disabled members could actually go to the toilet on site, a $36,000 grant. So I have been very surprised by the story today of the ABCs that the prime mnister has held an honorary membership to a golf club in his electorate that received a $6m grant in a grant program that was closed, non-competitive, and where only one golf club out of the 1600 golf clubs across the country was invited to participate. For a recap of the sports rorts saga, see here .
Host Sally Sara pushes back on McKenzie’s claim that she made the “choice” to resign after sports rorts, but the Nationals senator says: double quotation mark I handed him my resignation, upheld my own personal integrity, but also importantly, the integrity of the system. I’m concerned I’m going to be the last minister in this Westminster system to actually take personal responsibility. Guardian Australia revealed in 2024 after the Morrison era that McKenzie’s office had actually proposed tripling funding for the “sports rorts” program to deliver “priorities for target and marginal” seats after consultation with MPs and senators.
Criticism of One Nation candidate over illegal drug is ‘demeaning’ , says Joyce Barnaby Joyce has again defended the Victorian One Nation leader, Warren Pickering , after Pickering yesterday admitted to using ecstasy, methamphetamines and marijuana, losing his licence multiple times for drink driving and hurting people he loved. Joyce says he has no qualms about One Nation’s vetting process, noting Pickering had spent time in the Australian Defence Force. Speaking to News24, Joyce can’t say whether One Nation knew about the issues. double quotation mark I think it’s a little bit demeaning for even us to sort of have some sort of salacious analysis of what was happening to an individual two decades ago.
Look, as any organisation grows, the speed One Nation’s growing and the membership grows, of course the requirements grow as well, but I’m satisfied in how we are going, we’re getting a lot more proficient at it. And if people are saying, I’m not satisfied with Mr Pickering, you’d say, hang on, the Australian Defence Force was. They took him on board, and they most definitely have a vetting process, because I’ve been there myself.
I don’t know [if One Nation knew], you’d have to ask the people beforehand. For me, he was subsequently in the Australian Defence Force, they have a vetting process. Anthony Albanese wins charity tennis match against a critic – 6-0 6-0 6-0 You might remember earlier this year, Joseph Daoud, a Sydney mortgage broker, won a charity auction at the midwinter ball to play a tennis match at the prime minister’s lodge with Anthony Albanese himself.
Well yesterday that game finally happened – and it was doughnuts for Daoud. Daoud has spent big bucks putting up billboards and posters around the country critical of Labor’s changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax , and while in the capital yesterday, paid for some skywriting that spelled out “stop the tax”. A sky writing plane writes “STOP THE TAX” above Parliament House in Canberra, Tuesday 8 September.
Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP Albanese tells ABC News Breakfast “it was what it was”. double quotation mark But for me, the main point is that it was raising funds for charity. I think it would have been good if the gentleman had have put some of the money he’s put into billboards and sky writing and all of that, given additional money to St Vincent’s, to Red Kite, a charity that provide support for the families of children who have cancer and for a good cause. Daoud on Sunrise accused the PM of manufacturing the score and taking a 15 minute “tinkle” during the match.
Asked about that on the Seven program, Albanese shrugged it off. double quotation mark We played a match. It was for charity. Importantly, the score was six love, six love, six love.
Was played in played in good spirits. Albanese admitted that he had used the word “tinkle” but that it was “about two minutes”. I hated writing that.
Albanese makes ‘no apology’ for $6m grant to Marrickville golf club Anthony Albanese has defended a grant handed to a golf club in his electorate, and said he makes “no apology” for it. The grant was part of an infrastructure program that disbursed most of its money to safe, marginal or target Labor seats. Over on ABC News Breakfast, Albanese says there were three grants in that program handed to his seat, and the funding for the golf club was to stop sewage from the course going into the local river during rain events.
He then attacks the ABC. double quotation mark The ABC were told information they chose not to publish appropriately ... because it is on a flood area by the Cooks River, when it rains and there’s flooding, raw sewerage goes into the Cooks River. That’s what it’s for – for fixing that. I make no apologies for my electorate being serviced by me as a good local member , these three grants, they’re all appropriate.
Albanese also confirms he was made an honorary member of the club some 15 years ago, but doesn’t say whether he should have declared it. double quotation mark I don’t have a card. I don’t go in there. I haven’t been in there for years.
I used to walk my dog along the path. Labor ‘not waving the white flag’ on illicit tobacco, but Albanese won’t completely rule out excise cut Anthony Albanese says the government’s priority is still to crack down on criminals, over reducing the tobacco excise to curb the exploding black market. But asked several times whether he’ll guarantee that the government won’t cut the excise, Albanese won’t actually confirm. double quotation mark Albanese: What we want to do is to make sure that we continue to put that downward pressure on smoking rates and making vapes available everywhere isn’t going to help.
Host: You’re ruling that out? Albanese: What we’re saying is the big thing that we have to do is to crack down on crime ... Host: Are you saying you guarantee there will be no cut to the tobacco excise under a Labor government?
Albanese: No, what I’m guaranteeing is we’ll take on the criminals. That’s what we’re doing ... We’re not about to wave the white flag.
Source: The Guardian
