This news article explores several key developments in Australian politics. It examines the controversy surrounding live sheep exports, the government's planned crackdown on hate speech, and the ban on TikTok from government devices. The article also notes the decline in the political debate surrounding tariffs and free trade.
Treasury boss Steven Kennedy defended himself against claims that his department provided 'fake costings' on the Coalition's tax-free lunch policy. He declined to comment on US President Trump's recent proposal, stating, 'President Trump has put forward an idea today, it's not an idea that we've put forward and I don't intend to provide a running commentary.' He swiftly departed after answering a single question. Requests for a government response remain unanswered.
Meanwhile, the phasing out of live sheep exports by sea over the next few years is imminent. While the Albanese government proposed a multi-million dollar package to aid the industry's transition, farmers criticized the funding last year. 'Keep the Sheep,' a campaign group opposing the legislation, urged the Prime Minister to reverse the live export ban. Spokesperson Ben Sutherland wrote in a letter to the PM, 'Farmers in WA are suffering in your government’s hands. Three years does not allow time for businesses to restructure their flocks.' He argued that 'good governments do not shut down industries that support regional businesses and communities,' and the industry is 'determined to fight this ban.'The government is poised to secure enough parliamentary support to enact a new set of hate speech laws this fortnight. These laws, drafted in response to concerns about antisemitism and Islamophobia and introduced to parliament last September, are expected to find support across a significant portion of the parliament, albeit with potential amendments. The proposed changes will broaden existing federal offenses and create new ones. The new offenses will criminalize direct threats of violence against individuals or groups based on their 'race, religion, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status, disability, national or ethnic origin or political opinion.' Furthermore, laws against inciting violence against groups or their members will be strengthened. Currently, these laws only apply to groups defined by characteristics such as race, religion, or nationality, but the proposed changes would include features like sex, gender identity, and disability. The Minister is already advocating for an amendment to further bolster laws against inciting violence against groups or individuals, proposing to include 'the promotion of violence and hatred' instead of just 'urging violence,' deeming the latter a loophole. The Coalition is independently pushing for a related measure — mandatory minimum sentences for individuals convicted of terrorism offenses or displaying Nazi or terrorist symbols.The Labor party's so-called 'nature positive' laws, which would have established a new federal environmental protection agency, are set to be withdrawn later today. The bill had faced opposition from the Coalition, One Nation, and the Greens, ultimately leading to its blockage in the Senate. The 'nature positive' laws were an election promise from Labor and initially enjoyed the backing of the Business Council of Australia and environmental groups.In a separate development, the government's stance on the controversial 'TikTok' app has garnered both support and caution. While the government's ban on the app from all government devices has the full backing of the federal opposition, there are calls for prudence from those considering downloading it on personal phones. Opposition leader has urged caution, stating, 'We welcome the advice to keep it off government devices, and we note that if the government has this information … and in fact is banning it from government phones, you should think twice about having it on your own device.'The decline in the fervor surrounding tariffs, protectionism, and free trade as major debating points in Australian politics is noteworthy. These issues, once fiercely contested, have largely faded from the political landscape for decades.
AUSTRALIAN POLITICS LIVE SHEEP EXPORTS HATE SPEECH LAWS TIKTOK BAN TARIFFS PROTECTIONISM FREE TRADE
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