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.
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:
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
Benita Kolovos
Pollies asked about former drug use at parliament following Warren Pickering admission
Politicians of all stripes are being asked by reporters this morning whether they have ever taken illegal drugs, following an extraordinary press conference by One Nation Victorian leader, Warren Pickering, yesterday, in which he admitted to using ecstasy, methamphetamines and marijuana.
Treasurer, Colin Brooks, said:
So to be honest with you, maybe when I was in the early 20s, I might have smoked marijuana once. That’s probably the next extent of it.
Health minister, Ingrid Stitt, said she “dabbled in a bit of marijuana” in her early 20s:
Decades and decades ago. Obviously, as the health and mental health minister, it’s important that we take a health-led response to anyone in the community who’s seeking support for drug use. That’s been my focus, and I’m not going to comment on any other individual circumstances. That’s a matter for them.
While One Nation’s only currently sitting MP, Rikkie-Lee Tyrrell said her only drug of choice was “sugar”.
Luca Ittimani
Diesel prices highest since April with Canberra at $2.70 a litre
Retail diesel prices in Australia’s capital cities are at their highest since April, with Canberra surpassing $2.70 per litre.
With no sign of an end to Donald Trump’s war in Iran, oil prices have trended up since early August and Brent crude oil is now hovering under prices of US$100 per barrel.
The local Singapore benchmark, Tapis crude, soared to about US$120 per barrel yesterday, after hovering around US$100 per barrel for most of August, according to Argus Media.
Vivek Dhar, a Commonwealth Bank analyst said the Singapore gasoil price – Australia’s diesel import benchmark – had hit its highest since 1 May and Asian diesel markets were getting tighter.
With rising import costs for Australian retailers, all the big cities are facing higher pump prices. Canberra is faring the worst but every capital is averaging diesel prices of more than $2.50 per litre, except for Perth at $2.49, according to MotorMouth.
Petrol prices are also on the rise, with unleaded at $2.18 in Canberra – the city’s highest in nearly five months – and $2.16 a litre in Perth. All the capitals are recording average unleaded prices of at least $2.05 per litre.
Benita Kolovos
Victorian treasurer highlights report that pokes holes in Coalition fiscal plan
The Victorian treasurer, Colin Brooks, has this morning seized upon an Australia Institute discussion paper, released last night, which challenges the Coalition’s plan to return the state to a cash surplus by 2032.
The paper said the centrepiece of the Coalition’s plan – to save $22bn via a hiring freeze across all back-office public service roles – would require the cutting of 31,700 jobs and could push unemployment toward 5.4%.
“That would gut the public service. To claim this could be achieved with a few back office jobs is nonsense,” co-CEO Richard Denniss said.
The paper also said the goal of returning the budget to cash surplus by 2032 would require cuts of government spending of at least $8bn each year, denying Victorians access to essential services and infrastructure.
Brooks told reporters at parliament:
The Liberals have said that their cuts won’t impact frontline services. This report clearly shows that that’s not the case. These cuts will have a direct impact on hospitals and schools and police and child protection and all of the services the Victorians rely on.
The report also shows that these cuts are likely to push up unemployment to 5.4%. So Jess Wilson needs to explain clearly to the Victorian public, which she had not done yet, exactly who she intends to sack.
Benita Kolovos
Victorian roads deteriorating and funding insufficient, auditor general report finds
An auditor general report which was tabled in Victorian parliament this morning has found the condition of the state’s roads is deteriorating and its funding is insufficient.
It referred to a 2024 survey of the state-run roads by the department of transport, which showed almost half (48%) were in “poor or very poor condition,” compared to 39% in 2021.
The report said while the government has allocated almost $1bn annually in recent budgets for road maintenance, the department sfound it would cost more than $3bn each year to maintain road conditions at existing levels while replacing age-expired assets. The report reads:
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 leadup 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. Adults and children will need to be protected from illegal material.
In a statement provided to Guardian Australia, White House spokesperson Kush Desai said:
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:
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.
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:
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.
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.
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:
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.
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”.
Albanese tells ABC News Breakfast “it was what it was”.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
