Government housing affordability scheme under pressure
The Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) is under intense political scrutiny following the launch of a forensic nine-month federal audit. The $10 billion scheme, intended to boost social and affordable housing, is accused by the Opposition of wasting taxpayer funds and overpaying for properties. The debate has been dominated by the fund's slow delivery and expert concerns that its structure incentivises market-tied "fake affordable" rents over genuine public housing.
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Environmental law overhaul sparks political storm in Canberra
The long-awaited overhaul of Australia’s national environmental law is set to ignite Parliament this week, as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) faces its first major reform in twenty-six years. This second attempt at a package, featuring an independent EPA and a new National Interest power, has already generated a political firestorm. The Opposition is demanding the bill be split, while the Greens warn the entire package is "riddled with loopholes."
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Communications minister accused of misleading parliament over Optus notification
The federal opposition has accused Communications Minister Anika Wells of misleading parliament over when her office was notified of the Optus Triple-Zero outage that has been linked to four deaths. It comes as emails that Optus sent to notify the government and the regulator of the outages, which ultimately affected more than 600 people last month, are scrutinised in Senate estimates. Meanwhile, legislation creating a triple-zero custodian has passed the lower house.
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Government fast-tracks legislation to strengthen 000 call system
The government has fast-tracked legislation into parliament aimed at strengthening the 000 call system after failures by Optus to ensure access to emergency calls. As parliament resumed, the nation's leaders made time to commemorate the second anniversary of the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.
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Nuclear energy sank the Coalition at the election — can it power their comeback?
The coalition are revamping their proposal for nuclear energy, despite suffering an election loss with this policy. The details are yet to be confirmed, but the Opposition Energy Minister says they will adapt their plan to meet developments in the space.
The 2025 federal election campaign is under way. With a fractured electorate, and a real chance of a minority government, SBS brings you everything you need to know before May 3.
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