1 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: From The Australian. Here's what's on the front. I'm Christinamio. 2 00:00:08,440 --> 00:00:15,320 Speaker 1: It's Monday, November twenty five. One of Australia's most prominent 3 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: rabbis has urged the Prime Minister to abandon his very 4 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:23,600 Speaker 1: mild approach to tackling antisemitism. Doctor Benjamin Elton of Sydney's 5 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: Great Synagogue warned Anthony Albanese's failure to condemn antisemitism hasn't 6 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 1: stemmed the problem. Three of the nation's top CEOs have 7 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,200 Speaker 1: warned Australia is on track to become the unlucky country. 8 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: West Farmer's Chief Rob Scott, BP president Lucy Nation and 9 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: Cochlear boss Dig Howard say increased to regulation and a 10 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: stifling business environment are killing Australian's opportunities for prosperity. Those 11 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: exclusive stories a live right now at the Australian dot 12 00:00:55,440 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: com dot au. There are just four cities days before 13 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 1: the end of the parliamentary year and the government is 14 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:08,640 Speaker 1: facing some big hurdles on key election issues. So where 15 00:01:08,640 --> 00:01:11,560 Speaker 1: are they likely to have some success and when will 16 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: they have to admit defeat. That's today's episode. 17 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 2: The overwhelming majority of Australians are concerned about misinformation. Australians 18 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 2: deserve to know more about what content is flagged, demoted 19 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:36,800 Speaker 2: or taken down. 20 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:41,720 Speaker 1: It was a key piece of legislation intended to combat 21 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:45,240 Speaker 1: the proliferation of harmful and misleading content online. 22 00:01:46,520 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 2: It would empower the Australian Communications and Media Authority to 23 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 2: look under the hood of the digital platforms and improve 24 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,960 Speaker 2: transparency about the systems and processes they have in place 25 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 2: to protect Australians, including how they can apply with the 26 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 2: voluntary code they signed up to. 27 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: But the Government's Misinformation Bill, championed by Communications Minister Michelle Roland, 28 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: has been up against it from the get go, with 29 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:15,720 Speaker 1: the Coalition and the Greens opposing it in Parliament. 30 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 3: This bill is not about misinformation and disinformation. This bill 31 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 3: is about the Albanezi government silencing the Australian people. Never 32 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 3: in my life did I think that an Australian government 33 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:32,640 Speaker 3: would proceed down this path. 34 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,079 Speaker 1: An early version of the legislation attracted thousands of submissions 35 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: when it was first released last year, and the government 36 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 1: had hoped to have the revised bill passed by this Christmas, 37 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:49,000 Speaker 1: but on Sunday morning, Michelle Roland acknowledged the writing was 38 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 1: on the wall announcing it the Misinformation and Disinformation Bill 39 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: has been scrapped. 40 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 4: A statement from Communications Minister Michelle Rowland was saying, quote, 41 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,760 Speaker 4: based on public statements and engagements with Senators, it is 42 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 4: clear there is no pathway to legislate this proposal through 43 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:09,640 Speaker 4: the Senate. The Government will not proceed with the Communications 44 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 4: Legislation Amendment Combating Misinformation and Disinformation Bill twenty twenty four. 45 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:20,959 Speaker 1: As the Parliament gears up for its final sitting week 46 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 1: of the year. The scrapped Misinformation Bill isn't the only 47 00:03:24,400 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 1: labor legislation that's in jeopardy. Before her death almost a 48 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: year ago, the late labor Peter Murphy spearheaded a campaign 49 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: to ban gambling advertising online. 50 00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 5: Online gambling has been deliberately and strategically marketed alongside sport. 51 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:43,720 Speaker 5: It's normalized gambling with sport as a fun, harmless and 52 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 5: social activity. But we heard evidence about the way gambling 53 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 5: advertising also grooms children and young people to gamble and 54 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:54,280 Speaker 5: encourages riskier behavior and the experience of parents that the 55 00:03:54,280 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 5: torrent of advertising is inescapable. 56 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 1: In August, former Prime Ministers John Howard and Malcolm Turnbull, 57 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,119 Speaker 1: as well as a slew of former premiers added their 58 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:07,280 Speaker 1: voices to a growing chorus of people concerned about the 59 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 1: impact of gambling ads on the community. 60 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:14,360 Speaker 6: Mister Howard saying gambling losses are responsible for enormous harm 61 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:15,520 Speaker 6: across the community. 62 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 1: Labour did move forward with a plan to phase outwagering 63 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:24,560 Speaker 1: content on TV and a near immediate ban of online promotions, 64 00:04:24,920 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: with a focus on reducing the saturation of gambling ads, 65 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:33,320 Speaker 1: the exposure of children, and advertising during sporting matches, but 66 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: it ruled out establishing a national online gaming regulator, with 67 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: Social Services Minister Amanda Brishworth saying the government was working 68 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:44,039 Speaker 1: with the states and territories to unify the approach to 69 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: gaming regulation. 70 00:04:46,279 --> 00:04:48,719 Speaker 7: I have been working very well with my state and 71 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 7: territory counterparts. We have together brought in a number of reforms, 72 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 7: really important reforms, and have worked really closely together. 73 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,559 Speaker 1: But the gambling reform too, who is dead in the water. 74 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 6: And that's not all. 75 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 1: Also on the chopping block this week are the government's 76 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:14,280 Speaker 1: housing affordability and superannuation schemes, its big net zero transition plan, 77 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: Future Made in Australia, and plans to cap international student numbers. 78 00:05:20,400 --> 00:05:23,720 Speaker 1: Labour introduced the legislation to limit the number of international 79 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 1: students living and studying in Australia, saying massive immigration numbers 80 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 1: were exacerbating the housing crisis and making it more difficult 81 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: for Australians to find a home. The plan was slammed 82 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: by the nation's university sector, with bosses saying they'd struggle 83 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,440 Speaker 1: if international student numbers were slashed. 84 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 8: Using students as cannon fodder in a pole different battle 85 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:50,480 Speaker 8: over migration and housing simply doesn't add up the danger 86 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 8: of using these talented people as scapegoats to blame the 87 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 8: housing crisis on. Is what we stand to lose by 88 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 8: telling them to stay home. 89 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: The Green said that plan escapegoated international students, and the 90 00:06:03,040 --> 00:06:06,760 Speaker 1: Opposition criticized the proposed caps for not going far enough. 91 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:10,679 Speaker 1: They say they'll introduce their own legislation that cuts even 92 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,080 Speaker 1: deeper if they get up at the next election. 93 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:17,239 Speaker 6: I think this was always coming to a head. 94 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,040 Speaker 1: Rosie Lewis is a political correspondent with The Australian. 95 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 6: That being that the government had a lot on its 96 00:06:25,480 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 6: plate and things weren't moving quickly in the Parliament, and 97 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 6: now all of a sudden, we've got just four days 98 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 6: left until Christmas, four days this week and they no surprise, 99 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:43,360 Speaker 6: want to get everything through, but they're already having to 100 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:48,360 Speaker 6: concede that will be impossible. Interestingly, there are seventy six 101 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 6: government bills still before the Parliament. Some of the bills 102 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 6: much more significant to Anthony Albanese's agenda than others, and 103 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 6: it is a blow to the Prime Minister that on 104 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:06,880 Speaker 6: the day before Parliament resumes for its final week, he 105 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 6: has had to concede that two significant bits of legislation, 106 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:15,440 Speaker 6: as you mentioned, the misinformation and disinformation laws as well 107 00:07:15,480 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 6: as gambling reform won't be able to proceed because there 108 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 6: are no deals possible. There are even more pieces of 109 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 6: legislation than those where we just don't know where they're 110 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:32,160 Speaker 6: going to land, things like his housing agenda, which the 111 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 6: government says is it's number one priority. It's helped to 112 00:07:34,880 --> 00:07:38,040 Speaker 6: buy and build to rent scheme, things like the Future 113 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 6: Made in Australia agenda, which Anthony Albanesi really wants to 114 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 6: peg his re election campaign on. At this stage in 115 00:07:45,400 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 6: the electoral cycle, months out from an election which could 116 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,480 Speaker 6: be as early as March, things are not looking good 117 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 6: in terms of Anthony Albanesi having been able to persuade 118 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 6: the Parliament to get his agenda. 119 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: Through coming up where the government could still get some 120 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:27,880 Speaker 1: wins this week. Ever since the Australian government imposed a 121 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: world first media bargaining code on tech platforms in twenty 122 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,280 Speaker 1: twenty one, legislators around the globe have been keeping one 123 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:37,840 Speaker 1: eye on what we do in the social media space. 124 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: So when Prime Minister Anthony Albanesi announced plans to ban 125 00:08:42,640 --> 00:08:45,600 Speaker 1: Aussie kids from social media, it made waves. 126 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:52,160 Speaker 9: This one's for the mums and dads. Social media is 127 00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:55,200 Speaker 9: doing harm to our kids and I'm calling time on 128 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 9: it and I want Australian parents and families to know 129 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 9: that the opment has your back. 130 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: The ban isn't without criticism, but it's poised to sail 131 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:12,040 Speaker 1: through Parliament with bipartisan support this week. It'll legislate a 132 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: minimum age of sixteen years for social media use and 133 00:09:15,520 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: put the owners on tech companies like a TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, 134 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 1: Instagram and x formerly known as Twitter to enforce the 135 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:27,160 Speaker 1: new rules. If they don't, they could face fines of 136 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 1: up to fifty million dollars. 137 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 6: It will be an important win, but it's one that 138 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 6: we've seen coming for some months now because Peter Dutton 139 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:41,600 Speaker 6: has also really been championing this ban on under sixteen's 140 00:09:41,920 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 6: using social media, having said that once it's legislated this week, 141 00:09:46,480 --> 00:09:50,880 Speaker 6: the government's giving itself at least twelve months to figure 142 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:53,680 Speaker 6: out the ins and outs of how this ban would 143 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,080 Speaker 6: actually work. So we're not actually going to know what 144 00:09:57,080 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 6: it looks like, what will be required of young Australia 145 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 6: or Australians older than sixteen until at least end of 146 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 6: next year, but more likely twenty twenty six. But of course, 147 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,120 Speaker 6: in a week where there's going to be a lot 148 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 6: of legislation blocked or rejected or not put up at all, 149 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,240 Speaker 6: any win is a win and Anthony Albanesi will certainly 150 00:10:18,360 --> 00:10:19,960 Speaker 6: be talking about it in parliament. 151 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:25,679 Speaker 1: The coalition is also set to back the government's proposed 152 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 1: electoral reforms, which caps how much candidates can spend in 153 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: a single electorate at eight hundred thousand dollars. It would 154 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 1: also limit donations by unions and individuals to twenty thousand 155 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:41,680 Speaker 1: and six hundred thousand dollars, respectively, and require donations over 156 00:10:41,720 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: one thousand dollars to be disclosed. 157 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:48,680 Speaker 9: What we want to put in place is electoral reform 158 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 9: that lasts over a period of time, that doesn't seek 159 00:10:53,200 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 9: to secure a political advantage for any particular side of 160 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 9: politics or indeed for and it's running as well. 161 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: Just lastly, Rosie, the government is also likely to pass 162 00:11:07,080 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 1: its proposed new aged Care framework, which will overhaul the 163 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:14,440 Speaker 1: way the sector is regulated in hopes of providing high 164 00:11:14,559 --> 00:11:18,800 Speaker 1: quality care for older Australians. Plus the education reforms like 165 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: fear free take places will get up. So where does 166 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: that leave us at the end of the final sitting 167 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: week of the year. 168 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 6: There's still a lot on the government's books, but the 169 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:34,839 Speaker 6: outstanding question is will they actually be able to do 170 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 6: anything in the new year. And while many think that 171 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:41,240 Speaker 6: the election will be in May, that would give Anthony 172 00:11:41,320 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 6: Albanezi some sitting weeks in February and March, there is 173 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,959 Speaker 6: a real possibility that he could call in an election early, 174 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 6: say in February four March, and we have no sitting 175 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 6: weeks left, so there will be a lot of his 176 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 6: agenda held over, so to speak. And then the next 177 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 6: question will be what does he take to his reelection 178 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:04,560 Speaker 6: campaign or what does he decide is just in the 179 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 6: too hard basket, Even things like his religious discrimination reforms, 180 00:12:09,040 --> 00:12:12,680 Speaker 6: which he quietly dropped some months ago. Now, which we 181 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:16,079 Speaker 6: assume we'll never see the light of day again. So 182 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 6: there's a lot to watch in this space, but only 183 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,640 Speaker 6: the Prime Minister has the answer at this point, and 184 00:12:21,679 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 6: he probably hasn't even made the decision on many of 185 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:25,479 Speaker 6: those bits of legislation. 186 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:37,720 Speaker 1: Rosie Lewis is a political correspondent with The Australian. You 187 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:40,520 Speaker 1: can read all our recording and analysis of this final 188 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 1: Parliamentary sitting week anytime at the Australian dot com dot 189 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:44,280 Speaker 1: au