2m agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 3:23am
Barrett says she ‘never imagined’ that she would lead AFP
Krissy Barrett has stepped up to speak now. Barrett says she first started at the AFP at 21-years-old as an administrative assistant in the Melbourne office.
She says she’s committed to keeping Australians safe, protecting the vulnerable, and identifying and disrupting emerging cohorts of criminals.
“I never imagined that one day that I would be leading this very fine organisation, which now has a workforce of over 8,000 people and is posted in more than 30 countries across the world,” Barrett says.
“We now police in an ever-changing and ever-challenging environment. But despite these challenges, the AFP’s agility and innovation has ensured that we are a constant and dependable source of protection for Australians and Australia’s way of life,” she says.
5m agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 3:19am
Kershaw retiring to spend time with family, Tony Burke says
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says Reece Kershaw is retiring to spend more time with family.
He says Commissioner Kershaw has led extraordinary work in relation to organised crime and setting up the foreign interference taskforce.
“I wasn’t expecting the conversation. I wasn’t expecting the announcement from him. But he leaves with his head held high and on the best possible terms with the government,” Burke says.
9m agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 3:16am
PM thanks Kershaw, says Barrett is ‘renowned’ for leadership capability
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has thanked Commissioner Kershaw for his “extraordinary contribution” to public life.
“We are deeply grateful for his service,” Albanese says.
He says Krissy Barrett brings more than 20 years of law enforcement experience to the position of AFP commissioner.
The PM says Barrett has managed the national security portfolio and is “highly renowned” for her leadership capability.
“Krissy has expertise in community policing and operations, counter-terrorism first response, serious financial crime, and transnational, serious and organised crime,” Albanese says.
“I’ve certainly seen that firsthand in the dealings that I’ve had with Ms Barrett, as well as the way that she has represented the AFP on matters before the National Security Committee,” he says.
15m agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 3:10am
Breaking: PM announces Krissy Barrett as next AFP commissioner
The Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that Krissy Barrett will become the next Australian Federal Police Commissioner.
She will be the first woman to hold the position of commissioner.
Barrett currently serves as the Deputy AFP Commissioner and will succeed current commissioner Reece Kershaw.
30m agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 2:54am
PM Anthony Albanese to step up shortly
We’ve just received word that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will step up at 1pm AEST with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.
We’ll bring you all the updates here live.
37m agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 2:47am
Sussan Ley admits hunger and starvation is happening in Gaza
Sussan Ley has admitted at a press conference in Broome that there is hunger and starvation happening in Gaza.
“There is hunger and starvation in Gaza and it needs to be addressed and I’m pleased to see the Israeli government is doing exactly that,” Ley says.
Asked multiple times at a press conference last week, Ley wouldn’t say starvation was happening in Gaza.
Coalition frontbencher Dan Tehan also demanded Prime Minister Anthony Albanese “produce the facts”, challenging his assertion that Israel “clearly” breached international law by blocking aid into Gaza.
Speaking about yesterday’s protest on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Ley says it is is not reasonable to have protests that shut down a major road in a big city like Sydney.
“We can’t continue to have these protests that shut down such an important area of a major city,” she says.
“And we know ultimately Australians do wants to see Gazans fed, they want to see the Israeli hostages released, they want to see the war end, but these events are overseas, this is the shutting down of a major city,” she says.
52m agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 2:33am
‘When Labor talks, you pay,’ Ley says
Sussan Ley has pivoted to the treasurer’s productivity roundtable and the Australian Council of Trade Union’s proposal to change negative gearing and capital gains tax.
She says this month’s productivity roundtable is looking like a “stitch-up” and that it appears the government is looking at ways to increase taxes.
Ley says while the government has made promises to cut power bills and build more homes, it appears the opposite is happening.
“When Labor talks, you pay,” Ley says.
“They promised that your power bills will come down, that homes would be built, that you wouldn’t have to pay to see a doctor, and that you would have lower taxes, instead your power bills are going up, your taxes look like they’re going up, there aren’t homes for young Australians looking for home ownership and you have to show your credit card to see a doctor,” she says.
58m agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 2:26am
Sussan Ley says Labor is ‘mismanaging’ First Nations policy
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has stepped up for a press conference in Broome, Western Australia, fresh from her tour of regional First Nations communities.
Ley says the government is “mismanaging” Indigenous policy, pointing to the latest Closing the Gap report reveals only 4 out of 19 targets are on track to be met, with the NT being the worst performing jurisdiction in the country.
“It’s four years now into this Labor government and we’re still not seeing the genuine approach to working alongside Aboriginal communities to turn some of these indicators around,” Ley says.
1h agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 2:18am
Climate Council says laws regulating big polluters need to be reformed
The Climate Council says the Productivity Commission’s latest interim report shows accelerating the uptake of renewable energy will support productivity growth in Australia.
Climate Council chief executive Amanda McKenzie says report highlights the substantial risks posed to the Australian economy by climate change.
McKenzie says the federal government must reform environmental laws and improve the laws the regulate big polluters.
She’s called for the government to set an ambitious 2035 climate target to cut climate pollution.
“Climate impacts are a major drag on the productivity of the Australian economy. Businesses in Taree or Lismore cannot survive if they are flooded over and over,” McKenzie says.
The council has called for the development of a central, public database to for all climate hazards, a nationally consistent outcome-based “star rating” system for housing resilience and investing to improve the resilience of Australia’s housing stock.
1h agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 1:25am
EU free trade deal still in federal government’s sights
Trade Minister Don Farrell says he is confident Australia and the EU can reach a free trade agreement.
Free trade negotiations with the EU were put on ice in 2023 after the sides couldn’t agree on some key aspects of a deal.
Farrell says he believes Australia and the EU can come to an agreement with “some goodwill on both sides”.
“I think there’s an opportunity to get back into the negotiations,” Farrell says.
“I am confident that both Australia and Europe understand just how important it is that countries like ourselves demonstrate that free and fair trade is possible in the world environment.
2h agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 12:53am
Farrell ‘confident’ US tariffs will eventually be removed
Stepping into his other portfolio now, Don Farrell, who is also the trade minister, says he believes the economic harm from tariffs within the United States will lead to a reversal in policy.
Australia escaped a rise to baseline tariffs imposed by the United States last week, despite other countries copping an increase.
Farrell says he’s confident the 10 per cent baseline tariffs on Australian goods will eventually be removed.
“It’s not going to happen overnight but already you can see in the United States that inflation is rising, unemployment is rising and they’re two of the consequences of the application of tariffs,” Farrell says.
“I think as time goes by we can be confident that our argument that tariffs are an act of economic self-harm, I believe that argument will ultimately be successful in the United States and that we will remove all of those tariffs.”
2h agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 12:39am
Tourism Australia launches second chapter of ‘Come and Say G’day’ campaign
Tourism Minister Don Farrell has stepped up in Canberra to promote Tourism Australia’s new $130 million “Come and Say G’day” campaign.
The advertisements feature wildlife ambassador Robert Irwin, British celebrity chef Nigella Lawson and animated mascot Ruby the Roo.
Farrell says Australia would love to see more Chinese tourists, and tourists from around the world.
He says while Australian tourist numbers have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, he hopes this campaign will tip Australia over the line.
“Tourism is a really important part of our economy,” Farrell says.
“What we know from all the research that Tourism Australia does is that there’s a huge pent-up demand for people to come to Australia.
“We’ve just got to give them that last little push to get them to make that decision.”
Tourism Australia’s managing director Phillipa Harrison says the campaign uses talent from local markets around the world to tell their Australian tourism story.
Read more about the campaign from national tourism reporter Kristy Sexton-McGrath in the link below.
3h agoMon 4 Aug 2025 at 12:05am
Richard Marles says Gaza march was a ‘powerful statement’
Richard Marles (right). (ABC News: Ian Cutmore)
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has stepped up to tout the government’s Australian Defence Force recruitment numbers.
As we brought you earlier, 7,059 permanent full-time personnel joined the ADF in the last year, however the ADF is still short of its recruitment target.
But Marles has been asked about the protests over Gaza at the weekend, and whether Australian politicians have “underestimated” the public’s stance on the situation in the Middle East.
He says the march on the Sydney Harbour Bridge was a “powerful statement” and is indicative that the community is moved by what is happening in Gaza.
“I think Australians are rightly appalled by the tragedy they see unfolding on their screens playing out in Gaza. It’s a tragedy that we all want to see stop,” Marles says.
“What we see playing out is a tragedy and the whole world is calling for this to come to an end. It must come to an end,” he says.
3h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 11:33pm
Australian aid to Gaza will be distributed to Red Cross, UNICEF
Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Thistlethwaite has stepped up on Sky News to give some more details on the $20 million of aid to Gaza.
Thistlethwaite says the funding will go towards food relief, medical supplies and field hospitals.
He says the funding will be shared roughly equally among the Red Cross, UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme and the Jordanian Hashemite Charity Organisation.
The assistant minister says it does not include funding to UNRWA.
“We’re doing this in concert with our partner countries that we’ve tried to work with around this conflict to ensure that it goes to organisations that have expertise and can deliver that much-needed food on the ground,” Thistlethwaite says.
Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition Maria Kovacic says the opposition supports the delivery of aid to Gaza to “children there that are starving”.
However, she says the Coalition is concerned about the presence of Hamas in Gaza, and the role it might play in the future recognition of a Palestinian state.
4h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 11:15pm
Keogh says union’s negative gearing, tax proposals will be canvassed at roundtable
ABC News Breakfast co-host James Glenday has asked Keogh what he thinks of the ACTU’s calls to change negative gearing and the capital gains tax and whether the government would have the courage to adopt those changes.
As I mentioned earlier, the ACTU will call for bold changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax at the government’s productivity roundtable this month, arguing the tax breaks be limited to one investment property.
Keogh has largely sidestepped the question.
He says its great to see there’s a range of different suggestions coming from the union movement and industry groups ahead of the productivity roundtable.
“They’re all going to be canvassed at the roundtable that’s coming together shortly and it’s important we look at all of those things. Housing is incredibly important,” Keogh says.
The minister says the government is working with states to amend local planning laws to help speed up the construction of new homes.
4h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 11:03pm
Defence records highest annual ADF intake since 2009
Defence Personnel Minister Matt Keogh has appeared on ABC News Breakfast to discuss the latest jump in Australian military recruitment.
The federal government says the Australian Defence Force enlisted 7,059 permanent full-time personnel in 2024-25 — the highest annual intake since 2009-10.
However the government hasn’t hit its target of maintaining 69,000 permanent ADF personnel. The current number sits at 61,189.
Keogh says the ADF is retaining more people in the defence force for longer and the separation rate is declining.
He says the government has broadened the eligibility rules for a defence role.
“We’ve changed those rules so people are looked at as an individual, matching it to the role they’re going to be going into in our defence force so we can bring more of those people through,” Keogh says.
4h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 10:41pm
Liddle sidesteps questions about whether Commonwealth should freeze funding to NT
Kerrynne Liddle has been asked about when the Coalition will release a policy aimed at First Nations Australians.
Liddle says the Coalition has three years until the next election.
“I’m really keen to get into policy, but I need to do that also with my colleagues understanding how important it is to focus on priority areas that I’m going to suggest that we do,” Liddle says.
Liddle has sidestepped questions about whether she thinks Commonwealth funding should be withheld from the Northern Territory if the money is directed to prisons.
Education Minister Jason Clare has said there are “no blank cheques” and that funding should be tied to “things that we know work”.
Liddle says the job of any government is to keep its people safe. She says it’s important to address issues before they lead to incarceration.
“I know there’s a lot of talk about incarceration. And, you know, what I didn’t hear from the prime minister [at Garma] was much talk about how he was going to address those four Closing the Gap targets that tragically are still going in the wrong direction,” Liddle says.
“It is really important from my perspective that we actually address the issues before people come to the attention of police. Before they end up incarcerated.”
4h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 10:35pm
Liddle requests more detail on government’s new First Nations economic development plan
Kerrynne Liddle says she wants to see more detail about the government’s new economic development plan for First Nations Australians.
The prime minister used Garma to announce an economic partnership between the federal government, the First Nations Economic Empowerment Alliance, and the Coalition of Peaks.
He also committed $75 million to support Native Title Holders in securing better deals and getting claims approved faster and $31 million to deliver training for mobile TAFE through utes and trailers.
Liddle says the government also needs to back First Nations businesses in regional WA.
“What they want is people to help them now to grow, to develop, and to deal with the real issues, such as right now we know there are record insolvencies of all businesses across Australia. And they’re [businesses are] telling us they can’t get what they need,” Liddle says.
5h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 10:25pm
Kerrynne Liddle says she makes no apologies for visiting regional WA over Garma festival
Shadow Indigenous Affairs Minister Kerrynne Liddle has phoned into ABC Radio National Breakfast from regional Western Australia where she’s visiting with Opposition Leader Sussan Ley.
Ley and Liddle didn’t attend the Garma festival over the weekend, instead sending Shadow Attorney-General Julian Leeser in their place.
Liddle says she decided to visit regional WA because the area has some of Australia’s highest rates of suicide and preventable chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, and family and domestic violence.
Asked why she couldn’t visit Garma, Liddle says it was a matter of timing and she makes no apologies for it.
“It is important to come over here and talk to people where they are. And we did that. And we didn’t just organise a Teams meeting. We have driven many kilometres. We have jumped on many planes. And we’ve talked to people exactly where they are at and met many, many people,” Liddle says.
5h agoSun 3 Aug 2025 at 10:15pm
Husic says ‘pro-family’ conservatives should reflect on Gaza
Labor MP Ed Husic has been asked about comments from Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, who has refused to describe what’s happening in Gaza as starvation.
Husic says conservatives who label themselves “pro-family” should reflect on the suffering in Gaza.
“Putting aside politics, I think everyone gets fully that the treatment of Israelis on October 7 was horrific … But 60,000 innocent Palestinians, half of which have been women and children, that have been killed through the Netanyahu government’s actions. They did not deserve that,” Husic says.
