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Liberal party ‘corroded by hate’, MP says amid concerns of ‘dog whistling’ on immigration

Exclusive: Several Liberals say they now believe Pauline Hanson’s party is in control of their party’s agenda

Liberal MPs have expressed concern about Angus Taylor’s immigration policy, with one claiming the party’s soul is being “corroded by hate”.

Several Liberal MPs have said they now believe Pauline Hanson’s party is in control of the Liberal agenda.

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© Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

© Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

© Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

LNP falls ‘agonisingly short’ in Stafford byelection as Labor suffers swing against it

Opposition expected to retain the northern Brisbane seat, with Luke Richmond ahead of Fiona Hammond by more than 700 votes

Queensland’s opposition leader, Steven Miles, says he has caucus support to remain Labor leader “right now”, after the party suffered a swing against it at a byelection in the north of Brisbane.

Labor is expected to retain the northern Brisbane seat of Stafford but recorded an 8% swing against it on primary votes. The ALP candidate, Luke Richmond, was ahead of the Liberal National party candidate, Fiona Hammond, by 768 votes as of Sunday morning, with counting expected to continue later in the day.

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© Photograph: Russell Freeman/AAP

© Photograph: Russell Freeman/AAP

© Photograph: Russell Freeman/AAP

Angus Taylor accused of ‘dog-whistling’ and marginalising immigrants over plan to cut benefits to non-citizens

15 May 2026 at 01:37

Prime minister claims Coalition imitating One Nation’s policies as refugee advocacy group warns migrants ‘should not be used as scapegoats’ for economic problems

Anthony Albanese has accused Angus Taylor of copying One Nation and “dog-whistling” to marginalise immigrants to Australia, as the Coalition seeks to cut social benefits and government programs for permanent residents.

Delivering his budget reply speech on Thursday night, the opposition leader announced plans to slash immigration and restrict welfare programs to citizens only. This would cut access to the national disability insurance scheme, jobseeker and other safety nets from permanent residents who could be living in Australia and paying tax for years.

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© Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

© Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

© Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

Taylor vows to run coal ‘long and hard’ and scrap EV concessions in budget reply – as it happened

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Holding Jewish people responsible for Israel a ‘building block’ of racism, inquiry hears

There will always be “edge cases”, Dr Dave Rich has told the antisemitism royal commission, where there are good faith disagreements on whether something is antisemitic.

Holding Jews collectively responsible for the actions of the state of Israel is the justification provided by terrorists who murder Jews around the world, who attack Jews around the world while shouting abuse about Israel, about Gaza.

I’m not pretending anything is going to get fixed tomorrow or next weekend, but they will be a difference at auctions this weekend. These changes will mean that there will be just a bit fewer investors at every auction and that that younger person who is trying to get into their first home in a better position.

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© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

PM says opposition ‘reduced to a farce’ as government targeted over CGT – as it happened

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Australia to send military plane to strait of Hormuz reopening mission

Australia will join an international mission to reopen the strait of Hormuz, with plans to contribute a hi-tech surveillance plane to the effort.

Our intention is to contribute Australia’s world-leading E-7A Wedgetail aircraft to this defensive effort.

While this platform [the Wedgetail] is already doing work in the region, providing this capability would make a valuable contribution to the multinational mission and efforts to secure freedom of navigation in the strait of Hormuz.

We want to see this conflict end, the strait of Hormuz open and freedom of navigation resume. The longer this conflict goes on the more significant the impact on Australia will be. Our government is doing all we can to shield Australians from the impacts.

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© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

Jim Chalmers says budget to address economic anxieties ‘driving’ Australians to One Nation

12 May 2026 at 02:08

Farrer win casts shadow over budget as government signals it’s alive to populist rightwing threat

One Nation has cast a shadow over the federal budget and influenced decisions to reform negative gearing and taxes, with Jim Chalmers admitting many Australians are feeling economic anxieties that are “driving them to consider” rightwing populist parties.

The treasurer and Anthony Albanese have conceded that many people are locked out of the housing market and that the problem is getting worse, not better, under Labor. With Pauline Hanson’s party winning a historic byelection in Farrer – its first lower house seat win in its 30-year history – the government was alive to the threat of a populist wave of grievance similar to those in the United States, Britain and Europe.

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© Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

© Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

© Photograph: Hilary Wardhaugh/Getty Images

‘Never, ever’: Tim Wilson walks back comments on potential One Nation rightwing alliance

Liberal frontbencher says he has ‘no interest’ in forming a coalition with Pauline Hanson’s party – a day after suggesting he might be open to it

The shadow treasurer, Tim Wilson, has said he would “never, ever, ever” support a coalition government with One Nation, walking back previous comments that left the door open to such an arrangement.

Urging the Liberals to “get on with” setting out what they stand for, Wilson joined other senior party figures in rejecting any partnership with the rightwing populist party.

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© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Body ‘in decomposed state’ believed to be Julian Ingram – as it happened

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‘We’re not a party of government … yet,’ says Joyce

Barnaby Joyce is doing something of a victory lap for One Nation this morning, hitting the radio and TVs to celebrate the emphatic byelection win.

The sort of conceited statement, ‘Oh, you’re not a party of government.’ Well, let’s finish that with a rejoiner, yet.

This is a dynamic change. And talking to people last night in the western suburbs of Sydney, last night, they’re quite at home with the idea of One Nation being a dominant force in western Sydney. Absolutely 100% on board with the idea.

We know people are under pressure. And the easy path is to say, oh, well, we’ll just sit back and watch that occur. The difficult decision, but the right decision is to do the right thing with the right policies to deliver. And clearly, people are frustrated. Issues like intergenerational equity. People are worried that younger Australians are never going to get a crack at home ownership … too many young people are close to giving up on the opportunity of owning their own home.

If we do change our position on any policy, we will explain why it is that that is occurring.

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© Photograph: NSW Police

© Photograph: NSW Police

© Photograph: NSW Police

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