The Prime Minister has appointed former High Court Justice Virginia Bell to lead a royal commission into antisemitism in the wake of the Bondi terrorist attack, in which 15 were killed during Hanukkah celebrations.
A bid by the Victorian Liberal Party to summarily toss a challenge to a $1.5 million advance made to former leader John Pesutto for defence costs in a defamation suit has failed, with a court finding there is a case to be tried about the validity of the loan.
Landmark federal environmental law reforms that will up penalties for environmental breaches and fast-track approvals for renewable energy projects are set to pass the Senate.
A homophobic tweet aimed at independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich may have approached “vulgar abuse” but was just part of the cut and thrust of Australian political debate, former One Nation politician Mark Latham has said.
One Nation’s Pauline Hanson was not motivated by racism but provoked by the hypocrisy of rival politician Mehreen Faruqi when she fired off her “piss off back to Pakistan” tweet, her lawyer told the Full Federal Court Monday. But Faruqi’s barrister has told the appeals court the accusation of hypocrisy was itself racist.
A company linked to the Victorian Liberal Party that provided a $1.5 million advance to former party leader John Pesutto says a case launched to block the loan should be thrown out.
The government has tabled a suite of changes to the EPBC Act, including the introduction of a national environment protection agency with the power to make ‘stop work’ orders.
The federal government plans to significantly increase penalties for companies that contravene environment laws as it moves forward with a suite of changes described by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young as “not worth the paper they’re printed on”.
Cryptocurrency exchanges will be required to hold an Australian Financial Services Licence under proposed legislation announced by assistant treasurer Dr Daniel Mulino.
ASIC has confirmed it is investigating at least one ratings house which said Keystone’s failed Shield Master Fund was of ‘investment grade’, as the corporate watchdog seeks to claw back $480 million in investor funds.