Australian news and politics recap: Albanese appoints Nationals MP Keith Pitt as Holy See ambassador

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The stronger laws against hate crimes – including controversial mandatory one-year sentences for people displaying nazi symbols in public – will formally come into effect on Saturday.

Governor-General Sam Mostyn has just signed the legislation, a day after it passed both houses of Parliament, in a process known as giving royal assent.

The laws make it easier to prosecute someone for advocating or threatening violence against someone based on race, religion, sexuality, disability or political opinion and against places of worship.

They also impose mandatory one-year sentences for displaying nazi symbols or salute in public, six-year sentences for terror offences and three years for financing terrorism.

Labor has a long-standing opposition to mandatory sentencing and the capitulation over the Coalition’s demands to include them has prompted unhappiness among its ranks although MPs conceded pragmatism was called for this close to an election.

Anthony Albanese will appoint Nationals MP Keith Pitt as Ambassador to the Holy See in a surprise diplomatic appointment.

Mr Albanese is following in the footsteps of the Rudd government that also appointed a Nationals MP to the then newly-created diplomatic post.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd previously appointed former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer to become the nation’s first resident ambassador to the Holy See.

The ambassador’s role is to work to advance Australia’s interests at The Vatican and to strengthen ties.

The Member for Hinkler, Mr Pitt, announced his exit from politics late last year citing “frustration” and policy disagreements. At the time he hinted that a new job opportunity was among the reasons for his decision.

“I’m wishing Peter Dutton all the best in 2025, but I’ve got a very unexpected opportunity,” he said at the time. “My wife has asked me every week since I started why am I still doing this? And I’ve finally got to the point where I’ve said, ‘Well, actually it’s time to let someone else have a go’.”

Mr Pitt will replace Chiara Porro, who finished on November 29.

The Nightly’s reporters Nicola Smith and Katina Curtis say Anthony Albanese has reignited debate about the timing of the Federal election, with a seemingly innocuous statement during a press conference on Friday.

Mr Albanese unveiled a $842.6m injection of fresh financing over six years for services including policing, women’s safety, education and alcohol harm reduction while visiting the Northern Territory’s Alice Springs, which has been shaken by a crime wave in recent years.

But it was a comment that the additional funding would be assured in “a line item when we hand down our Budget,” which launched a new round of speculation that an April election has been ruled out.

The Federal Budget is scheduled to be presented to Parliament on March 25 unless an April election is called. The dates of April 12 and May 17 have been strong contenders in the Canberra rumour mill, although only the Prime Minister knows the date of the poll.

Read the full story here.

The Coalition has stepped up calls for Laos to accept an offer from the Australian Federal Police to assist with the investigation into tainted alcohol that killed two teenage Melbourne backpackers.

The Government is also pressing the Laotian authorities to work more closely with the AFP in the methanol poisoning probe after it was revealed in parliament on Thursday that Laos had not yet taken up the invitation.

Bianca Jones, Holly Bowles and four other foreign nationals tragically died after drinking alcoholic drinks containing methanol at the Nana Backpackers Hostel in the popular resort town of Vang Vieng last year.

“This is every parent’s worst nightmare. Our thoughts of course are with the families,” said shadow foreign minister David Coleman, adding that the AFP was well-equipped to support such investigations.

“The Coalition strongly supports efforts to ensure that there is a full investigation into these tragic deaths.

“We urge Laotian authorities to do everything in their power to bring those responsible to justice,” he said.

Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley added there was “no excuse” for Laos’ ongoing refusal of Australia’s offer of assistance to “track down the criminals responsible for the deaths of these beautiful young Australians.”

Australia gave over $50 million a year in foreign aid to the Southeast Asian nation and “the least they can do is cooperate with our authorities,” she said. “Bianca Jones, Holly Bowles and their families deserve so much better.”

When asked, the AFP said it had “no comment.”

Renewed weather warnings have been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology for Queensland, with heavy rain expected to lash parts of the State.

Heavy rain will intensify across northern and central Queensland from as early as this evening, including parts of the already flooded northeast tropical coast.

Residents in Tully, Ingham and Townsville have also been warned heavy rain may result in life-threatening flash flooding.

The Bureau also added rainfall totals could reach between 140mm to 200mm, with a possibility the 24-hour rainfall total could hit 250mm.

There is also the potential for severe thunderstorms, extending from Cooktown all the way to Airlie Beach.

Severe thunderstorms are also expected to impact parts of eastern Victoria, southern NSW and the ACT today.

Residents can expect heavy rain, strong winds and possibly large hailstones.

Governments across Australia love to spruik their efforts to tackle housing unaffordability, but which ones are actually making a difference?

The Housing Industry Association has scored all the states and territories for the effectiveness of their policy announcements over the past two years and determined that South Australia is leading the way to helping the country achieve its housing supply targets.

As AAP reports, The Malinauskas government has implemented “an advantageous blend of planning innovation, skills investment and housing affordability policies”, positioning the state as best-placed to meet its share of the national 1.2 million new homes target over five years.

SA was handed a nine out of 10 on the HIA’s scoreboard, followed closely by Western Australia on eight.

However, despite the hight rating, Matt King, a senior HIA economist warned:

“Despite these steps forward, neither South Australia nor Western Australia are on track to build the number of homes required to meet their contribution to deliver on the government’s 1.2 million homes target.”

Read the full story by Jacob Shteyman, AAP.

AAP’s Derek Rose is reporting the local share market was very slightly higher at midday, hovering just under its all-time high ahead of another set of US jobs figures that could shift expectations for US rate cuts.

The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 9.4 points, or 0.11 per cent, at 8,530.1 shortly before lunchtime on Friday, while the broader All Ordinaries was up 13.8 points, or 0.16 per cent, to 8,799.0.

The ASX200 was down by less than two points for the week, having clawed back almost all of Monday’s 152.9-point plunge caused by Donald Trump’s tariffs on China.

The index set an all-time closing high of 8,532 last Friday.

Capital.com analyst Kyle Rodda said market participants were treading carefully ahead of the US non-farm report to round out the week on Friday night Australian time.

Economists are essentially forecasting a “Goldilocks print” with moderate job growth in January, an unchanged unemployment rate and moderating wage growth, Mr Rodda said.

Read Derek’s report here.

The Nightly’s Ellen Ransley has filed her full report following a Senate inquiry into the Australian Defence Force honours and awards system.

During the inquiry senators were told a significant overhaul of the system is vital to stamp out abuse and improve flailing morale in the military.

Veterans are also demanding an apology for Angus Campbell’s treatment of Afghanistan veterans.

The Senate inquiry were told the former defence chief was a “traitor to this country”, with veterans furious about the fact Mr Campbell was awarded one of the military’s highest honours, the Distinguished Service Cross, for his leadership in Afghanistan despite a lack of evidence he was ever “in action”.

Anger in the community has long-stemmed from General Campbell’s decision to strip the Meritorious Unit Citation from up to 3000 Afghanistan veterans, which was later overturned.

At the inquiry, Dan Fortune DSC and Bar demanded an apology from the highest echelons of defence for the “disgraceful smearing” of the MUC, asking for “redemption” and “restorative justice for those pejoratively impacted by that denigration”.

“This is not about disaffected veterans having a crack. We want a future purpose-fit system that people can believe in,” he said.

Read Ellen’s full report here.

The ABC executive who removed a casual presenter over a post accusing Israel of using starvation tactics did not know her exact views on the Gaza war before she was dismissed, a court has heard.

Antoinette Lattouf was hired to fill a five-day timeslot on the Mornings show on ABC Radio Sydney in December 2023.

The 41-year-old was dismissed after three days on air after sharing a Human Rights Watch post on Instagram saying Israel had used starvation as a “weapon of war” in Gaza.

She is suing the ABC in the Federal Court for unfair dismissal, seeking penalties and damages.

Giving evidence on Friday, the ABC’s outgoing content chief, Chris Oliver-Taylor, told the court he did not know exactly what Lattouf’s views on the war were when he made the decision not to put her back on air.

“I’m not an expert in the Israel-Gaza war,” he said.

“I’m not an expert in nuances of the debate. I don’t want to suggest I know Ms Lattouf’s views either way, I don’t.

“I was concerned about impartiality on the ABC.”

Mr Oliver-Taylor also denied being aware that at the time the ABC had received specific complaints from a pro-Israel lobby about Lattouf, adding he was unaware that she was of Lebanese background.

Lattouf’s barrister Oshie Fagir asked if Mr Oliver-Taylor had been told by someone to refuse to acknowledge Lattouf’s position on the war and to repeat the “catchphrase of impartiality”.

“I don’t agree with that statement,” he replied.

Prior to Lattouf being stood aside, ABC managing director David Anderson forwarded screenshots of some of her posts to Mr Oliver-Taylor, telling him the ABC had an “Antoinette issue” and her social media feeds contained “anti-Semitic hatred”.

Mr Oliver-Taylor said he agreed the posts were an issue that might put the ABC in a position of appearing biased, but he said he had not viewed many of the posts himself.

“My response was, I think this is hugely problematic,” he said.

-- AAP, Duncan Murray

Read the full story here.