O75 Public Administration

Bernardi backs One Nation to replace Libs

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Original article by David Penberthy
The Australian – Page: 7 : 4-Feb-26

Former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi says that frustration over the lack of a viable opposition in South Australia was a key driver of his decision to re-enter politics. The state election will be held on 21 March, and Bernardi says the SA Liberals have failed to make any inroads against Premier Peter Malinauskas. Bernardi will be the lead candidate on One Nation’s ticket for the state’s upper house; he says that One Nation could potentially replace the Liberals as Australia’s major conservative party. He adds that voters are desperate for both a political alternative and an open environment where they can state their views without being criticised.

CORPORATES
ONE NATION PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Last-ditch bid to reunite Coalition

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 7 : 4-Feb-26

It has been revealed that Opposition leader Sussan Ley outlined several ‘non-negotiable’ conditions in talks with National Party leader David Littleproud about re-forming the Coalition. However, some Nationals MPs are said to have firmly rejected a requirement for three of its senators to remain relegated to the backbench for six months; their decision to breach shadow cabinet solidarity rules by voting against Labor’s hate speech laws had prompted the Coalition to split for the second time in less than a year. Nationals MP Llew O’Brien has indicated that he will not support reunification unless the Liberals and Nationals agree to repeal the hate speech laws. Littleproud is expected to seek another meeting with Ley today in a final attempt to reach a deal between the former Coalition partners.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

The 30 lifestyle factors linked to 40 per cent of all cancer cases

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Original article by Angus Thompson
The Age – Page: Online : 4-Feb-26

The World Health Organization has released the findings from its global analysis of the leading risk factors for 36 types of cancer. The research included data from 185 countries, and concluded that about 7.1 million of the 18.7 million new cancer cases recorded worldwide in 2022 were linked to 30 modifiable risk factors; lung, stomach and cervical cancers account for about 50 per cent of these potentially preventable cases. The authors found that Australia is the only country where exposure to UV radiation is the leading factor linked to preventable cancers in men; while tobacco smoking was in turn found to be the leading risk factor for cancer among Australian women.

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WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

Union push to halt work in extreme heat

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Feb-26

ACTU president Michele O’Neil contends that climate hazards such as extreme heat should be treated in the same way as other workplace health and safety threats. The ACTU wants Safe Work Australia to introduce a national safety standard to allow staff to stop work due to extreme heat. Construction labourers, airport ground staff, horticulture workers and miners are amongst those who are most at risk due to extreme heat. A Safe Work Australia spokesman says it is considering a range of proposals regarding extreme heat management as part of a best practice review that is slated to be completed in mid-2026.

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SAFE WORK AUSTRALIA

Security fears for Herzog events

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Original article by Ben Packham, Lachlan Leeming
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 4-Feb-26

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has advised that a Public Assembly Restriction Declaration has been extended in certain parts of inner Sydney for an additional 14 days. The move is in response to the official visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who will arrive in Sydney on Sunday. Lanyon says 3,000 NSW police will be on duty while Herzog is in Sydney; he adds that while there is "no particular known threat", the significant animosity regarding Israel could put community safety at risk. Pro-Palestine groups are organising protests in Sydney and Melbourne to coincide with Herzog’s visit. He will meet with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Wednesday, and attend a function in Melbourne on Thursday.

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NEW SOUTH WALES POLICE FORCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence drops 3.5pts to 80.5 after inflation spikes to 3.8% and spurs talk of interest rate rises

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Feb-26

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence fell 3.5pts to 80.5 in the week to 1 February; it is now 8pts lower than a year ago (88.5), and 1.6pts below the 2026 weekly average of 82.1. Analysis by State shows decreases in the three largest States of New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, but increases in both Western Australia and South Australia. Now 18% of Australians (down 2ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 45% (up 6ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 24% (down 1ppt) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year (the lowest figure for this indicator since the start of the pandemic in March 2020), while 36% (up 2ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’ (the highest figure for this indicator since June 2024). Only 8% (down 1ppt) of respondents expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 33% (up 3ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 21% (down 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 39% (up 2ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Treasurer under pressure to fix budget after RBA lifts rates for first time in two years

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Original article by Shane Wright, Millie Muroi
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 4-Feb-26

The Opposition contends that Treasurer Jim Chalmers must accept responsibility for yesterday’s increase in official interest rates to 3.85 per cent. Shadow treasurer Ted O’Brien said in parliament that the 25 basis point increase is a direct consequence of the govermment’s "addiction to spending", arguing that it has kept inflation higher for longer. Chalmers has rejected suggestions that government spending has contributed to a rising inflation rate, noting that the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy statement did not mention it. Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock has declined to commence on whether government spending is to blame for rising inflation, and noted that the central bank considers both private and public sector spending. The Reserve Bank now does not expect inflation to return to its target range of 2-3 per cent until mid-2028.

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RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Federal Voting Intention: ALP maintains big two-party preferred lead as One Nation support surges to 25%

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Feb-26

The Roy Morgan Poll from January 26 – February 1, 2026, shows primary support for the ALP unchanged on 30.5% and One Nation support up 2.5% to a new record high of 25%. Support for the Liberals dropped 2% to 18%, Nationals were unchanged on 2.5%, Greens were down 0.5% to 12.5% and an unchanged 11.5% supported Independents/Other Parties, according to the latest Roy Morgan survey conducted with a representative Australia-wide cross-section of 1,401 electors. On a two-party preferred basis, the ALP is 56% (down 0.5% from a week ago) ahead of the Coalition on 44% (up 0.5%). When preferences are allocated based on how Australians voted at the 2025 Federal Election the two-party preferred result is closer, with the ALP on 54.5% (unchanged) leading the L-NP Coalition on 45.5% (unchanged).

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY

Former senator Cory Bernardi is One Nation’s latest recruit

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Original article by Paul Sakkal
The Age – Page: Online : 3-Feb-26

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has confirmed that former Liberal senator Cory Bernardi has joined the right-wing minor party. He will be One Nation’s lead candidate im the upper house in the upcoming state election in South Australia; Bernadi says SA is essentially a one-party state, because it currently has no effective Opposition. Bernadi left the Liberals in 2017 to establish the Australian Conservatives, but he disbanded the party in 2019 and resigned from parliament in early 2020. There is speculation that Liberal senator intends to defect to One Nation, amid growing support for the party in public opinion polls.

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ONE NATION PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

First steps to seal Coalition rebirth

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 3-Feb-26

The National Party’s 14 MPs are expected to sit on the lower house’s crossbench today, with a deal to rebuild the Coalition unlikely to be struck before parliament sits for question time. Liberal leader Sussan Ley and Nationals counterpart David Littleproud held talks aimed at mending the rift on Monday evening. The Nationals’ deputy leader Kevin Hogan says there was goodwill on both sides and a lot of progress had been made. The Liberals and Nationals will both hold partyroom meetings today, with Gippsland MP Darren Chester expected to receive strong support for a motion to reunite the Coalition as quickly as possible; some Liberals are said to be considering a similar motion. Meanwhile, a leadership challenge against Littleproud failed on Monday after the Nationals’ partyroom rejected a spill motion put forward by backbencher Colin Boyce.

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA