O75 Public Administration

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.

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

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.

CORPORATES
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.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Big business urges $50b spending cut

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Original article by Lea Jurkovic
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 3-Feb-26

The Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry has used its pre-budget submission to call for federal government spending to be scaled back in order to combat inflation. It contends that government spending should be reduced to 25 per cent of GDP, compared with the Treasury’s own forecast of about 27 per cent over the next two years. The ACCI has suggested that the NDIS, childcare, aged care, health and defence should have funding reduced; CEO Andrew McKellar warns that failing to address inflation could undermine Labor’s economic agenda to improve productivity. The Reserve Bank is widely tipped to increase official interest rates today, in response to the latest inflation data.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Donald Trump announces trade deal between US and India with tariffs slashed

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Original article by Meghna Bali
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 3-Feb-26

US President Donald Trump has used a social media post to announce that the US and India have struck a new trade deal. It will see the tariff on Indian goods imported into the US reduced from 25 per cent to 18 per cent immediately, while Trump says India has agreed to stop buying Russian oil and instead boost energy imports from the United States. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X that he was "delighted" with the tariff reduction, while he thanked Trump "on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement", while Trump also said that Modi had committed to buying more than $US500 billion ($718b) worth of American energy, technology, agricultural and other products.

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UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Trump administration to unveil rare-earths mineral stockpile to counter China

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Original article by
abc.net.au – Page: Online : 3-Feb-26

The US is set to unveil a $US12 billion ($17.2 billion) investment in a strategic rare earths mineral stockpile in an attempt to counter China’s dominance of the sector. A Trump administration official says that commodities trading firms Hartree Partners, Traxys North America and Mercuria Energy Group would manage the procurement of raw materials for the stockpile, while once established, it will give key US companies access to a 60-day supply of minerals for emergency use

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HARTREE PARTNERS, TRAXYS NORTH AMERICA, MERCURIA ENERGY GROUP

Labor factions split over Israeli President’s visit

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Original article by Damon JohnsonSarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 2 : 29-Jan-26

There is growing internal division within the federal government over the official visit of Israel’s President Isaac Herzog, who is scheduled to arrive in Australia on 8 February. Two rival factions within the Australian Labor Party are at odds regarding his visit. The Jewish Labor faction has urged all of the party’s MPs to support the visit, describing Herzog as a "bridge-builder". However, the Labor Friends of Palestine faction has responded by urging the government to block Herzog’s visit, contending that he fails the character test for a visa. Herzog’s visit is expected to be targeted by supporters of Palestine.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

PM to give Timor billions in gas revenue to counter China

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Original article by Michael ReadAngela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 29-Jan-26

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in Dili for an official vist to Timor-Leste on Wednesday. Albanese and his counterpart Xanana Gusmao signed a joint declaration committing to further economic, defence and cultural ties, while Albanese announced that Australia will establish an infrastructure fund for Timor-Leste; it will funded using Australia’s share of revenue from the Woodside Energy-led Greater Sunrise gas project in the Timor Sea.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINETEAST TIMOR. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTERWOODSIDE ENERGY GROUP LIMITED – ASX WDS