AUSTRALIA – POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

‘Not appropriate’: Labor MP asks colleagues not to talk about Ben Roberts-Smith

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Original article by Natassia Chrysanthos
The Age – Page: Online : 14-Apr-26

Labor MP Luke Gosling has sent an email to all federal MPS and senators to ask them not make public comments about the Ben Roberts-Smith case. Australia’s most decorated living soldier, Roberts-Smith was arrested last week and charged with five counts of the war crime of murder, alleged to have been committed during his deployment to Afghanistan. Gosling, who spent 13 years in the army and who is the federal government’s special envoy for defence and veterans’ affairs, says it is "not appropriate for MPs to comment on a serious criminal trial which will be before a jury".

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Alarm over Russian blood oil

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Original article by Jack Quail
The Australian – Page: 4 : 14-Apr-26

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Brunei and Malaysia in coming days as the federal government seeks to shore up Australia’s fuel supply. He has been urged to seek assurances that any fuel that is imported to Australia from countries such as Brunei and Malaysia has not been sourced using crude oil from Russia. Both nations have become significant importers of crude oil from Russia in recent years, and the Iran war-induced fuel crunch has prompted many Asian countries to buy the so-called "blood oil". Australia’s sanctions prohibit oil from being directly imported from Russia, although a loophole allows local companies to buy refined fuels from third countries that process Russian crude.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Tourists to Australia would have social media accounts vetted under Trumpian Coalition plan

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Original article by Tom McIlroy
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 14-Apr-26

Opposition leader Angus Taylor will use a Menzies Institute speech tonight to outline the first details of the Coalition’s much-anticipated immigration policy. Amongst other things, migrants will be required to embrace Australian values, including the rule of law, tolerance and equal opportunity; Taylor contends that some people who want to migrate to Australia will be a "net drain" rather than a net benefit to the country. The Coalition will also reinstate temporary protection visas, which the federal government abolished in 2023, while it will develop a list of countries to which failed asylum seekers can be safely returned. People who apply for a visa to Australia – including tourists – would also be required to submit their social media accounts for screening,

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LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Federal Voting Intention: Albanese Government maintains strong two-party preferred lead built on large support amongst women

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 14-Apr-26

Last week ALP primary support was virtually unchanged at 30%, but support for One Nation increased 3% to 24.5% at the expense of the L-NP Coalition, down 1.5% to 22.5% – Liberals down 0.5% to 19.5% and Nationals down 1% to 3%. Support for the Greens was up 0.5% to 12.5% while Other Parties/ Independents, were down 1.5% to 10.5%. A look at voting results by gender shows the ALP leading strongly amongst women on a two-party preferred basis: ALP 61% (up 3.5% points) cf. L-NP 39% (down 3.5% points). However, amongst men, there has been a quite different result this week with the ALP 50% (down 4% points) cf. L-NP 50% (up 4% points) according to the Roy Morgan survey conducted from April 6-12, 2026, with a representative Australia-wide cross-section of 1,512 electors.

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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

Australian navy ready to defend Strait of Hormuz if asked

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Original article by Jessica Wang, Sophie Elsworth
Herald Sun – Page: Online : 14-Apr-26

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the federal government wants to see the Strait of Hormuz reopened and the resumption of negotiations to end the Iran war. Albanese has confirmed that the Trump administration has not asked Australia to assist with its blockade of the Strait. However, incoming Australian Defence Force chief Vice Admiral Mark Hammond says the Royal Australian Navy is "as ready as it ever has been" to assist if the federal government is asked to do so. He adds that Australia’s fleet of surface naval vessels are equipped with world-leading radar technology and state-of-the-art missile systems, and could be used to defend the Strait against Iranian drones.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE

Renewables goal off ALP platform

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Original article by Greg Brown, Sarah Ison
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 8-Apr-26

Sources within the Australian Labor Party have stated that it remains committed to the 2030 target of generating 82 per cent of the nation’s energy via renewables. This is despite the fact that explicit references to the target have been removed from Labor’s draft national policy platform. The sources contend that the renewables target is covered in a broader reference to ‘ambitious and achievable 2030 and 2035 targets’. Amongst other things, the draft policy platform also emphasises Australia’s role as a middle power, calls for Australians to receive a ‘fairer return’ from natural resources and says Labr should consider appointing more union representatives to the Reserve Bank’s monetary policy board. The policy platform for the next federal election will be ­debated at Labor’s national ­conference in July.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

PM’s Asia fix as state urges oil shift

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Original article by Greg Brown, Marcus de Blonk Smith
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 8-Apr-26

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will commence a two-day official visit to Singapore tomorrow, in the wake of the two nations’ recent fuel supply agreement. Albanese will visit a major oil refinery hub at Jurong Island and meet with Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong. Senior government figures have indicated that the visit is primarily aimed at ensuring that Australia is not subjected to export controls in the event of new restrictions on global oil exports. Singapore accounts for 26 per cent of Australia’s refined oil, including 55 per cent of petrol imports and 15 per cent of diesel imports. Albanese also discussed the issue of energy security with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in a telephone conversation on Tuesday.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, SINGAPORE. PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE

No boost in support for Albanese Government after cutting the fuel excise for three months

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 8-Apr-26

In the last week the ALP’s primary was virtually unchanged at 30.5%, but support for the L-NP Coalition increased 1.5% to 24% (Liberals up 0.5% to 20% and Nationals up 1% to 4%), likely at the expense of One Nation (down 2% to 21.5%). Support for the Greens dropped 1.5% to 12%, while Other Parties/Independents were up 1.5% to 12%, according to the latest Roy Morgan survey. On a two-party preferred basis (based on how electors said they would ‘vote’ their preferences) the ALP on 56% (down 0.5%) is well ahead of the L-NP 44% (up 0.5%). When preferences are allocated based on how Australians voted at the 2025 Federal Election, the ALP on 53.5% (down 1%) leads the L-NP 46.5% (up 1%). If a Federal Election were held now the ALP would be returned to Government with a clear majority under either method. The latest Roy Morgan survey is based on interviewing a representative cross-section of 1,411 Australian electors from 30 March 30 to 5 April.

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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

Labor’s draft party platform more assertive on China and omits mandatory jail term stance

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Original article by Dan Jervis-Bardy
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 1-Apr-26

The first draft of Labor’s 2026 national party platform shows that some key issues have been omitted since the last such document was prepared ahead of the 2025 election. Amongst other things, the initial draft does not include any references to carbon, capture and storage technology or Labor’s long-standing opposition to mandatory jail terms. However, it does reaffirmed Labor’s support for the AUKUS alliance and a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, while stating that Labor will continue to assert Australia’s interests in the "face of China projecting power" in the Indo-Pacific region. The new national platform will be refined before it is debated at Labor’s triennial national conference in July.

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AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

No longer a low-debt country

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Original article by Greg Brown, Matthew Cranston, Lachlan Leeming
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 1-Apr-26

Former NSW premier Mike Baird notes that Australia’s state and territory governments now account for about half of the nation’s total public debt. Baird contends that the states need to be more accountable for the nation’s growing debt; he argues that treasurers should issue a fiscal statement ahead of their annual budgets outlining the consequences of their spending decisions for the coming 10 years, rather than simply the four-year budget cycle. Meanwhile, federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has declined to make a commitment to produce net saving in the May budget, amid growing speculation that it will feature new government spending measures in response to the oil shock and cost-of-living pressures.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY