Political News
More Australian show to comes as Canberra makes a deal
JONATHAN SWAN Free-to-air TV channels will show more Australian programs under a deal between the government and broadcasters. Channels Seven, Nine and Ten will have to show at least 730 hours of Australian programming next year across their ''multichannels''. The quota will rise to 1095 hours in 2014 and 1460 hours in 2015. The main free-to-air channels already have to show a minimum of 55 per cent Australian programming between 6am and midnight.
Pressure to close mining tax loophole intensifies
PHILLIP COOREY THE federal government has been given the green light to break its deal with the miners and close the loophole in its mining tax that has enabled the states to gouge the proceeds through royalty increases.
Abbott commits to judicial probe on AWU fund row
MICHELLE GRATTAN Tony Abbott commits to judicial inquiry into AWU slush fund if he wins government.
Push for mine tax revamp
CLANCY YEATES Panel calls overhaul of mining tax to remove incentives for states to increase royalties.
GST review eyes overseas online shopping for tax boost
CLANCY YEATES An expert panel has urged the government to immediately halve the $1000 GST-free threshold for goods bought from overseas online, and said Canberra should consider changes that could ultimately see the threshold cut to as little as $20.
Second group of asylum seekers sent to Manus Island
BIANCA HALL THE Immigration Department has transferred the second group of asylum seekers to Papua New Guinea's remote Manus Island.
A baker's dozen: highlights and lowlights in Australia's political year
TONY WRIGHT With Parliament wrapping up for another year, Tony Wright looks back at 2012 and those key political moments.
Navy base locked down after weapons heist
JUDITH IRELAND A Darwin navy base has been in lockdown after an intruder broke in, stealing a number of weapons early on Friday morning.
Slipper spends $300,000 in six months
JONATHAN SWAN THE well-travelled former speaker Peter Slipper spent $300,000 or about $11,500 a week on entitlements in the first six months of this year, according to parliamentarians' expenditure reports tabled in Parliament.
Poker machine reforms pass, but clubs win two-year delay
RICHARD WILLINGHAM POKER machine reforms have been passed after the industry won a two-year extension to comply with the changes following days of negotiations between crossbenchers, Labor MPs who have a large clubs presence in their marginal seats and the industry.
'Compelling' case for Newstart boost
Peter Martin There is a 'compelling' case for boosting the $245-a-week Newstart unemployment allowance, according to the man who chaired the Senate inquiry.
'Sexist' Abbott unfit to rule: PM
LENORE TAYLOR JULIA GILLARD says Tony Abbott is too negative, sexist and lightweight to run the country as she seeks to turn the Coalition's handling of the Slater & Gordon allegations to her advantage.
Abbott baulks as Gillard throws gauntlet
PHILLIP COOREY JULIA GILLARD says Tony Abbott ends the year ''handcuffed'' to allegations for which he has no evidence after the Coalition was unable to prove its claims the Prime Minister had committed crimes as a lawyer 20 years ago.
Claims, counter-attack and plain hair-splitting
Mark Baker THE Prime Minister and her minders are masters at splitting hairs and using the delicate strands to weave grand rhetorical constructions in the hope of dodging inconvenient truths.
I'll get job done, Gillard declares
Michael Gordon and Michelle Grattan An emboldened Julia Gillard ends political year convinced she has her opponent's measure and the public's confidence that she has the strength and grit 'to get this job done'.
MP lashes Labor over move to sit on UN fence
DANIEL FLITTON Internal Labor brawl over Julia Gillard's decision to sit on the fence in a crucial vote on Palestinians winning a seat in the United Nations spills into public realm.
'Bruiser' Abbott is waltzed out of the fight on a TKO
TONY WRIGHT As cage fights go - and this was an event built to the proportions of a massacre in pre-bout publicity - it was a bloodless affair, absent of a knock-out.
Systematic bullying among Parliament staff, inquiry finds
Philip Dorling Chronic bullying and harassment is rife in Parliament House, a Senate committee says.
PM tells of pride in disability scheme
Henrietta Cook Disabled Victorians will not be guaranteed the protection they need under draft laws for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, the Victorian government has warned.
Pokies reform bill through, despite Coalition opposition
RICHARD WILLINGHAM Controversial poker machine reforms finally passed in the lower house, ending more than two years of political debate and ferocious public campaigning.
