Key Points
- Greens concerned new environment laws to protect “business over nature”
- Sussan Ley promises to take income tax cut policy to next election
- Liverpool bids to host 2030 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships
TRANSCRIPT
The Greens have raised concerns about the Federal government's new proposed climate laws, after the environment minister scrapped a key mechanism that could block new coal and gas projects.
Minister Murray Watt has decided to reject calls from environmental groups and the Greens for a so-called "climate trigger", which could deny projects that generate significant environmental harm.
The proposed laws will still require heavy polluting projects to disclose their emissions, and how they intend to mitigate them, as part of the assessment process.
The Albanese government looks to be facing several roadblocks in passing their long-awaited rewrite of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, with both the Greens and Nationals expressing major reservations.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young tells Sky News the government is more concerned with appeasing big business than protecting the environment.
"The problem I've got with this whole process is these laws have business and industry's fingerprints all over it. The minister is saying he wants to develop for business and industry. How about doing your job as the environment minister for the environment? There's plenty of ministers looking after them, the environment minister should be standing up for nature."
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The Federal Opposition is promising a personal income tax cut as one of the policies it will take to the next election - a move it says will give households more money to put toward a home deposit or service a mortgage.
Opposition leader Sussan Ley announced the plan at the site of a new housing development.
"And that means that young people - and indeed everyone - will have more money in their pocket to spend on buying a home, paying a mortgage, getting out of the rental trap. And we know, too, that the reward belong with you - not with a government with the level of runaway spending that we're seeing today."
The Coalition is also calling for quicker and more efficient approvals to cut extensive delays in construction projects.
A shortfall in the supply of homes, particularly in capital cities, has been identified as a key driver of soaring house prices across the country.
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Opposition MP Andrew Hastie has urged former Nationals leader, Barnaby Joyce, not to leave the Coalition for One Nation.
Mr Joyce recently announced he will not re-contest his New South Wales seat of New England at the next federal election, citing an irreparably damaged relationship with the Nationals.
Rumours have since circled that he could join Pauline Hanson's One Nation party.
Mr Hastie, who recently stepped away from the frontbench over disagreements with Opposition leader Sussan Ley, says the speculation around Barnaby Joyce has only hurt the Coalition's efforts to present a united front after a bruising election result in May.
"First things first, I'm not switching. I wouldn't be elected if it wasn't for the Liberal Party, so I'm very grateful for the opportunity the party has given me over the last ten years. As for Barnaby, I don't know what's in Barnaby's mind, but I hope he stays within the coalition because I think he does have a lot of experience. So I'm keen for Barnaby to stay with us. And all this speculation about One Nation obviously is unhelpful to our cause right now as we're trying to rebuild post-election."
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Prime Minister Mark Carney has set a goal for Canada to double its non-United States exports in the next decade, saying American tariffs are causing a chill in investment.
US President Donald Trump has been threatening Canada's economy and sovereignty with tariffs, also suggesting Canada become the US's 51st state."
More than 75 per cent of Canada's current exports go to the U-S, with $4.1 billion worth of goods and services crossing the border daily.
Mr Carney, who will release his government's budget on the 4th of November, says the Trump administration has forced Canada to turn to India, China and other major trade partners to increase economic security.
"This decades long process of an ever closer economic relationship with the United States is now over. As a consequence, many of our former strengths as a country, strengths based on close ties to America, have become our vulnerabilities. The jobs of workers in our industries most affected by the U-S tariffs, in autos, in steel and lumber, are under threat. And our businesses are holding back investments restrained by the pole of uncertainty that's hanging over all of us."
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In sport, British Gymnastics has confirmed Liverpool will bid to host the 2030 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, after successfully staging the event in 2022, confirmed.
Britain has become a heavyweight in the sport, winning at least two medals at each of the last four Olympic Games.
British Gymnastics says playing host to the 2030 games would help build participation in the sport.
The organisation referenced the success of the Women's Rugby World Cup and football Euros, saying they're examples of the momentum hosting these events can have on the nation at large.
The bid, which is supported by U-K Sport, centres on Liverpool's proposed venue for the event - an 11,000-seat riverside arena.
A decision on the host country will be made in May next year.
