News update for Thur 13 March 2025
Your trusted guide to the top independent news and views of the day...
Welcome to your TrueNorth news update where every weekday afternoon we share curated articles from Australia’s independent news media sector.
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TODAY’S BREAKING NEWS UPDATES: See all the breaking news of the day through The Guardian here - and through 6 News here
Mark Kenny: Independent MPs are elected for a reason – hung parliaments may be precisely what voters want -The Conversation
Signing off his 26-year parliamentary career three years ago, the retiring Labor MP Joel Fitzgibbon lamented a power imbalance that allowed the majority party routinely to railroad the national legislature.
In a refreshingly frank valedictory speech, the former minister claimed the House of Representatives had become nothing more than a rubber stamp for executive government.
And he criticised the practice of compelling MPs to vote in blocs, irrespective of their own judgement:
not only do governments typically hold the numbers; they are using them more ruthlessly within their party structures […] party discipline is strangling our democracy in an era when the world is changing so dramatically.
Voters apparently share his unease.
Read more from Mark Kenny for The Conversation
Also >
Minority government – a problem of the current electoral system - Pearls and Irritations
Tina Jackson says there's 'No such thing as a safe seat': 3 independent challengers to watch this election - Politics Podcast with Michelle Grattan
What do Trump's tariffs mean for Australia? - The Daily Aus Podcast
This week, the White House confirmed Australia would not be exempt from President Donald Trump's tariffs on U.S. imports. It comes after months of uncertainty and efforts by the Albanese Government to negotiate an exemption for Australian steel and aluminium. However, the 25% import tax officially came into effect yesterday afternoon. The Federal Government has vowed to continue pushing for an exemption. The tariffs followed a tumultuous start to the week for the U.S. economy and global markets after Trump refused to rule out the possibility of a U.S. recession. Today, we’ll explain what you need to know about the latesct from the U.S. and what it all means for Australia's economy.
Listen to The Daily Aus Podcast
Also >
With Australian steel and aluminium set to incur US tariffs, global uncertainty will be our next challenge - The Conversation
Trump’s senseless tariffs will extend the economic malaise felt by so many in Australia – and around the world - Nicki Hutley for The Guardian
Greg Jericho: Gone are the days when a ‘good job’ gets you a house – and now we have the data to prove it - The Guardian
Remember Joe Hockey’s claim 10 years ago? We put it to the test and guess what: even after a decade of saving, you still wouldn’t have enough for a deposit.
A decade ago, the then treasurer, Joe Hockey, told Australians that if they wanted to buy a house, the first thing they should do is “get a good job that pays good money”. But new research from the Australia Institute shows that even a good job is no longer enough to afford to buy a home.
The latest housing price figures out on Tuesday suggested that prices in Sydney and Melbourne over the past year have moderated, while in Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth the boom times continue.
Read more from Greg Jericho for The Guardian
The economy is improving but can Labor sell the good news? - New Politics
The Australian economy has shown signs of meaningful recovery, shifting away from a per capita recession – for nearly seven years, covering most of the final years of the Morrison government and the first two and a half years of the Albanese government, there wasn’t much room for economic optimism yet, the current trajectory suggests a marked improvement, backed by several important indicators: inflation has fallen dramatically, interest rates have eased (slightly), employment has strengthened, and incomes are gradually rising.
Ruth Marcus: Why I Left the Washington Post - The New Yorker
Owner Jeff Bezos wants to transform the Opinions section of the paper, where I worked for forty years. After the publisher killed my column disagreeing with that move—it appears here in full—I decided to quit.
I stayed until I no longer could—until the newspaper’s owner, Jeff Bezos, issued an edict that the Post’s opinion offerings would henceforth concentrate on the twin pillars of “personal liberties and free markets,” and, even more worrisome, that “viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.” I stayed until the Post’s publisher, Will Lewis, killed a column I filed last week expressing my disagreement with this new direction. Lewis refused my request to meet. (You can read the column in full below, but—spoiler alert—if you’re craving red meat, brace for tofu. I wrote the piece in the hope of getting it published and registering a point, not to embarrass or provoke the paper’s management.)
Today’s cartoon by Cathy Wilcox
TODAY’S BREAKING NEWS: See all the breaking news of the day through The Guardian here - and through 6 News here
Join the new Boiling Point community - where we’re growing a group of politically informed Australians in the lead up to the 2025 federal election. See details and sign up here.
Is Peter Dutton the tip of a Trumpist foreign policy for Australia? - Pearls and Irritations
In 1951 Australia turned to its newfound “great and powerful friend” America, consummating the move by signing the ANZUS treaty. ANZUS remains seriously misunderstood by most Australians, especially among the ageing ranks of conservative aficionados in Australia where it has the status of a holy cow. This is despite the fact that the treaty is only an agreement to “consult” if ever Australia’s security is threatened. It is no guarantee that the US will come to Australia’s defence, whatever threat may arise.
Read more from Pearls and Irritations
Also read >
Peter Dutton forced to clarify policy on breaking up big insurance companies after weeks of confusion - The Guardian
Dutton is a serial risk to national security. Hyping the caravan plot is only the latest example why - Crikey (paywall)
Caravan of cowards - Bogan Intelligentsia
The Right plays follow the leader … into the Trump abyss - David Hardaker for The Politics
We tracked the mental health of trans and gender-diverse Australians for over 20 years. And we’re worried - The Conversation
The mental health of trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse Australians is worse than the general population and the gulf is getting wider.
Our new study, published recently in BMJ Mental Health, shows the gap has grown considerably since 2010, particularly for young people.
This is the first time the mental health of trans, nonbinary and gender-diverse Australians has been tracked over time for so long using data that represents the whole population.
Here’s why we’re so concerned, and what we can do to help alleviate the distress.
Angela Priestley: Media profiting from Clive Palmer’s offensive, hurtful ads? Call them out - Women’s Agenda
Billionaire Clive Palmer is spending serious money on mainstream media to promote his new party, Trumpet of Patriots, in the lead-up to the next election.
And many media outlets are more than happy to accept it (Women’s Agenda is not).
The ads are offensive and hurtful. They’re mind-bogglingly stupid and boring. They share false information in a bid to attract outrage.
And they’re currently blasted all over the mainstream press: on commercial television, in major newspapers and online. The Age, The Australian, The Australian Financial Review, The West Australian and the Daily Telegraph are just some of the masthead accepting the front page ads, with 14 appearing over the past week, according to Mumbrella. The ads are also all over YouTube and social media.
Read more from Angela Priestley for Women’s Agenda
Also read > Newspapers cannot justify running Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots ads as freedom of speech - The Conversation
Rachel Withers: The Muslim community is sick of being ignored. Here’s why some want a hung parliament - Crikey
Muslim voters have long felt ignored by politicians. Now their votes could help decide important marginal seats.
Muslim Votes Matter (MVM) is quite clear about its objective: it wants a hung parliament, with Muslim-backed MPs holding the balance of power.
The advocacy body, one of two Muslim groups endorsing candidates at the election, launched in September, spurred on by Labor’s failure to stand with Palestine. Its first endorsement, announced on Sunday, was for Greens hopeful Samantha Ratnam, who is looking to win the prestigious Victorian seat of Wills off Peter Khalil.
Read more from Rachel Withers for Crikey (paywall)
Also read > Islamophobic incidents in Australia have doubled over the past two years, research suggests - The Guardian
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Quick Links…
Greenland election: Victory for centre-right party whose leader told Trump 'we are not for sale' - SBS News
Despite recent increases, JobSeeker still leaves people below the poverty line. Here’s why that affects us all - The Conversation
Dutton ramps up culture war on women, work-from-home - Green Left
Enemies of the state - Follow The Money
Australia’s defence: Navigating US-China tensions - Pearls and Irritations
Leonardo DiCaprio criticises Australian government for approving WA mine expansion - ABC News
Falsified deaths: The systemic problems in Tasmanian hospitals - 7am Podcast
‘They eat snacks during class and swing on chairs’: the worrying, sexist behaviour of some young men at uni - The Conversation
NSW deputy police commissioner reveals early doubts about whether Dural caravan plot was terrorist threat - The Guardian
Gas network death spiral: Pressure mounts to protect consumers from cost of stranded assets - Renew Economy
WA’s upper house counting in the dark - The Tally Room
Ex-ABC chair Ita Buttrose taken off speaker list for Women in Media event - Crikey (paywall)
Here’s why Australia should build more smaller houses rather than fewer big ones - The Guardian
The High Court made a landmark decision on native title law. Here’s what it means - The Conversation
TODAY’S BREAKING NEWS: See all the breaking news of the day through The Guardian here - and through 6 News here
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You’re up to date for Thursday the 13th of March. See you tomorrow!
TODAY’S BREAKING NEWS: See all the breaking news of the day through The Guardian here - and through 6 News here
Join the new Boiling Point community - where we’re growing a group of politically informed Australians in the lead up to the 2025 federal election. See details and sign up here.
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