News update for Wed 26 Feb 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
BREAKING NEWS:
‘Mind-blowingly stupid’: Asio chief criticises News Corp’s alleged attempt to provoke Middle Eastern cafe staff - The Guardian
Pauline Hanson's One Nation rehires convicted rapist to run federal election campaign - The ABC
Peter Dutton property portfolio revealed: $30m across 26 real estate acquisitions - The SMH/Age
The opposition leader has made property sales of $18.8 million in transactions that he has frequently declared to parliament late, partially, or not at all.
Peter Dutton has made $30 million of property transactions across 26 pieces of real estate over 35 years, making him one of the country’s wealthiest-ever contenders for prime minister as the major parties battle to convince voters they can fix Australia’s housing affordability crisis.
Read more in The SMH/Age (paywall)
Exclusive: Ten dead after welfare glitch ignored by government - 7am Podcast
It was 2020 when the government first discovered that a glitch in its system was wrongfully cutting welfare recipients off from their payments. Rather than fixing the error, the department did nothing for three years. In that time, ten people died. Whether their deaths were the result of suicide or destitution after losing support, Services Australia won’t say. Today, senior reporter for The Saturday Paper Rick Morton with his exclusive story about the ministers who failed to act on behalf of the vulnerable – and instead protected the interests of private companies.
Labor likely to win WA election, but the campaign is exposing faultlines in the state’s politics - The Conversation
With Western Australia heading to the polls on March 8, the Cook Labor government will likely prove the exception to the rule that incumbency is a liability for contemporary governments.
Despite incumbent governments around the world losing office, Labor looks headed for a comfortable re-election.
The WA contest begins from an unusual position. In 2021, Labor won a historic victory, driven by the popularity of the then premier Mark McGowan. It won 53 of 59 seats in the Legislative Assembly, with the Liberals reduced to two elected members in that chamber.
Since then, however, Labor’s popularity has slipped.
Why I’ve Decided to Retire from Presenting Elections Plus a few words of thanks - Antony Green
Those watching News Breakfast this morning saw me announce that this year’s Federal election will be my last as an on-air analyst as part of ABC election coverages.
The ABC has put out a press release about my decision, but this post is a view from my perspective of my long career covering elections, a few people who I have to thank, and a few memories and anecdotes.
And I’ve added a few pictures from the past.
Also read > Australia’s poll frenzy: Don’t believe the pro-Dutton spin - New Politics
Marina Hyde: It’s Elon Musk’s ‘pronatalist’ bonanza – so many families, so little time - The Guardian
If only Elon Musk could impregnate humans at the same rate he’s giving them the ick. Alas, polls show the efficiency tsar’s US approval rating dwindling towards levels he has enjoyed for quite some time among the UK public. And as a country that lived through the Boris Johnson era, I think we have to warn the Americans that if a government figure can’t or won’t answer the basic question “how many kids do you have?”, then he’s probably going to turn out to be a disappointment.
And it might even have been a warning sign. If the WhatsApp group of his exes is bigger than Mumsnet and 10 times as pissed off, then it’s just possible you could be dealing with a guy you’re going to end up feeling betrayed by.
Read more from Marina Hyde for The Guardian
Also read >
DOGE bro chaos is still inspiring some in Australia - Women’s Agenda
A Musk ‘monopoly’ has major party senators worried, as Greens sound alarm over billionaire’s influence - Crikey (paywall)
Today’s cartoon by David Rowe
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.
Greg Barns: Cultural McCarthyism in Australia: The new battleground for artistic freedom - Pearls and Irritations
McCarthyism — the infamous anti-communist witch hunt of the 1950s — is thought of as a dark chapter in American history, where accusations alone could destroy careers, reputations, and entire artistic movements. Figures such as screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, playwright Lillian Hellman, and actor John Garfield saw their careers derailed, with many blacklisted from the industry. That frightening era is upon us again with elements of the pro-Israel lobby and governments working over weak cultural institutions such as Creative Australia to ban artists.
The war in Gaza has, since it began in October 2023, become a crucible for Australia’s cultural sector, exposing fault lines in our pre-eminent institutions.
Read more from Greg Barns for Pearls and Irritations
Also read > Australian universities agree to antisemitism definition that bans calling for Israel's elimination - ABC News
Has Labor Actually Done Anything Good? - Punters Politics Podcast
In this episode, Konrad and James dive into Labor's biggest wins of 2024, from wage growth finally ticking up to groundbreaking multinational tax transparency laws. Plus, they tackle the latest Medicare policy drama and why politicians are choosing podcasts over legacy media.
Listen to the Punters Politics Podcast
Also read > Can Labor step out of the small target shadow and become a real government? - Bogan Intelligentsia
What do recent electoral reforms mean for our democracy? Kiera Peacock explains - Women’s Agenda
The whole reason why you have scrutiny and consultation for key legislative changes is to provide that 360 degree input – from all sectors of society. Understand where the problems might be, who might be inadvertently affected, if there are improvements the creators haven’t thought of.
Apart from the really substantive issue of how the laws came to be, there are a few other concerns:
Their complexity is going to make it tough for all to comply – especially grassroots campaigners who don’t have the compliance budgets of major parties.
They have a number of loopholes which mean they won’t actually get dark money out of politics.
And as you dig through the 400 pages, you find all these parts of the law which really advantage major incumbent parties over new entrants – including the ability of a major party to outspend in a seat, as well as raise money from large trust funds which are exempt from some of the donation restrictions.
Coalition broadens attack on offshore wind with pledge to scrap second declared zone - Renew Economy
The federal Coalition has broadened its attack on the offshore wind industry it set in motion in Australia just over three years ago, with confirmation that it will now scrap two of the six development zones declared by federal Labor, if elected to government.
The federal member for Wannon, the Liberal Party’s Dan Tehan, announced earlier this month that a Dutton Coalition government will rescind the Southern Offshore Wind Zone – a 1,030 km2 area off Victoria’s south-west coast that was declared by federal Labor nearly a year ago.
Also read > Bernard Keane: Coalition to public service: be loyal to us or you’re out - Crikey
As strongmen rhetoric infects our politics, has Andrew Tate’s gateway content helped pave the way? - Crikey
Pollsters like Kos Samaras warn that many disengaged young men remain politically untethered, making them susceptible to radicalisation if a Trump-like figure emerges. And Andrew Tate has the perfect gateway content for them.
New research has revealed that the radicalisation of boys by “manfluencer” Andrew Tate mirrors the pathways of extremist groups — potentially posing a growing cultural threat in Australia.
Against a backdrop of various reports about the right-wing radicalisation of young men, especially in light of the US election, a recent study conducted by Monash University’s Professor Steven Roberts and lecturer Dr Stephanie Wescott, which analysed more than 2,200 of Tate’s online posts, shows how his content starts as seemingly harmless self-improvement advice, but can lead young men toward a deeply misogynistic, anti-democratic ideology.
Read more in Crikey (paywall)
Also read > ‘Dark ads’ challenge truth and our democracy - Crikey
It’s tough keeping the lid on the nut jobs … - The Politics
But if anyone can, it’s Peter Dutton, the man who would be king, who's working devilishly hard to keep his right-wing courtiers' lips zipped as he sniffs election victory.
What keeps first-term Opposition Leader Peter Dutton awake at night on the eve of an election which opinion polls suggest he could win? One thing is the ever-present likelihood of ultra-conservatives on his Liberal-National Coalition team slipping the party discipline leash and then, in Trumpian times, going ideologically rogue in a full far-right nut job way.
Better to keep the mute button on at least until the election is done and worry later about keeping mavericks under control.
Read more from Murray Hogarth for The Politics
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Quick Links…
Matt Kean says suggestion Coalition could sack him if they win election is ‘concerning threat’ - The Guardian
Greyhound overbreeding surges and death toll mounts - Crikey (paywall)
How ‘newsfluencers’ will help define the news cycle in 2025 - Mumbrella
Trump has ruled out allies, implying too that with AUKUS we have bought a ‘pig in a poke’ - Pearls and Irritations
The trial over Cassius Turvey's death - The Daily Aus
Peter Dutton says public service cuts will fund his election promises. But he can’t say how they’ll be made - The Guardian
MWM defamation case update – defence filed, Senate row - Michael West Media
Some of Australia’s largest companies are failing to ‘know and show’ their respect for human rights - The Conversation
NT chief minister calls Aboriginal country acknowledgements 'divisive' after omission in speech - ABC News
Australian citizen detained 32 times at Sydney airport accuses border force of systemic racism - The Guardian
Explaining Trump’s foreign policy - Pearls and Irritations
As we face a climate crisis, corporate responsibility and collaboration are overdue - Women’s Agenda
The Coalition wants to grill Labor over its tech levy. But when asked about Trump, it goes silent - Crikey (paywall)
Germany's Fight Against the Far Right - The Rest Is Politics Podcast
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 Wednesday the 26th of February. 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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