Australia advances AUKUS capability with dry dock design appointment

AUKUS is taking another important step, with the Albanese Government selecting a designer for the submarine contingency dry dock capability in support of Australia’s conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarine fleet.

Leidos Gibbs and Cox Australia has been selected to lead the preliminary design for a contingency dry dock, which will be established in Western Australia to support our future nuclear-powered submarine capability. 

This announcement reflects the Albanese Government’s considered approach to delivering this capability and forms part of the Government’s broader investment in Western Australia across HMAS Stirling and the Henderson Defence Precinct for sovereign shipbuilding and the sustainment of our surface vessels and submarines.

Selecting the designer to provide floating dry dock design services will ensure Australia is ready to undertake critical repairs and maintenance for the nation’s future nuclear-powered submarines from the early 2030s, ahead of the requirement to conduct submarine depot-level maintenance from the late 2030s.

This contingency dry dock capability is a critical pre-condition of Australia receiving its first Virginia class submarine and will provide a critical contingency capability for Australia and its partners.

These vital maintenance capabilities will be established in accordance with domestic processes and regulatory requirements, and consistent with Australia’s international obligations to maintaining the highest standards for nuclear safety, security and safeguards.

In addition to supporting a strong, sovereign industrial base, a contingency dry dock capability will play a vital role in ensuring Australia can sustain and operate its future submarine fleet and work with our partners in the United States and the United Kingdom to support security and stability across the Indo-Pacific region.

This design work is underpinned by the Albanese Government’s investment of an initial $12 billion to deliver the Defence Precinct at Henderson which, alongside the Government’s record investments in AUKUS and shipbuilding, will support 10,000 direct jobs over the next two decades in Western Australia.

Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles:

“AUKUS is delivering the capabilities Australia needs to keep our nation safe.

“The contingency dry dock capability is a critical step in building a sovereign submarine sustainment system.

“This investment ensures Australia will have the infrastructure, workforce and industrial capability required to support our future nuclear-powered submarines.”

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy:

“AUKUS is happening right now.

“The development of infrastructure at Henderson will position Western Australia at the centre of our submarine sustainment enterprise.

“This is another example of AUKUS delivering long-term industrial capability and highly skilled jobs for Australians.”

Australian pineapple growers fear import risks could cost them

The Coalition is demanding Labor stop its attack on Australian farmers, amid growing concerns that Labor could be putting Queensland’s crucial pineapple industry at risk.

Leader of The Opposition Angus Taylor said it was deeply concerning to hear from farmers who are worried about Labor’s new proposal to import pineapples from all areas of India and Indonesia into Australia.

With the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s draft report now open for public consultation, until 14 September, Mr Taylor said it was important the concerns of local growers were heard.

“Australia should support trade where it is safe and fair, however, new pineapple imports should not be approved until the science has been independently tested, the final conditions are clear and Australian growers are protected from biosecurity harm,” Mr Taylor said.

“The Coalition will always back our crucial agriculture industry and ensure their voices are heard – that’s why today’s meeting with local growers in Hervey Bay is so important.”

Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said Australia’s pineapple industry is overwhelmingly dependent on the domestic market, with only about eight tonnes of fresh or dried pineapple exported in 2024.

“Growers have told me today, they have no meaningful alternative market if additional imports displace Australian fruit or reduce domestic prices,” Mr Canavan said.

“Even modest import volumes could have a commercial effect if they arrive during peak Queensland production, particularly when growers are already facing rising input, labour and freight costs.”

Member for Hinkler David Batt said all Australian pineapples are grown in Queensland, especially in the electorate of Hinkler.

“The pineapple industry is already experiencing higher labour, fuel, freight, fertiliser, electricity and compliance costs, and even modest import volumes could place further pressure on our growers,” Mr Batt said.

“Growers are also asking whether or not imported pineapples would face the same labour, chemical, environmental and compliance costs as Australian growers.”

Pineapple Growers Association Australia chair Scott Maxwell said every year, more than 35 million pineapples are grown across Queensland, valued at around $80 million, so protecting the industry is crucial.

“We realise fair trade has to happen, but the issue we have is that they have identified numerous pests they have over there, and we no longer have the chemicals available to us in Australia to deal with those pests,” Mr Maxwell.

“They have identified mealy bugs, scale insects and thrips overseas, which an enormous concern. The biggest issue is that we don’t have a chemical registered to control them.”

Fraser Coast pineapple grower Col Hawken said being a small industry, local growers don’t have the money or resources to stop pests.

“If pineapples come into Australia from overseas and we don’t have chemicals to combat it, that’s it, we will be finished,” Mr Hawken said.

“It might be low risk, but to us, any risk, to any commodity, is simply too much risk to have.”

Council adopts 10-year roadmap to shape Newcastle’s cultural future

City of Newcastle will work with the NSW Government to assess options for long-term affordable access to creative spaces for artists, makers and cultural organisations.

The action is a priority under the new Cultural Plan 2026-2036, which was unanimously adopted at last night’s council meeting.

Upstage at the Playhouse production Karma KafeCivic Theatre’s Upstage at the Playhouse is one of the current City of Newcastle programs supporting the city’s cultural sector. Pictured here is the production of Karma Kafe being performed at the Playhouse in 2025. Photo credit: Elena Gan

The plan will guide City of Newcastle’s commitment to local arts, culture and creative industries during the next decade.

Lord Mayor Gavin Morris said nurturing Newcastle’s creative soul was essential as it continued to grow and develop into a vibrant global city.

“Culture is not simply entertainment. It shapes how our neighbourhoods feel, how we relate to our past and how young people imagine their future,” Cr Morris said.

“This plan supports practical action, from affordable creative space and stronger support for local artists to investment in live music, nightlife and community infrastructure.

“It recognises that creativity happens across the whole city and commits to creating opportunities for communities across Newcastle’s suburbs.”

By 2036, the plan aims to deliver a city where First Nations leadership is embedded throughout cultural life, where culture is accessible in every neighbourhood and where artists can sustain careers locally.

It is split into a series of short, medium and long-term goals, and clarifies City of Newcastle’s role as a champion, advocate or enabler of those actions.

Community and Culture Strategic Advisory Committee Chair, Councillor Jenny Barrie said extensive industry consultation had grounded the plan in lived experience.

“We worked with more than 70 stakeholders to understand the opportunities, pressures and real-world conditions experienced every day by cultural workers, organisations, communities and Traditional Custodians,” Cr Barrie said.

“What we heard most often was the need for more accessible spaces, more sustainable pathways, stronger inclusion, and a cultural identity that appropriately represents the city.

“The final plan provides a shared vision and clear pathway to ensure Newcastle remains a city of storytellers, enriched by the many histories, cultures and communities that call Newcastle home.”

The plan responds to feedback received throughout the public exhibition, including the need for more affordable and fit-for-purpose places to create, rehearse, perform, gather and share work.

This includes progressing discussions with the NSW Government into the feasibility of a Creative Land Trust, that would acquire, hold and manage land and buildings in perpetuity for creative use.

City of Newcastle is one of only two councils in the state working with the government to safeguard cultural floor space in this way.

Other short-term actions in the plan include trialling a new microgrant program to support small-scale creative and community-led activity, championing the development of an annual creative summit and partnering with the independent sector to increase year-round cultural activity in the western suburbs.

The plan recognises the enduring cultural leadership of the Awabakal and Worimi peoples and commits to ensuring First Nations knowledge, stories and connection to place continue to inform Newcastle’s cultural future.

The adopted Cultural Plan 2026-2036 can be viewed on City of Newcastle’s website.

Major exhibition scores hometown debut for globally recognised artist

When Newcastle plays host to The Matildas this September, the performance won’t happen in front of a stadium packed with football fans – but on the walls of Newcastle Art Gallery.

The 23-minute video work will make its NSW gallery debut alongside a world-first exhibition, Muse, which surveys 20 years of art practice by globally recognised Newcastle-based artist Angela Tiatia.

Image from The Matildas, 2025 work by Angela TiatiaStill from Angela Tiatia The Matildas 2025. National Portrait Gallery of Australia. Commissioned with funds provided by Tim Fairfax AC and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton OAM said the exhibition will immerse audiences in the largest presentation to date of Tiatia’s visually luscious and politically incisive work.

“Angela Tiatia is one of the most vital voices in contemporary Australian art, and we’re incredibly proud to present the first major survey of her career here in Newcastle, the city she now calls home,” Ms Morton said.

“We are thrilled to pair this survey with her extraordinary 2025 portrait, The Matildas, giving our audiences a rare chance to see the wide breadth of her incredible practice in one place.”

Featuring video, photography and installation, Angela Tiatia: Muse will bring together Tiatia’s most significant works from public and private collections across Australia, celebrating her poetic considerations of climate, capitalism, and colonisation.

The exhibition traces the arc of the Sāmoan/Australian artist’s multi-disciplinary career, from her earliest practice in which she turned the camera on herself as subject, through to grander-scale works incorporating larger, ensemble casts.

Works on display in the ticketed exhibition include Hibiscus rosa sinensis, 2010, which Tiatia refers to as her first major work as a professional artist, transposing Mexican poet Enrique González Martínez’s rejection of imported European Romantic tradition onto a Pacific frame of reference rejecting Western-constructed images of Polynesia.

The pearl, 2021, was commissioned by the Art Gallery of New South Wales in response to an exhibition of works by French artist Henri Matisse, while Narcissus, 2019, uses a cast of 40 to reimagine the Greco-Roman myth of a young man who falls in love with his own reflection, to reflect on global selfie culture fueled through social media.

Narcissus by Angela TiatiaAngela Tiatia, Narcissus (still), 2019, single-channel 2K high definition video. Image courtesy the artist and Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney © the artist

Tiatia said looking back across two decades of work has been an opportunity to reflect on the enduring questions that have shaped her practice.

“While each work responds to a particular moment, together they speak to a sustained engagement with systems of power and the complexities of our shared histories,” Tiatia said.

“It’s a privilege to present this exhibition in Newcastle, and to share it with audiences alongside The Matildas, a work that celebrates collective strength and the power of representation.”

Newcastle Art Gallery will also present the first gallery showing of The Matildas, 2025, outside the National Portrait Gallery. 

Filmed across three continents, five cities and seven shoots, the 23-minute video portrait captures the presence, emotion and mental focus of all 23 players from the CommBank Matildas FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Squad, including Newcastle’s own Emily van Egmond and Clare Wheeler.

The video portrait celebrates a pivotal moment in Australian sporting history, capturing moments of connection, strength and emotion in an unmissable cinematic experience that will be presented free to the public.

National Portrait Gallery Director Bree Pickering said Tiatia’s moving-image portrait is a celebration of a squad that transformed Australia. 

“In 2023, the Matildas brought us together and encouraged millions of Australians who didn’t believe sport was for them to get out on the pitch and cheer from the stands,” Ms Pickering said.

“Angela’s tender and powerful approach to the depiction of women through the lens created a portrait of 23 extraordinary athletes and one team. We are thrilled to share The Matildas with audiences at the Newcastle Art Gallery.”

A recipient of multiple awards, including the 2018 Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize, Tiatia has exhibited extensively both nationally and internationally, including in the United States, Germany, South America, New Zealand, London and the in collateral exhibitions of the Venice Biennale, Italy. 

Her work is held in major public collections including the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, National Gallery of Victoria and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.

Tickets for Angela Tiatia: Muse are on sale tomorrow via the Newcastle Art Gallery website. Entry to The Matildas, 2025 is free to the public. 

The exhibition runs from 26 September 2026 to 7 February 2027.

It will open alongside City of Newcastle’s flagship multi-arts festival, New Annual, which features 10 days of art, music, theatre and performance from 25 September to 4 October 2026.

The full program for New Annual will be unveiled on Friday 31 July.

NSW makes a splash as strongest rescue capability in history hits the water

Dozens of new rescue jet skis will soon be patrolling the NSW coastline, following the Minns Labor Government’s record $23 million investment in water safety.

Ahead of the summer patrol season, Surf Life Saving NSW’s rescue fleet has been bolstered with 67 jet skis now delivered, strengthening the existing network of emergency response assets.

The latest fleet of jet skis are fitted with upgraded rescue and safety technology, including live feed tracking systems and Personal Locator Beacons – helping volunteer rescuers respond more effectively in demanding surf conditions.  

The most recent locations benefitting from the rollout include:

  • Byron Bay
  • Ballina
  • Evans Head
  • Clarence
  • Woolgoolga
  • Coffs Harbour
  • Redhead
  • Catherine Hill Bay
  • Terrigal
  • Avoca
  • Copacabana
  • Malabar
  • Shellharbour

Lifesaving technologies such as Rescue Water Craft (jet skis), drones and Emergency Rescue Beacons are now positioned up and down the NSW coast, supporting rapid year-round emergency response and safety for communities and visitors.

Over the past three seasons, nearly 1,000 rescues have been performed by jet ski – almost 300 of during the 2025/26 season.

In addition to delivering the strongest ever rescue fleet contingent, the Minns Labor Government has invested in 64 Emergency Response Beacons at known ‘blackspot’ locations – with a total of 68 now installed and operational in NSW.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“We’re delighted that the Minns Labor Government’s record investment has supported Surf Life Saving NSW to bring the statewide strength of jet skis up to 67 – creating the most comprehensive rescue capability our state has ever seen.

“From the North Coast to the Illawarra, this will mean more communities are better protected year-round, not just during the summer patrol season.

“Not only will they save the lives of community members and visitors, but they will reduce the risk for our volunteers when they go to the aid of others.”  

Surf Life Saving NSW CEO, Steve Pearce said:

“Jet skis are the backbone of our Rescue Services response capability, especially away from patrolled locations and in search and rescue situations.

“The continued support of the NSW Government ensures our volunteer surf lifesavers have access to modern, purpose-built equipment that enables faster response times, improved safety for rescue personnel and better outcomes for those in need along the state’s coastline.

“We’re really pleased that in addition to supplying the fleet of jet skis across the state, operators who use the new equipment will also be fitted out with a complete suite of PPE including personal flotation devices, helmets, trauma kits and full-length wetsuits.”

Minns Labor Government to deliver 83 road safety upgrades across NSW as part of $2.8 billion Budget investment

In a major boost to road safety, the Minns Labor Government is investing $230 million towards 83 targeted safety upgrades across the state, to tackle high-risk locations and help save lives.

The next stage of the Towards Zero Safer Roads Program is delivering practical improvements on state roads which are designed to reduce the likelihood and severity of crashes.

These safety upgrades will deliver important road infrastructure at locations identified to be high-risk that the community has long called for. This includes safety barriers, rumble strips, shoulder widening, upgraded intersections and new and improved pedestrian crossings.

The 83 funded projects span both metropolitan and regional NSW, focusing on high-risk locations, known crash hotspots and key transport routes.

The investment is part of a $2.8 billion commitment over four years for road safety in the 2026-27 NSW Budget, with 62 per cent of road safety funding in 2026-27 to go to regional areas.

Among the major upgrades to be delivered are:

  • a $30 million program to install targeted sections of continuous safety barriers along the Hume Highway from Mittagong to the Victorian border, improving protection for motorists on one of the state’s key freight and regional routes
  • a $13.9 million upgrade along the Newell Highway between Tocumwal and Forbes, including targeted barrier installation and line marking improvements to reduce the risk of serious crashes on a critical regional link
  • a $7.3 million upgrade at the Great Western Highway and Kington Street intersection in Minchinbury, delivering new traffic signals to improve safety at a busy Western Sydney intersection
  • a $7 million upgrade at the Old Hume Highway (Remembrance Driveway) in Camden South, delivering new traffic signals at Wire Lane and Elizabeth Macarthur Avenue that locals and the Member for Camden have long advocated for
  • a $5.9 million intersection and pedestrian safety upgrade on the Great Western Highway at Emu Plains, including new traffic signals, safer crossings and changes to reduce conflict points for drivers and pedestrians; and
  • a $3.1 million upgrade of the Beecroft Road and Kirkham Street intersection in Beecroft, including new traffic signals.

Development of several projects has already begun.

The remaining safety improvements will be developed and delivered over the next three years to support safer journeys for motorists, passengers, freight operators and local communities.

Minister for Roads and Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison:

“Every life lost on our roads is one too many. These targeted upgrades are about making high-risk areas safer and helping more people get home to their loved ones.

“We’re investing in practical safety improvements where they’ll have the greatest impact, reducing the risk of serious crashes and saving lives across NSW.

“From safety barriers and safer intersections to better pedestrian crossings, these 83 upgrades are focused on preventing crashes before they happen and reducing the severity when they do.

“The $2.8 billion investment from the Minns Labor Government in the recent Budget reflects our commitment to the Towards Zero vision, and to making roads across the state, safer for everyone who uses them.”

Construction starts on new Jindabyne Ambulance Station

The Snowy Mountains community is a step closer to a new state-of-the-art Jindabyne ambulance station, with construction underway.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park and Member for Monaro Steve Whan today joined paramedics for a sod turn event, marking the start of works for the Jindabyne Ambulance Station.

Hines Construction has been appointed to deliver the project following a competitive tender process.

The new Jindabyne Ambulance Station is being delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $236.1 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration Program and will include:

  • six internal ambulance vehicle parking bays, including a dedicated wash bay
  • administration and office areas
  • staff amenities including a gym
  • on-site parking
  • logistics and storage facilities.

The new station will be located on Kosciuszko Road, west of Snowy Mountains Grammar School.

The station’s location will provide direct access to the major road network, supporting timely emergency response across Jindabyne and the wider Snowy Mountains region.

The purpose-built ambulance station will replace the existing station at Thredbo Terrace, Jindabyne, providing modern infrastructure to support local paramedics and enhance emergency healthcare for the community.

Site establishment works are underway with construction activity on site to increase in the coming months.

Construction is expected to be completed in late 2027.

The NSW Government’s Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration Program has already delivered 53 new, rebuilt or upgraded ambulance stations across rural and regional NSW to boost frontline emergency care.

In addition, the NSW Government’s $615.5 million NSW Ambulance Infrastructure Program is delivering 30 new ambulance stations and supporting infrastructure across Sydney, the Central Coast, Newcastle, the Hunter and Illawarra regions over the coming years.

The NSW Government is recruiting an additional 500 paramedics for rural and regional areas, to strengthen emergency and mobile healthcare services across the state.

For more information visit: www.nsw.gov.au/jindabyne-ambulance-station

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

“Today’s sod turn marks an exciting milestone for the new Jindabyne ambulance station, with construction now underway on this important project for the Snowy Mountains community.

“This new station will provide local paramedics with modern facilities designed to support them as they continue delivering high-quality emergency care.

“We’re building more ambulance stations and recruiting more paramedics in regional NSW, delivering faster response times and better outcomes for patients.”

Member for Monaro Steve Whan:

“It’s fantastic to see construction officially commence on the new Jindabyne ambulance station.

“The Nationals said they had a plan, but failed to deliver anything. This milestone reflects the NSW Government’s commitment to delivering better health infrastructure for the people of Monaro and the wider Snowy Mountains region.

“Jindabyne is growing quickly, and the town deserves a modern and fit-for-purpose ambulance station, and I look forward to watching the station take shape over the coming months and seeing the benefits it will deliver for our local community for years to come.”

First look inside the $440 million Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital

Construction of the new Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital building is nearing completion, marking a significant milestone in the delivery of expanded healthcare services for the region.

Communities across the Shoalhaven region are one step closer to a new, modern and purpose-built hospital, with construction of the centrepiece building for the $440 million Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital now substantially complete.

The substantial completion of the new seven storey Acute Services Building marks a significant milestone, bringing the region closer to a modern health facility that will support the healthcare needs of the Shoalhaven community for generations to come.

The Acute Services Building will house a range of new and expanded services and facilities, becoming a health hub for the region and supporting the growing local population.  

With the new building undergoing final testing, construction is now focused on finishing the remaining external works of the redevelopment, including the link bridge connection to the existing hospital building, main entry, as well as the installation of artwork and landscaping.

The new building is expected to open to patients later in 2026, following the completion of operational commissioning activities, led by Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District.  

The operational commissioning phase is integral to ensure the building is safe and ready for patients, staff and visitors. It includes equipment testing, delivery of furniture and fixtures, training teams, performing clinical scenarios, and checking emergency systems.  

Once operational, the new Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital will provide the majority of emergency, critical care, acute, sub-acute and non-admitted health services locally, reducing the need to transfer patients to Wollongong and Sydney.

The new acute services building will directly connect to the existing hospital via a new linkway, and includes:

  • a new emergency department and emergency short-stay unit
  • new intensive care unit
  • medical wards
  • a dedicated acute mental health unit
  • double the number of operating theatres, endoscopy and procedure rooms
  • a dedicated cardiology inpatient unit, coronary care unit and cardiac catheterisation laboratory
  • new medical imaging unit, including MRI and CT machines
  • a new rooftop helipad

Once services move into the new Acute Services Building, the project focus will turn to the refurbishment of the existing hospital, with works expected to be complete in 2027.  

The redevelopment has provided a significant boost to the local economy during construction, with close to 70 per cent of the workforce based locally. It is estimated that the project has supported around 800 direct jobs, and hundreds of indirect jobs over the life of the project.  

Consultation with staff, patients and the community has been a key part of planning and design for the redevelopment, ensuring the new hospital meets the unique health needs of the Shoalhaven region.

Staff, patients, and the community will be kept informed, with an opening date for the new building to be announced shortly.  

Labor is making the long-term investments into recruiting more staff and building more hospitals to better meet the growing health needs of our community and relieve pressure on our health system.

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“We are delivering more hospitals, more beds, and more health staff for the growing communities in the Illawarra.

“This is an important milestone for the hospital. We can’t wait to see the new building open its doors to patients later this year.  

“The Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment is part of more than $1 billion in health infrastructure investment across the Illawarra Shoalhaven region, including Shellharbour, Wollongong and Milton Ulladulla.”

Member for South Coast Liza Butler:

“This is a proud and significant milestone for the Shoalhaven community, bringing us closer to the opening of the modern hospital our growing region needs and deserves.

“The new Acute Services Building will transform healthcare on the South Coast, delivering expanded emergency, intensive care, surgical, cardiac, mental health, and medical imaging services closer to home. Importantly, it will mean fewer patients and families having to travel to Wollongong or Sydney for essential care.

“I thank the hospital staff, patients, and community members whose experience and input have helped shape this redevelopment, as well as the hundreds of local workers who have contributed to its construction.  

“This $440 million investment is about ensuring our community has access to high-quality healthcare now and for generations to come, and I look forward to welcoming patients, staff, and visitors into the new building later this year.”  

Member for Kiama Katelin McInerney:

“This once in a generation investment in the Shoalhaven will mean that residents in the Kiam Electorate will have a better access to healthcare closer to home.

“I’m looking forward to seeing our expanded emergency department and intensive care unit open this year to meet the demands of our growing community.

“More mental health places, increased surgical and allied health capacity will result less time travelling for local patients.  

“Importantly we are also investing the extra staff and investing $21 million in building and securing housing for our growing hospital workforce, and paying them what they are worth so we can attract and keep them in our regional hospitals.” 

Labor union demands Australian flag be changed, voice still in Labor’s sights

Labor’s more excitable fellow travellers have still not accepted the decisive result of the voice to Parliament referendum.

Linda Burney, the former Indigenous Australians minister who failed to deliver the voice for Anthony Albanese, will reportedly be awarded life membership in Labor at its national conference this week. She told the media she had no regrets pushing the voice to Parliament and said she hoped it would be revisited in the near future.

“I think [the referendum result] was a devastating outcome…but I have faith this issue will not go away,” she said. “If not a voice, then proper recognition of the whole story of this country in our Constitution would be most welcome.”

Burney doesn’t understand our Constitution. It’s not a document that “recognises stories”. It’s a document which effectively lays out the rules for parliaments governing Australia, and it already recognises every Australian indigenous or otherwise, by making no distinction between them.

But even Burney’s refusal to accept her own spectacular failure was eclipsed by the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU), which released a ‘blueprint’ ahead of the conference demanding the removal of “symbols of oppression, like the Union Jack on our flag and offensive colonial statues” from public life.

Racial division has always been part of Labor’s DNA. One people, one country under one flag – the current Australian flag – is part of One Nation’s DNA. Hiding our history doesn’t change it. Treating people differently based on race doesn’t unite Australia. The people have spoken, and they’ve rejected this division. One Nation will always oppose an indigenous voice in Parliament or changes to our national flag.

Labor must scrap carbon tax to make WA oil refinery a reality

The Coalition has welcomed plans to examine a new oil refinery in Karratha, but warned Labor must scrap its carbon taxes for the project to succeed.

Leader of the Opposition Angus Taylor said the $4 million pre-feasibility study into Perdaman’s proposal was welcome, but was not a fuel security strategy.

“Labor cannot promise a new refinery while its carbon tax is set to cost Australia’s last two refineries in Brisbane and Geelong $165 million by 2030,” Mr Taylor said.

“Unless Labor scraps these taxes, a new refinery will remain a pipe dream.

“The Coalition will axe Labor’s carbon taxes, scrap net zero, extend fuel security support, lift fuel stocks to 60 days, unlock more Australian oil and gas, and fast-track nationally significant projects including the Taroom Trough and Browse Basin.”

Leader of The Nationals Matt Canavan said Australia needs to “drill, baby drill” rather than tax our resources sector more, with the current two oil refineries expected pay more than $100 million dollars in carbon tax on some estimates by the end of the decade.

“I would love to see a new refinery and more oil and diesel, but in a cost-of-living crisis, and now a fuel crisis, why on earth would Labor continue to impose a carbon tax?” Senator Canavan said.

“A future Coalition government will scrap carbon taxes and we will scrap net zero. We have sovereignty of our resources and we can use what we have, right here in Australia, to create jobs and create our own energy supply. We can also invest in biofuels and coal-to-liquids technology.”

Shadow Minister for Energy Dan Tehan said Labor’s own policies were standing in the way of the fuel security Australia urgently needs.

“Labor cannot claim to support a new refinery while its carbon tax is making Australian refining less competitive and pushing up costs,” Mr Tehan said.

“Real fuel security means backing Australian production, protecting Australian jobs and ensuring families and businesses are not left exposed to overseas supply shocks.”

It comes as Mr Taylor and Mr Canavan tour the Stanwell Power Station with member for Flynn Colin Boyce. Mr Canavan said the coal-fired electricity generator was crucial and the Prime Minister should meet with the Queensland Premier also, to explore improving resources.

“The Queensland Premier has done a fantastic job with the state’s resources and the Prime Minister should focus on our national interest to develop our oil and gas reserves,” Senator Canavan said.

Member for Flynn Colin Boyce said under Labor, gas prices are up 41 per cent and electricity by 37 per cent.

“We must put all options on the table to lower the cost of fuel, gas and electricity – which is why today’s visit to Stanwell Power Station is so important,” Mr Boyce said.