Australian news and politics live: Albanese says expanded 5 per cent home deposit scheme will help thousands

Senator Andrew Bragg has taken aim at Labor’s expanded first-home guarantee, warning it risks covering the well-heeled as well as the struggling.

Mr Bragg told 2GB Australia was in a “dangerous position” with taxpayers footing the bill for what he called demand-side welfare.

“The main game is supply,” he said, pointing to record population growth under Labor alongside a “massive collapse” in housing construction.

“This massive expansion of the scheme means that extremely wealthy people will be able to now use a government insurance scheme … people who, frankly, don’t need it,” he said.

Labor has been accused of putting politics before climate action by seizing on Coalition divisions over Barnaby Joyce’s net zero repeal bill, as politicians returned to Canberra for the new parliamentary sitting fortnight.

The private members’ bill calls for policies to reduce net zero emissions by 2050 to be abolished, claiming the renewables transition won’t make a meaningful difference but rather cost households.

Labor allowed the debate in the chamber on Monday morning as it sought to capitalise on the internal division the bill has caused in the Coalition.

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Queensland will become the first state or territory in the country with a public sex offender registry, as new legislation is set to be debated this week.

Announced at the Queensland Liberal National Party convention over the weekend, the proposed laws would allow people to apply for images of child sex offenders living in their area.

“The public register will unlock information for families about high-risk offenders in their local area and about people who regularly have unsupervised contact with their children,” Police Minister Dan Purdie said.

The reforms will be called Daniel’s Law, after years of campaigning from the parents of 13-year-old Sunshine Coast schoolboy Daniel Morcombe, who was abducted and murdered in 2003.

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Anthony Albanese pushes back at Taiwan’s suggestion that Australia sidelined its bid to join the $24 trillion CPTPP trade pact, saying the decision rests with all members, not Canberra.

Asked directly whether Taiwan’s application had been brushed aside, the Prime Minister gave a blunt “no”, stressing the process was “long” and must be respected. China, which applied just before Taiwan in 2021, has urged members to reject Taipei’s bid on sovereignty grounds.

“It’s not a decision for Australia,” Mr Albanese said to reporters in Canberra.

“It’s a decision for every nation according to the processes. We respect those processes.”

Anthony Albanese has declared “in the real world” his Government is focused on delivering tax cuts and making it easier for people to buy home, but has left the door open to future changes to the tax system.

The Prime Minister announced on Monday the Government would start its promised expansion of the scheme that allows first home buyers to get into the property market with just 5 per cent deposit three months earlier than previously flagged.

The scheme means new buyers can get a deposit together quicker and won’t have to pay mortgage insurance because the Government acts as guarantor.

“We’re absolutely determined to do everything we can to fast-track home ownership, fast track improved number of rentals, fast-track social ownership of homes as well,” Mr Albanese said while visiting the house of a new home buyer in Canberra who had used the scheme.

Nationals leader David Littleproud accused the Government of “tinkering around the edges” on housing policy.

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Senator Jacqui Lambie has taken aim at Donald Trump’s tariff playbook and Anthony Albanese’s attempts to cosy up to him, saying Australia is getting a raw deal and that Mr Albanese should ‘stay away’ from Mr Trump.

Speaking on Nine’s Today, Ms Lambie slammed the former US president for slapping tariffs on Australia despite the nation sinking billions into the AUKUS submarine program.

“Tariffs didn’t go up, so that was a bit of a bonus,” she said.

“So maybe if Albo stays away from him, that may continue. But I think it’s really rude of Trump to do what he’s doing.”

Ms Lambie said the government’s scramble for face time with Mr Trump was misplaced.

“If he doesn’t want to meet you, then why push the envelope? It’s embarrassing, kissing their backside. Go figure,” she said.

With $2 billion already sunk into AUKUS, Ms Lambie accused Washington of “doing us over” and warned Mr Trump’s unpredictability would ultimately leave Australia exposed.

“When he decides to make up his mind, he makes his mind up, and everybody else pays the consequences. That’s how it works,” she said.

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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been asked if Australia the Government will announce the 2035 emissions target.

“We’ll announce it when there’s an announcement,” he said.

“If you get rid of net zero, you are saying climate change is not real and you do not need to do anything about it.

“You have Barnaby Joyce, whose private members bill will be debated in the Parliament this morning, openly saying that climate change is not real. That’s effectively what they are saying.

“A former Liberal leader, of course, described climate change as crap. You know, it is defying what we see happening around us and defying the science My government will act on climate change.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is spruiking the Government’s approach to tackling Australia’s housing crisis, emphasising collaboration across state and local governments and the private sector.

The 5 per cent deposit scheme, being expaded to all first home buyers has been brought forward to October.

“My government’s determined to make a difference on housing,” Mr Albanese said.

“If you don’t have a target, you’re not trying. The former government didn’t have a minister, let alone a target.

“We need to work across state and local government, with the private sector, we’re determined to do it.

“There’s a full suite of measures – the Housing Australia Future Fund, the Shared Equity scheme, the Build to Rent, incentives for private rentals, increased rent assistance, the 5 per cent deposit.”

Taiwan has issued a stark warning about China’s ambitions should it invade, saying Xi Jinping could use Taiwan’s critical computer chip industry to dominate global power much like Hitler did with Czechoslovakia’s arms factories before World War II.

Taiwanese Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Chih-chung Wu made the comparison, urging the Albanese government to support Taiwan’s bid to join Asia’s largest trading bloc, according to The Australian.

“Germany obtained the industrial power of Czechoslovakia. Then they invaded Poland and France using tanks made in Czechoslovakia,” the former ambassador to France said.

Mr Wu declared China under Mr Xi had a similar ambition to Hitler. “They want to weaponise the Taiwanese chips capability to rule the world,” he said.

Taiwan currently supplies 60 per cent of the world’s computer chips and 90 per cent of the most advanced chips required in artificial intelligence.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has reiterated Australia’s plan to recognise the State of Palestine at the United Nations next month, emphasising the country’s ongoing advocacy for a peaceful two-state solution in the Middle East.

“We have consistently advocated both directly to the Israeli government, but also through our vote in international forums, for aid to be allowed into Gaza, consistently advocated for a ceasefire and for the hostages to be released and Hamas to be disarmed,” Albanese told ABC RN on Monday morning.

“We will continue to use our voice in international forums and continue to be a strong advocate for a long-term solution as well, which, of course, is the state of Israel and the state of Palestine living side by side in peace and security.”