Australia politics live: Albanese says Chinese government ‘needs to do better’ for detained journalist Cheng Lei | Australia news

Now, the Solomon Islands opposition though, believe that the government is attempting to delay the election to stay in power.

So is it possible the Solomon Islands government response to the Australian offer being made public is about something else?

Simon Birmingham is not giving any leeway (and neither would have Labor if it was in opposition)

This is quite an extraordinary statement and the accusations made in the statement in relation to the way in which this issue has been handled do point to issues on the side of the Albanese Government.

The Solomon Islands are clearly aggrieved at the fact that this was made public; in the way it was made public; when it was made public. And that’s why there are answers to be had from the Albanese Government about whether they informed the Solomon Islands in advance that they would be making the offer public in this way and, if not, why not?

Simon Birmingham swung by doors this morning to make a statement:

Late yesterday, we saw a most extraordinary statement issued by the Government of the Solomon Islands that accuses the Albanese Government and Foreign Minister Penny Wong of engaging in ways that interfere in the domestic affairs of the Solomon Islands and interfere in relation to their national interests and democracy.

Now, the Albanese Government was entirely right to offer to provide assistance for the conduct of Solomon Islands elections. However, the execution of that offer appears to have been woefully undertaken, given the response it has elicited from the Solomon Islands Government.

There are many questions that the Albanese Government is going to have to answer in relation to this offer; around when it was made; what discussions occurred prior to the making of this offer; whether the Solomon Islands Government was aware the offer was going to be made public; if they weren’t then why the Government chose to make it public, when they made it public?

This is a very significant statement issued by the Solomon Islands and clearly the Albanese Government has mishandled this very sensitive matter and needs to provide answers and explanations in relation to it.

The president of Timor-Leste, Dr José Ramos-Horta, is visiting Australia today and will meet with Anthony Albanese.

There is of course, a picfac (pictures only, no questions) and Mike Bowers will be there.

Submissions open for feedback on superannuation laws

The government is releasing a consultation paper on superannuation.

The assistant treasurer, Stephen Jones, explained what it is:

The consultation paper seeks feedback on any unintended consequences and implementation issues arising from the Your Future, Your Super laws which were introduced in 2021.

This follows the outcomes of the second annual performance test for MySuper products which revealed that 96% of MySuper members are in a well-performing fund.

The government encourages interested stakeholders to engage with the consultation process. Submissions can be made online.

My Tasmanian friends would like everyone to know that a “shack” is a beach property, usually shared by families and bought when these things were very cheap.

Sounds just lovely.

Opposition criticise government for not fixing childcare yet

The opposition is very focused on Labor having been in power “for more than 100 days”.

Which is just over three months. But the Coalition wants to know why absolutely everything isn’t fixed yet.

Here is the shadow early childhood education minister, Angie Bell:

Today is early childhood educators day, and as educators gather around the country to call for better pay and conditions, the Albanese government remains quiet on their promises for the sector.

Labor have been in government for more than 100 days but have provided no details on how they’ll address current issues in the sector, including worker shortages and fee hikes.

Their union talkfest has delivered nothing for the early childhood education sector – even though the minister previously claimed that it would.

Labor have also failed to provide further details on the ACCC price mechanism and productivity commission review, which they promised would help alleviate pressures at the election.

I mean, the Coalition was in government for almost a decade and didn’t manage to find solutions for some of these things they are demanding be fixed because it has been three and a bit months already, but I guess everything looks different in opposition.

To be fair to Sussan Ley, Angus Taylor made a bigger mash of it, when he spent a few minutes telling Sky’s Laura Jayes a few days ago that it was a travesty that veterans were excluded, only to be told veterans were included.

That was greeted with a beat of silence.

Government will expedite legislation on pension changes, said Albanese yesterday

For the record, this was what Anthony Albanese announced four days ago on the letting pensioners work more plan:

Age and veterans pensioners will be able to earn an additional $4,000 over this financial year without losing any of their pension due to the Albanese Labor government providing a one-off income credit designed to give older Australians the option to work and keep more of their money.

Following the successful jobs and skills summit in Canberra, an immediate $4,000 income credit will be added to the income banks of age pensioners from December to be used this financial year.

The temporary income bank top-up will increase the amount pensioners can earn from $7,800 to $11,800 this year, before their pension is reduced.

The measure is designed to enable pensioners who want to work, to immediately boost the supply of labour to help meet shortages.

Pensioners will be able to do so without losing their pension, either in short stints or over the course of a year.

The $4,000 temporary credit will be available until June 30, 2023, subject to the passage of legislation.

The government will also look to strengthen legislation to ensure pensioners who are working don’t get unnecessarily kicked out of the social security system.

The government will expedite legislation to ensure pensioners don’t have to reapply for payments for up to two years if their employment income exceeds the income limit. Currently their connection to social security is cancelled after 12 weeks of exceeding the income limit.

Ley says Albanese government should have acted on pensioner plan sooner

So what is one thing that could be done, Sussan Ley?

Ley:

Cost of living, cost of living, cost of living.

Peter Stefanovic, the host of the Sky show Ley was appearing on, tried asking again:

I mean, Chris Richardson on the program a short time ago as well he says that there’s actually not that much that can be done in the short term. We’ve got the tiger by the tail when it comes to inflation. So what’s one thing the government could do right now?

Ley:

Well, they could implement our pensioner plan [interrupted].

Stefanovic: “They’ve said they’re doing that.”

Ley:

Well, they’ve said they’re doing it, but it hasn’t happened. It’s not there in people’s workplaces now. So this is an indication of a government that talks the talk, but doesn’t walk the walk. That pensioner plan could have had people working in businesses already, it could have taken the pressure off finding someone to actually keep your doors open. Of paying someone more than you know you can afford because you can’t find the right person, of closing your doors. All of these things are pressures on inflation and pressures on the economy. That’s one good idea that the government decided to not implement but wait for its jobs and skills union talk fest in order to sort of have a big reveal at the end of it about all these things that are happening. But just like the announcement that was made this morning, that are not happening now.

I come back to my point, I’m not in the cabinet. We’re not the government, but that expenditure review committee should have proposals before it and it should be thinking about the here and now.

Sussan Ley compares Anthony Albanese to Kermit the frog

Sussan Ley really likes Kermit the Frog.

This was the deputy Liberal leader’s contribution to the debate yesterday:

And she has continued in that vein today.

She told Sky News:

Everything that relates to cost of living should be a priority. Now as a cabinet, and of course, I’m not in cabinet, I’m not a member of the expenditure review committee, that committee would be receiving many proposals at this point in time, all directed, I hope to reducing the cost-of-living pressures similar to the one that we implemented almost immediately, about reducing the fuel excise halving it for six months. Where is the indication that this government is even considering measures that help with the cost of living now

This is a government that likes to take credit for so many things, but it’s just not taking action.

This week we saw them taking credit for the fact that pension payments are going up. Well pension payments are linked to inflation. Inflation is at a 30-year high. The same increase to pensions would have happened if Kermit the Frog was prime minister.

And yet we see the government taking credit. What we need to see is a government that takes real action. Your previous government speaker was sitting there almost wringing his hands on your program talking about this ‘bad situation’. That’s not giving Australians confidence that they need.

Bill to incentivise pensioners to downsize introduced to parliament

China must ‘do better’ on detained journalist Cheng Lei, Albanese says