PM says there will be no referendum on any issues if he wins second term
Our own Josh Butler asked the prime minister about the Indigenous voice referendum – which was unsuccessful, but the question of constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians remains unresolved. He asked:
Peter Dutton obviously at some point spoke about symbolic recognition in the campaign. My question is to you – what now? Obviously, maybe Australians don’t have an appetite for another referendum any time soon. But would you – your future government, or another government – set up some sort of a process like the referendum council to chart a course for what is next on this thorny issue?
The prime minister said “we respect the outcome of the referendum” and outlined a number of measures the government had made towards closing the gap.
But he added, “we will not be holding a referendum in our second term on any issues”.
Referendums are hard to win in this country. And we’ve seen that all it takes is opposition … If people have an opportunity, as an opposition, to just say ‘no’, then they do. So, I’m focused on practical outcomes and making a difference. That’ll be my focus next term.
Key events
Brisbane airport says no delays amid ground workers strike
Earlier today, the Transport Workers Union flagged potential delays at airports across the country as ground workers went on strike.
Brisbane Airport has just confirmed there were no delays as a result of the industrial action this morning.
Olympic cyclist’s guilty plea in wife death-crash case
Olympic cyclist Rohan Dennis has formally pleaded guilty to a charge linked to the crash that caused the death of his wife, fellow Olympian Melissa Hoskins.
AAP reports that Dennis, 34, was arrested after Hoskins, 32, was struck by his vehicle in front of their home at Medindie in Adelaide’s inner north on December 30, 2023.
Hoskins suffered serious injuries in the crash and paramedics took her to Royal Adelaide hospital where she died.
At a guilty plea arraignment in the SA district court today, prosecutor Stephanie Moore said while no victim-impact statements would be tendered to the court at the appearance, “I can indicate there will be some forthcoming”.
However, we still need to ascertain the wishes of the people providing those statements, who will read them and if they will be read aloud to the court.
In December 2024, Dennis appeared in Adelaide magistrates court to answer charges of dangerous driving causing death and an aggravated charge of driving without due care. But prosecutors dropped those charges and replaced them with one aggravated count of creating likelihood of harm.
Judge Ian Press today adjourned the matter until 14 April, when sentencing submissions and victim-impact statements will be heard.
Public viewing of corpse flower ‘Putricia’ to end at midnight as she approaches collapse
All throughout the day, fans have continued to flock to Sydney’s Botanic Gardens to catch a glimpse of “Putricia” the corpse flower.
After she began blooming yesterday afternoon, dedicated fans lined up in droves to see her, with the gardens remaining open until midnight and experiencing wait times of over three hours.
The gardens reopened at 8am this morning. The Botanic Gardens said that since she opened yesterday, there had been 10,000 visitors.
Since viewing was opened to the public last Friday, more than 20,000 have visited to catch a glimpse.
They said Putricia has begun drooping and would be “fully collapsed at some point tonight”. They would remain open until midnight tonight, when the viewing will come to an end.
ATP boss backs Melbourne for Australian Open long haul
If the ATP has any say in it, the Australian Open is staying put in Melbourne forever as the season-opening grand slam once again boasts record crowds and bumper TV ratings.
AAP reports that the Open could conceivably come under threat from the likes of cashed-up China or Saudi Arabia – which is perhaps why the Victorian government and Tennis Australia moved to extend hosting rights of the billion-dollar extravaganza until 2046 during the global pandemic.
And if ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has his way, the Australian Open is “absolutely” never going anywhere else:
Here, the park is fantastic. The infrastructure is amazing. You have the city of Melbourne just a few miles away and the people are just great. This is a tennis country. There’s a great history here and it’s amazing.
Together with Paris, London and New York, we have four great infrastructures and cities for grand slams. I see no reason why we should change that.”
The 2025 Open drew 941,635 fans through the gates over the first 12 days of the so-called “Happy Slam”.
With three days remaining, the tournament is on track to surpass last year’s all-time record of 1,020,763 spectators flooding to Melbourne Park and its huge precinct that stretches almost to Federation Square.
Storms to redevelop across parts of eastern Australia
The Bureau of Meteorology has provided a severe weather update, as storms as set to hit parts of eastern Australia:
Second man charged over alleged targeting of Newtown synagogue
A second man has been charged after allegedly trying to set a Newtown synagogue on fire in Sydney’s inner west earlier this month.
NSW police allege on 11 January, two people graffitied the building and fence with offensive symbols, while also attempting to set it on fire.
Police earlier this week arrested and charged a 33-year-old man over the incident, who remains before the court.
Yesterday, police arrested a 37-year-old man in Darling Harbour. He was assessed by paramedics after being shot with a Taser.
He was taken to hospital, and today returned to Day Street police station where he has been charged with destroying property and knowingly displaying a Nazi symbol in public.
He has been refused bail to appear at Parramatta local court tomorrow.
Aussie shares rise as Trump calls for cuts in rates
Australian shares are on track for their fourth day of gains this week, AAP reports, after US president Donald Trump demanded cuts in interest rates and the price of oil.
The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index at midday was up 32.5 points, or 0.39%, to 8,411.2, while the broader All Ordinaries had gained 28.8 points, or 0.33%, to 8,657.9.
For the week the ASX was on track for a 1.2% rise, its third straight week of gains and its best weekly performance so far this year.
Overnight, Trump made a blustering online address to the World Economic Forum in Davos, calling on Saudi Arabia and the Opec oil producer cartel to cut the cost of oil to choke off revenue to Russia and stop its war against Ukraine. Despite Trump’s pressure, the Fed is widely expected to leave interest rates unchanged at its first policy meeting of 2025 next week.
Nine of the ASX’s 11 sectors were higher at midday, all except materials/mining and energy. The consumer discretionary sector was the biggest gainer, rising 1.7% as Wesfarmers grew 3% to a more than one-month high of $US74.48.
All of the big four banks were higher, with CBA and NAB up 0.6% and Westpac and ANZ up 0.3%. The energy sector was down 1% amid the drop in oil prices, with Woodside falling 1.4%, Santos dipping 0.4% and Ampol retreating 1%.
The Australian dollar meanwhile had moved back above 63 US cents for the first time since mid-December.
PM wraps up National Press Club appearance with final question
Taking a final question, a reporter asked what Anthony Albanese’s biggest regret is from the past two and a half years.
The prime minister joked if you look at the media every morning, “I don’t feel the need to give myself a character assessment on a daily basis because I receive it, in some ways, very predictably everyday.”
Albanese said what his government does every day is “our best” because “no government’s perfect”, before listing a number of achievements the government has made. He continued:
I’m happy to stand in support of the record that we have – but also to say that that’s not enough. That’s not how you win a second term. You win a second term through also [outlining] what’s the offer for the second term?
He then listed a number of measures the government has announced, and concluded:
These are the things that drive me to make a difference each and every day. Not [through] self-analysis – I get enough of that from you fine people, and that will continue, and that’s your job. I respect all of that. My job is to get on with building a better Australia. That’s what I intend to do.
PM says Australia ‘obviously’ won’t be withdrawing from Paris agreement
On Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement and the ramifications for Australia and the Indo-Pacific, Anthony Albanese said this wasn’t a surprise and “we obviously will not be doing that”.
He said Australia intends to “seize” the challenge and opportunity of climate change:
We’ll await what the implications are for the United States based upon what they do domestically. But if you’re talking about jobs – there’s a lot of jobs involved in the transition to net zero.
Albanese on Australia’s plans for AI
A reporter asked about Donald Trump’s move to spend US$500m to build data centres across the US, and an order for an AI action plan.
What does means for Australia in terms of competing on AI, and building our own capability?
Anthony Albanese said science and industry minister Ed Husic was working in this area to ensure Australia can “take advantage of the opportunities that will arise from it, whilst understanding some of the risks that are there as well.”
He said Australia needs more energy, and there were “significant investments from companies like Microsoft here in Australia.” The PM lashed the Coalition’s nuclear costings, which rely on Australia having 40% less energy than what Aemo says will be required.
The other things that these data centres will look for, because they’re global industries, is their carbon footprint. So I’ve been looking for opportunities for green energy, in particular. And that is a significant advantage that we have …
I’ve been a part of discussions with significant corporate interests about investing here because of the opportunities here with green energy, the advantage that we have – comparative advantage – in our legal security, our political stability, and where we’re located in the world as well.
PM says there will be no referendum on any issues if he wins second term
Our own Josh Butler asked the prime minister about the Indigenous voice referendum – which was unsuccessful, but the question of constitutional recognition for Indigenous Australians remains unresolved. He asked:
Peter Dutton obviously at some point spoke about symbolic recognition in the campaign. My question is to you – what now? Obviously, maybe Australians don’t have an appetite for another referendum any time soon. But would you – your future government, or another government – set up some sort of a process like the referendum council to chart a course for what is next on this thorny issue?
The prime minister said “we respect the outcome of the referendum” and outlined a number of measures the government had made towards closing the gap.
But he added, “we will not be holding a referendum in our second term on any issues”.
Referendums are hard to win in this country. And we’ve seen that all it takes is opposition … If people have an opportunity, as an opposition, to just say ‘no’, then they do. So, I’m focused on practical outcomes and making a difference. That’ll be my focus next term.
