Politics

FlowNews24 Canberra correspondent John McDonnell tackles the trial-by-media of Christian Porter and what an independent inquiry into historical rape allegations should look like - and what it might achieve.

The Victorian government will pay $2,000 in compensation - in the form of grants - for sporting clubs and leagues affected by the Valentines Weekend lockdown.

South Australia has decriminalised abortion, but with more stringent conditions than other states that decriminalised the termination of pregnancy in the last decade.

The federal Water Minister dropped a bombshell in the Murray-Darling Basin on Wednesday in a funding announcement alongside fellow Nationals MPs in northern Victoria, declaring that the government would no longer pursue buybacks or on-farm water recovery programs to restore water to the river system.

The economic indicators are up, the tree change is on and decentralisation advocates are positive about growing country Australia's regional centres. FlowNews24 Canberra correspondent John McDonnell writes, some intelligent policy-setting will be required to capitalise on these positives.

Victoria's state of emergency has been extended for another nine months after the government secured the support of three crossbench MPs.

Canbera correspondent John McDonnell writes that a push within the National Party to amend the Clean Energy Finance Corporation bill represents broader support within the Coalition parties for nuclear energy.

At the first opportunity since a Liberal MP's dramatic resignation, Labor and independents have tested the government's numbers on the floor of parliament and succeeded in establishing an inquiry into mineral exploration's impact on farming.

A special joint-sitting of the Victorian Parliament was convened on Tuesday morning for the delivery of the Royal Commission report on Mental Health in Victoria. Parliamentarians heard that the state's mental health system was failing catastrophically.

Energy & Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor delivered farmers a surprise in the Morrison government's 5 technology priorities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: soil carbon capture and storage.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has presented his government's response to the Royal Commission report on Aged Care, including over $450 million in measures to implement 'generational change' in a sector that cares for society's most vulnerable and frail.

The blanket coverage of the rape allegation made by Brittany Higgins created a frenzied response from the media, putting the alleged victim under enormous pressure but was likely a factor in the hospitalisation of Linda Reynolds.

Federal coalition MP Nicolle Flint says she will not recontest her South Australian seat of Boothby at the next election.

The South Australian Treasurer Rob Lucas told FlowNews24 they are trying to encourage South Australians to seek work in the state's regions, as the Morning Show's Wayne Phillips returns from regional visits saying he's being told there's work available, but businesses can't source skilled workers. The flow-on effect is a looming housing challenge.

The aged care royal commission has handed its final report to the federal government after years of harrowing evidence at hearings across the nation. 

South Australian Treasurer Rob Lucas is encouraged that businesses say they are confident in the state economy. Opposition Shadow Treasurer Stephen Mulligan has highlighted SA's poor economic and employment data, which the Treasurer says is unhelpful 'doom and gloom' focused on the pandemic year, and not the future.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison had a challenging week last week in federal politics, but FlowNews24 Canberra correspondent John McDonnell writes that this week was just plain messy. John also reports that One Nation might be firming as a new political home for Mr Kelly.

Australia now has the world's first media code for social media giants Facebook and Google, after the government won a battle which for a short time saw Facebook take a host of Australian pages offline. The bill has passed parliament and will soon be law.

Western Australia's opposition leader has conceded the Liberals can't win the state election with more than two weeks to go until polling day.

The defence minister has tough questions to answer on more than the rape allegations: the government’s defence procurement program, put in place by Christopher Pyne during the Turnbull years, has gone pear-shaped.

The Andrews Labor government today announced a new round of jobs and infrastructure grants for regional Victoria - but opponents have hit back, saying the government has done significantly more harm to country Victorians through its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and state economy.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg believes few people will still need the JobKeeper wage subsidy when it expires in March.

Craig Kelly, who the ‘Betoota Advocate’ has nicknamed ‘ the tight head prop’, has taken his ball and gone to the cross-bench. FlowNews24 Canberra correspondent John McDonnell comments on the day the Morrison government lost its parliamentary majority.

Facebook has caved in to government pressure and agreed to restore Australian news on its platform.

Moody's has stripped Victoria of its much-vaunted AAA credit rating.

The Morrison government has another headache on its hands, with Liberal MP Craig Kelly quitting to join the crossbench. FlowNews24 will bring you the latest as it happens.

Event organisers in regional NSW will be able to access grants of more than $100,000 in a bid to bring more sport, music and culture to the bush. NSW independent MP for Murray, Helen Dalton, says the money is welcome but far less than what the regions need.

Business SA has released its latest quarterly Survey of Business Expectations showing business confidence is up, and patting the SA Government on the back for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

EXCLUSIVE: The Victorian Opposition is calling for the Andrews government to reconsider its ban on the 2021 ANZAC Day March in Melbourne, noting that Queensland gave the all clear to their veterans in the last 24 hours.

Canberra correspondent John McDonnell writes that as Labor searches for an economic narrative - after the electorate rejected their tax-and-spend program under Bill Shorten - Professor Ross Garnaut has likely delivered such a manifesto.

A royal commission into Crown Resorts' suitability to hold a casino licence in Melbourne has been established by the Victorian government. Yet the Victorian Liberal-National Opposition have asked, why is there no Royal Commission into the government's handling of COVID-19 and accompanying deaths.

Regional communities would own a slice of renewable energy projects in their towns under a proposal from a regional Victorian independent MP.

The Andrews Labor government has issued a $143 million compensation package to help businesses recover after the 5-day lockdown that ended last Wednesday. However, the Victorian Opposition says the money is too little, too late.

Former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told a Friday senate inquiry that all politicians were afraid of Rupert Murdoch, and that he had been afraid of him up until he left office in 2013. Mr Rudd said this culture of fear about the Murdoch media monopoly was “just dead wrong for any democracy”.

Tumby Bay mayor Sam Telfer has been chosen as Liberal candidate for the safe seat of Flinders at the 2022 State Election, replacing 11-year incumbent Peter Treloar.

A minister overseeing Victoria's COVID-19 quarantine program has extended her leave from politics due to an ongoing battle with Crohn's disease.

Duck hunters are unhappy with the Victorian hunting season's limits, while animal advocates say there should be no season at all. On Thursday 18 February the Senate passed a National Party motion backing the duck hunters' perspective, condemning the Andrews Victorian government's handling of the hunting season.

South Australia's House of Assembly has passed a bill decriminalising abortion, including late term abortions - however debate concluded in the early hours of Friday with a bombshell revelation. Liberal Member for Narungga, Fraser Ellis, announced he would move to the crossbenches due to a corruption investigation.

After an embarrassing misfire in protest against an Australia media reimbursement plan - and with their ears burning after a please explain from the federal government - Facebook has worked throughout the day to restore non-media Pages its algorithm inadvertently dumped this morning.