Australian news and politics live: Chalmers tax plans ahead of productivity roundtable

Danielle Wood, chair of the Productivity Commission, pushed back on the idea that productivity is a negative word, saying it has delivered the very improvements Australians now take for granted.

Without reform, she warned, the country faces “anaemic economic growth,” weaker job markets, wage stagnation and worsening housing challenges that will hit younger generations hardest.

“Think about someone in 1960 versus today,” she said.

“Living standards are three times higher, health outcomes are better, we work fewer hours all dividends from productivity growth,” Ms Wood argued. The task is not to make Australians work harder, but to unlock smarter use of resources so that future Australians can enjoy the same leap in prosperity.

Anthony Albanese says he “laughed” at questions around tensions between him and his Treasurer Jim Chalmers over the upcoming roundtable.

It comes after speculation that the PM has had to rein in a reform-ambitious Dr Chalmers.

“No, no, no. That’s people who are bored and looking for something,” he said, about journalists who ask him questions about the duo’s dynamic.

“I did have a laugh last week. I got asked in an interview ‘have you had a meeting with Jim Chalmers?’. Well, breaking news: We had another meeting this morning. It’s called the cabinet.

“One of the things that defines my government is the unity that is there, that sense of purpose as well, and that contrasts with the liberals fighting each other.”

In an interview ahead of his three-day roundtable starting on Tuesday, Anthony Albanese has dodged questions around whether the event will be used as an opportunity to make big reforms.

The roundtable will bring together a range of business, government and union representatives and has been supported with more than 40 spin-off events in the lead-up and 900 submissions.

Speaking on Sky News on Monday, the PM said that “the job of reform is never done” but wasn’t concrete on whether he would seize the opportunity.

“I’m looking forward to coming out of the roundtable is the promotion of ideas and dialog,” he said.

“One of the things that’s defined, I hope my prime ministership, is that we’re an inclusive government.

“We are open to engagement and that is how you bring people with you as well on that journey of reform.

“There’s a range of things that could be done immediately.

“There are some things that will feed into budget processes through our normal way that we operate.

“And there are other things that might be longer term. The job of reform is never done.

“We’re elected with a strong mandate quite clearly, but we’re certainly not complacent.

“We have a clear policy agenda, but we’ve also said that’s not the limit of our ambition.”

The Prime Minister says he understands the “pathway” forward on a two-state solution between Israel and Palestine “won’t be easy” but says it’s not a moment for Australia to “just sit back”.

“The international community is saying we need a path to peace and security in the Middle East. No one’s saying this is easy,” he told Sky News on Monday.

“If it was easy, it would have happened. And the truth is that there have been a couple of occasions where a path forward should have been ceased, but it didn’t occur.

“Everyone can see what Gaza looks like on their TV screens, and we need to, as an international community, not just sit back.

“This time around, you are having the international community overwhelmingly just saying ‘we need a pathway’.”

Anthony Albanese says the “resolve was clear” among the Coalition of the Willing meeting overnight that they were not just standing up for Ukraine sovereignty but also “the international rule of law”.

The Prime Minister told Sky on Monday that the Russian invasion has claimed lives, disrupted trade and markets, as well as the world order.

“Australia’s position has been very clear from the beginning, which is that Ukraine sovereignty is important.

“This isn’t just a struggle about Ukraine, it’s also a struggle for the international rule of law.

“If a large, more powerful country can just invade a smaller country, then that has implications for stability around the world. So, Australia has participated.”

Anthony Albanese has revealed that he had a “constrictive” virtual meeting with the Coalition of the Willing overnight.

Speaking on Sky on Monday, the Prime Minister said the meeting was hosted in the early hours of the morning in the wake of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin meeting in Alaska.

“The meeting was convened by (UK) Prime Minister Keir Starmer and (French) President Emmanuel Macron,” he said.

“It was attended by almost all of the European leaders, as well as the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney and Prime Minister (Shigeru) Ishiba of Japan.

“We heard reports of what had occurred at Anchorage, at Alaska, the summit. I think everyone was enthusiastic about, of course, pushing and pursuing peace.

“I spoke in the meeting last night. It was a very constructive meeting.”

Internet giant Google could pay a $55 million fine after signing anti-competitive deals with Australia’s two largest telcos that banned the installation of competing search engines on some smartphones.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched proceedings against the US technology firm in Federal Court on Monday over the behaviour, which Google has admitted.

The court will be asked to determine if the $55 million penalty agreed by both parties is appropriate.

The legal action follows court-enforceable undertakings from Telstra, Optus and TPG in 2024 to refrain from renewing or making similar deals with Google to limit search services.

The anti-competitive deals, in place between December 2019 and March 2021, required Telstra and Optus to pre-install Google’s Search app on Android smartphones and to exclude competing search services from the devices.

In exchange, the telcos received a share of revenue from advertisements shown alongside Google’s search results on the phones.

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Justice Michael Lee has determined that $50 million of the $90 million penalty against Qantas will be awarded to the Transport Workers Union for its pivotal role in successfully pursuing the case.

Justice Lee noted that, unlike the Fair Work Ombudsman, government agencies didn’t act, and the Commonwealth failed to initiate proceedings.

The union took on significant financial risk and used its expertise to secure a win for sacked workers, with Justice Lee stating, “Greater rewards might be appropriate in the circumstances of greater risk,” to encourage others to pursue similar cases.

However, he also said there’s insufficient evidence to guarantee that affected staff will be fully compensated for their losses, while the remaining $40 million is yet to be allocated.

Qantas has been ordered to pay $90 million for illegally outsourcing ground staff in 2020, following years of court battles and appeals that delayed compensation for more than 1,800 workers.

Justice Michael Lee said the airline’s apology was “the wrong kind of sorry,” focused on the company rather than the lives impacted.

He emphasised that the penalty was meant to deter large companies from breaking the law for profit, setting a strong example for corporate Australia as affected staff finally prepare to receive long-awaited compensation.

Australia’s largest airline is staring down the barrel of another nine-figure fine for illegally sacking more than 1800 workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Federal Court will hand down a hefty penalty to Qantas on Monday in what will be the latest court blow for the airline after a scandal-plagued recent tenure.

Qantas outsourced its baggage handlers, cleaners and ground staff in 2020, in a move the court ruled was designed to curb union bargaining power in wage negotiations.

It appealed the ruling to the High Court but the decision was not overturned, paving the way for Monday’s penalty.

The Transport Workers Union has sought the maximum penalty of $121 million, while Qantas has urged Justice Michael Lee to impose a “mid-range” penalty between $40 million and $80 million.

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