Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is prioritising housing and cost of living as he prepares for the upcoming election. With new legislation passed, he aims to address the challenges facing Australians, including rising housing costs and inflation.
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shifted into election mode, aiming to regain voter trust that his government can address high living costs, particularly housing, after passing a flurry of legislation.
The 31 laws enacted during a midnight session on Thursday—including a world-first social media ban for children—have led to speculation that Albanese may call a national election before February. His centre-left Labor government, which assumed power in 2022, faces a tough race against the conservative Liberal-National coalition in an election that must take place by May 17.
Albanese’s public approval has dropped in opinion polls as households face the strain of soaring housing, energy, and food costs amid global inflation.
"We know that we have more work to do on cost of living, but we're making progress," Albanese said at a press conference on Friday. "We understand the pressure that people are under as a result of the global inflation surge." He added that the message to parents from the social media ban is: "We've got your back."
While Australian governments typically avoid election campaigns during the summer holiday from December to Jan. 26, Albanese has instructed lawmakers to begin soft campaigning.
His political standing is considered "perilous" after two years of high inflation and rising interest rates, which have increased mortgage costs, according to Mark Kenny, director of the Australian Studies Institute at the Australian National University. The central bank’s governor said on Thursday that core inflation is too high to allow for rate cuts in the near future, ruling out relief for borrowers at its next policy meeting in December.
"The government has been under extreme political pressure over the cost of living and the election will see no let-up on that," Kenny remarked. "However, Anthony Albanese ends the parliamentary year with several key wins on important pieces of legislation – most notably on social and affordable housing."
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 20 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Australia has confirmed its first mainland case of H5N1 bird flu, ending its status as the only continent with a mainland free of the virus and prompting authorities to step up efforts to contain any spread.
At least thirteen people have died and sixty-six have been injured following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing hub at Ras Laffan, authorities said on Sunday.
Tehran has agreed to let the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) recommence inspections of its nuclear programme, U.S. Vice President JD Vance has said. The U.S. and Iran have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, according to mediators Qatar and Pakistan.
A Ukrainian strike has damaged a school building in a Russian-controlled area of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia region, according to local authorities cited by the TASS news agency. No injuries were reported in the incident.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced he will step down as Prime Minister and Labour Party leader in a tearful address outside Downing Street in London on Monday. Starmer's resignation comes two years after he won a landslide election victory.
U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into "infinity, despite Tehran's denials, and that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy humanitarian supplies from the United States.
Ukraine said its forces had struck key energy installations inside Russia, including a gas processing plant and a helium facility in the Orenburg region, as drone assaults increased across multiple areas.
Critical minerals are becoming a key battleground in the growing economic rivalry between the G7 and China, as governments seek to secure supplies vital to the energy transition and advanced manufacturing.
An unusual weather pattern known as an omega block is at the heart of the extreme heat sweeping across Europe. The phenomenon can trap hot air over the same region for days or even weeks, allowing temperatures to climb to dangerous levels.
Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have surpassed 1,000, with health officials warning that the outbreak is spreading rapidly through displacement camps and across borders.
A North Korean soldier has been taken into custody by South Korean forces after crossing the heavily guarded border between the two countries, in what officials believe may be a defection.
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