Australia politics live: record number of GPs in training; Chalmers says ‘optimism is warranted’ on economy
Record number of GPs in training for 2025
Natasha May
A record number of GPs will be trained in 2025, the first time in years the specialty has filled all its training positions, which will go some way towards addressing Australia’s GP shortage.
A government report in August, which found that a shortfall of more than 5,000 GPs was expected in the next decade, was the latest in a number of warnings that as more Australians live with chronic conditions, not enough medical graduates are choosing general practice as a career.
However, the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has today confirmed the trend is turning around, with 1,504 junior doctors having accepted specialist training through the college’s program. It represents an increase of 20% – or 249 trainees – on 2024.
The signs are also positive for the regional and remote areas the government report found were most at risk from the shortage, with 844 trainees accepting a general training pathway, 583 a rural pathway, and 77 composite rural placements.
Key events
On ABC RN, the acting PM was asked about the latest Australian Signals Directorate findings that cybercriminals are using fake QR codes or sophisticated AI scams to trick Australians into giving up their private details, or downloading dangerous files.
Richard Marles said the ASD is seeing reports every six minutes, and the cost of each of those attacks is going up:
We are worryingly seeing an increased focus by both cyber criminals and state actors on our critical infrastructure, and that’s something which has become much more prevalent in the course of the last year …
One of the actions that we take is attribution. We have raised attribution in respect of China, in respect of Russia, in respect of Iran. We do so very carefully in circumstances where we can, but attribution is an important tool that we have applied more in the last year than we have ever done.
Marles says government will raise Gordon Ng sentence with Chinese government
Richard Marles was also asked about news that 45 pro-democracy activists were arrested in Hong Kong, including the Australian-Hong Kong dual national Gordon Ng, after the city’s largest national security trial.
He said the government is “very concerned”, specifically about the sentence applied to Ng, and “we will continue to make representations in respect of the sentence”.
But beyond that, as you say, we are very concerned about the application of the national security law in Hong Kong, and obviously in terms of how it’s been applied to Gordon Ng, and that’s a point that we made when the original conviction occurred …
[This is] a matter that we will continue to raise with the Chinese government in all of our advocacy, and this is a consular matter which is front and centre in terms of the way in which we are engaging with China.
Will the government seek to reopen the embassy in Ukraine?
Richard Marles said it was “something we want to do”.
We’ve been wanting to do it for some time. We do have our ambassador in the region, who operates out of Warsaw. This is a matter of making sure, obviously, in the context of a war zone, that we can open this in a manner which is safe for all of those who would be in the embassy. And so this continues to be a work in progress around how that can be done, but we are engaging closely with Ukraine.
Marles weighs in on latest developments on war on Ukraine
Richard Marles also spoke with ABC RN just now, asked about the latest developments out of the war in Ukraine.
Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has formally lowered the threshold for Russia’s use of its nuclear weapons after the Biden administration’s decision to allow Ukraine to strike targets inside Russian territory with US-supplied longer-range weapons. Asked for his reaction, Marles told the program:
It’s completely reprehensible on the part of Russia. I mean, there’s only one country which is talking about using nuclear weapons, and that’s Russia …
Russia’s cooperation with North Korea, such that we now have North Korean troops massing on the Ukrainian border, is an appalling escalation in what is already an appalling conflict … What’s at issue here is the global rules-based order, which is very much in Australia’s national interest, and that’s why we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes for this conflict to be resolved on its terms.
So you don’t see it as a dangerous escalation from the US to allow Ukraine to use these missiles to strike on Russian territory? Marles said this was Ukraine defending itself:
Ukraine is the country that was attacked. It was Russia which crossed the border into Ukraine and began this war, and Ukraine has a right to defend itself. It’s not Ukraine who’s talking about an escalation to a nuclear level … at every point it is Russia which is escalating this.
Marles says Dutton spreading misinformation over US-UK civil nuclear deal
The acting prime minister, Richard Marles, was on ABC News Breakfast earlier and was asked about the Coalition’s attack on the government for not joining a US-UK civil nuclear deal (as we flagged earlier).
Marles said the opposition leader, Peter Dutton, is “intentionally seeking to conflate two ideas here and, frankly, spread a form of misinformation really”.
We don’t have a civil nuclear industry. This is an agreement between the United Kingdom and the United States to cooperate in respect of their civil nuclear industries. It is simply not an agreement which would apply [and] sits completely separately to what we are doing with the UK and the US in relation to Aukus, which is an agreement that is proceeding very well.
Marles said what is “embarrassing” is Dutton’s proposition that “Australia should walk down from where we are now in having no civil nuclear industry, to trying to acquire one”.
That is embarrassing because it would be pursuing for Australia the single most expensive form of electricity on the planet, like $1,200 on each and every household’s budget power bills, that would be the increase by walking down that path.
We wouldn’t see it for a couple of decades and even when it came into place, it would contribute at most about 4% to the power grid. Putting that proposition in front of the Australian people, that is what’s embarrassing.
Clean Energy Council data shows surge in renewables since 2015 has reduced relative emissions by 30%
Kane Thornton, the chief executive of the Clean Energy Council, was up on ABC RN earlier this morning to discuss its new report – showing a surge in renewables since 2015 has reduced emissions by 30%, relative to if Australia had remained reliant on the 2015 fleet of power stations.
This morning, he told the program this was a good news story for the sector:
About five years ago, we were at around 15 or 16% of the grid coming from renewables. Today, we’re over 40% and by the end of next year, we’ll be pretty close to 50%.
So a pretty dramatic increase in the amount of renewables in the grid, which is obviously great for emissions, it’s also great because coal-fired power stations are starting to close down, they’re starting to get less reliable, and that renewable electricity is also [helping keep] power prices down and keep the lights on.
Thornton said the data shows the importance of having confidence about the future and “all political parties having a clear vision and … being aligned on targets”.
Where they’ve got that sort of certainty, then investors will put significant money on the table, and that rate of renewables accelerates. Where there’s uncertainty about the future, then the rate of new investment tends to slow down.
Cost of living, cybersecurity and AI top ethical considerations for Australians: report
The Governance Institute of Australia’s 2024 ethics index shows that cost-of-living pressures and concerns about cybersecurity and AI are the top ethical considerations for Australians.
Based on a survey conducted with Ipsos, Australians perceived supermarket pricing as the most unethical behaviour (-50) while perceptions of GPs who don’t offer bulk billing have also fallen further (-33).
In terms of government promises ahead of the next federal election, Australians ranked affordable housing, renewable energy and grocery prices as their top three campaign topics. But the Governance Institute CEO, Megan Motto, said clear differences emerge when examining election promises by party preference:
Liberal voters favour nuclear power, while Labor voters focus on affordable housing, renewable energy and union actions. There is also a significant difference in perceptions of US relations based on the election result.
Fire services (76), nurses (75) and ambulance services (74) were seen as the most ethical jobs, while real estate agents (-18), federal politicians (-15) and state politicians (-6) were seen to be the least ethical.
The report also found that the ethical obligation for organisations to tackle climate change, even if it results in reduced profits or job losses, has increased significantly over the past year.
‘Colesworth’ is National Dictionary Centre’s word of the year
The ANU’s National Dictionary Centre has selected the portmanteau – or blended word – “Colesworth” as its word of the year, highlighting the perceived duopoly of Australia’s largest supermarket retailers Coles and Woolworths.
A senior researcher at the centre, Mark Gwynn, says the phrase has been around for a number of years but usage has spiked recently as ordinary Australians vent their frustration at the increasing prices of food staples and questionable pricing practices.
Aussies walk out of the supermarket with less after paying more, but then hear news of massive profits in the supermarket sector. And with official investigations into some of the pricing practices at Australia’s two largest supermarkets, it’s no wonder that ordinary shoppers have become cynical.
The blend of the supermarket names Coles and Woolworths into Colesworth provides a succinct way of referring to both supermarkets while at the same time hinting at the negative aspects of what is perceived as an unfair duopoly.
Some other words on the shortlist were breaking (in reference to Raygun’s Olympic appearance), climate trigger, ute tax (a derogatory term for the new fuel efficiency standard) and YIMBY (yes in my back yard).
Oxfam reacts to Australia’s Cop29 pledge
Oxfam Australia has welcomed the government’s Cop29 pledge of $50m towards a global loss and damage fund to help the world’s most vulnerable people to repair the damage from climate breakdown.
Oxfam said its new research shows a 700% increase in the number of people impacted by climate disasters in the Pacific region this decade, compared to the previous decade.
Its climate policy and advocacy lead, Julie-Anne Richards, welcomed the pledge, but said the funding must also be included in the new global climate finance goal for developing countries, which is a key demand of the Pacific and one Australia is yet to support:
If climate change losses and damages are not included in the new global climate finance goal, the new fund for responding to loss and damage risks becoming an empty vessel.
The danger is that developed country governments will prioritise meeting the new and ambitious climate finance goal, and will not prioritise a fund that doesn’t count towards it.
If Australia is to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Pacific, we must ensure the region gets the funding needed to recover from and build back better after climate change impacts, and Australia must be an important contributor alongside the global fund designed for this purpose.
Coalition continues attack on government over nuclear deal decision
The Nationals senator Matt Canavan was up on the Today show earlier this morning, continuing to criticise the government for not signing up to a civil nuclear deal signed between the US and UK.
As Adam Morton reports, the UK government has conceded Australia was mistakenly included on a list of countries expected to sign up to the deal. Yesterday in parliament the acting prime minister, Richard Marles, said the deal goes to nuclear reactors which provide energy to electricity grids, and “we do not have that in this country, and so as a result … this agreement is not relevant to Australia”.
But today, Canavan is insisting Australia should have joined, telling the program:
I don’t want to concern you, Karl [Stefanovic], but you’re sitting only 30km from a nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights in Sydney. We have some of the best nuclear scientists in the world. And sure, it doesn’t produce nuclear energy, but it produces some of the world’s best nuclear medicines. And because of that expertise, we have always been involved in these international developments to look at new nuclear technologies which might help us make better nuclear medicines in the future.
And of course, the current government is buying eight nuclear submarines. And so why shouldn’t we be involved in an international discussion about nuclear technologies? What the hell is going on?
Canavan argued that the prime minister should “recall Chris Bowen here and override this for our national security”.
It seems like it’s been a decision made by just the energy minister. Has this been considered by the cabinet? Has this been considered by the whole of government? Because there are a whole lot of other questions that arise here about why the government is making this decision. The only explanation is they’re doing so for pure domestic political purposes.
Gender pay gap data reveals Australia’s female CEOs paid $170,000 less than men on average
Circling back to Jim Chalmers’ economic statement to parliament today, one of the claims he’ll make is that the gender pay gap is at a record low.
According to government figures today, the pay gap is 21.1%, an improvement on last year’s figure (21.7%). However, when the pay of chief executives and heads of business is included, the figure is higher at 21.8%.
Our story today leads on the gap in top pay with women CEOs earning $170,000 less than male counterparts. Here’s the full story:
Number of vacant rentals highest level in more than a year
Cait Kelly
The number of vacant rentals nationally has jumped to its highest level since July 2023, according to the latest PropTrack Market Insight Report.
The report found that the national rental vacancy rate increased by 0.19% points (ppt) in October to 1.36%, as capital city vacancies rose 0.33ppt year-on-year, while regional areas saw a 0.13ppt decline over the same period.
A healthy vacancy rate is widely regarded to be 3%.
REA Group senior economist Anne Flaherty said:
Rental conditions improved in all capital cities and regional markets over October, with the national vacancy rate now 0.21ppt higher than at the same time last year. Despite the improvement, rental supply remains well below pre-pandemic levels, with 35% fewer properties available for rent.
While rental supply improved across both capital city and regional markets in October, there has been greater relief for renters in cities. Over the past year, vacancy rates in capital cities rose by 0.33ppt, while the combined regional areas remain 0.13ppt lower than a year ago.
Compared to March 2020, there were 45% fewer properties available for rent in Australia’s regional areas compared to a 32% drop in the capital cities.
Good morning
Emily Wind
Emily Wind here, signing on for blogging duties as we reach the halfway point of the second-last sitting week of this year.
You’ll have the whole Canberra team bringing you the latest today – Karen Middleton, Paul Karp, Josh Butler and Sarah Basford Canales.
Let’s get started.
The politics of Australian electoral reform – Full Story podcast
Big money and politics seem to go hand in hand, but the government wants to pass new electoral reform laws that they say will keep cashed-up donors out of federal politics. The detail has independents and minor parties crying foul.
In today’s Full Story podcast, Guardian Australia chief political correspondent Paul Karp speaks to Reged Ahmed about why Labor and the Coalition have been accused of cooking up a “secret deal” on new electoral rules.
Another area where the two main parties agree in theory is international student caps. But they’ve managed to fall out a bit.
Our explainer today looks at what’s behind the stoush.
Chalmers says ‘optimism is warranted’ on economy
Paul Karp
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, will today deliver an economic statement to parliament setting out the progress the government has made on key indicators and causes for optimism about the economy and the budget.
In advance excerpts released by his office, Chalmers will claim that inflation has more than halved, real wages are growing again and the economy is expanding. He will say that one million new jobs have been created and that two huge deficits have been turned into two substantial surpluses.
At every stage we have been upfront about the nature and magnitude of our economic challenges. Even with very substantial progress in the aggregate numbers, we know that doesn’t always translate to how people are faring and feeling day-to-day.
We’re not pretending its mission accomplished – it isn’t. We are realistic about this, but optimistic too. Today as I provide a stocktake of the global and domestic economy preview the mid-year update which we will hand down in December. And outline our policies and plans. I will explain why that very cautious confidence and emerging optimism is welcome and warranted.
Of course the bit they’ve given us doesn’t tell us what’s in the mid-year economic update. You’ll just have to tune in at midday, and then again in mid-December for that. It’s forward sizzle. It’s the advent calendar approach, you can’t have all your chocolates at once.
Natasha May
More on the record number of GPs in training
The RACGP president, Dr Nicole Higgins, said the increased number of GPs in training is a reflection of how the government has provided the college with the flexibility and the funding to accommodate prospective trainees.
Higgins praised the government’s rapid support for requests including funding for accommodation, travel and childcare that allowed the college to place 177 general GPs in training in rural communities that had not had a registrar in years.
However, she warned the government must make lasting investments to tackle Australia’s GP shortage and ensure Australians can see a GP regularly:
This 20% growth in GPs in training is a sign the GP workforce is recovering. But it can’t be taken as a sign the job is done. The story we’ve been told, and that we’ve often told each other as GPs, is one of general practice in decline. These training results show us we can turn that around with the right investments, because funding general practice gets results.
The college is calling on the government to link the allocation of government-subsidised medical places to a target of 50% of graduates training as GPs, fund 500 more training program places for the RACGP over the next five years and ensure GPs in training have equal pay and work entitlements to other medical specialists in training.
Record number of GPs in training for 2025
Natasha May
A record number of GPs will be trained in 2025, the first time in years the specialty has filled all its training positions, which will go some way towards addressing Australia’s GP shortage.
A government report in August, which found that a shortfall of more than 5,000 GPs was expected in the next decade, was the latest in a number of warnings that as more Australians live with chronic conditions, not enough medical graduates are choosing general practice as a career.
However, the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) has today confirmed the trend is turning around, with 1,504 junior doctors having accepted specialist training through the college’s program. It represents an increase of 20% – or 249 trainees – on 2024.
The signs are also positive for the regional and remote areas the government report found were most at risk from the shortage, with 844 trainees accepting a general training pathway, 583 a rural pathway, and 77 composite rural placements.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the best of the overnight stories before Emily Wind takes the reins.
The climate change minister, Chris Bowen, has declared the landmark Paris agreement “is working” as it had brought the world back from “the brink of catastrophic 4C warming”, but argued countries must set the most ambitious emissions targets possible for 2035 to limit worsening global heating. Speaking at the Cop29 summit in Baku, Bowen also pledged $50m towards a global loss and damage fund to help the world’s most vulnerable people to repair the damage from climate breakdown. Reaction coming up.
KiiS FM, the radio station that is home to the graphic and at times derisive Kyle and Jackie O show, this year attracted the biggest share of listeners aged 10 to 17, Guardian Australia can reveal. That is more than 200,000 children and teenagers listening to the station in Sydney alone. But despite children being exposed to inappropriate material on the station’s top-rating show, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has failed to launch its own investigation into the program.
A record number of GPs will be trained in 2025, the first time in years the specialty has filled all its training positions, which will go some way towards addressing Australia’s GP shortage. More details coming up.
The treasurer, Jim Chalmers, will spruik the government’s economic achievements in parliament today. He will claim that inflation has more than halved, real wages are growing again and the economy is expanding. He will also claim that the gender pay gap is at a record low although there is a little bit more to those figures than meets the eye as our story on the subject reveals. More coming up.
