Australia news live: Taylor says Coalition preferencing One Nation in Farrer to stop ‘teal policies’; Victoria announces one-off car rego rebate | Australia news
Angus Taylor says coalition favors One Nation in Farrer to stop ‘orange policies’
opposition leader, Angus TaylorHe says the coalition is leaning towards One Nation ahead of independents in the Farrer by-election to avoid “orange politics”.
Liberals and Nationals put One Nation ahead of independence Michelle MilthorpeIt received a small portion of its funding from the “orange” independent fundraising group Climate 200.
Polls suggest One Nation will win the New South Wales seat in the Liberal and National preferences. When asked why Coalition parties put One Nation first, Taylor told Insiders:
If you vote teal you get Green. And so, while the choices beyond choosing the National party are choosing the least bad option and we want people to vote for the Liberal party and the National party, the truth is we don’t want to see teal policies for Farrer or for this country.
When asked about the threat One Nation poses to the Coalition in regional voters, Taylor said:
I think the teal policies, the Labor policies, are absolutely existential for the regions and the Labor government at the moment. If you go out to these areas you’ll see what it does to them.
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Angus Taylor says welcome to countries should be used less
opposition leader, Angus TaylorHe called for fewer welcome-to-the-country statements, saying he was disappointed they were being “devalued” due to “overuse”.
Taylor said a welcome to the country should be “special when it happens” and condemned those who booed during Anzac Day events on Saturday. He told insiders:
Whatever the reason, can I say that booing on Anzac Day, at Anzac Day ceremonies, is absolutely inappropriate and un-Australian? This shouldn’t have happened. This definitely shouldn’t happen.
I can understand the frustration Australians feel about the overuse of greetings coming into the country. I feel this sometimes. Most of the time actually. I think they are overused and as a result they become worthless.
I would like them to be used less and therefore their value should not decrease as I think they become worthless over time.
It is up to individual organizing committees to decide whether they want to do this. But the general principle should be: let’s do it less often and make it more special when it happens.
Hosted by Insiders, David Speershe said: “What about booing?”. Taylor’s response was:
Absolutely not, absolutely.
Taylor says risk of ‘bad people’ from ‘bad countries’ is higher
Angus Taylor He said “bad people” could immigrate to Australia from “bad countries”, without detailing which countries would be considered “bad” under the government he leads.
Taylor said earlier this month that immigrants would be more likely to embrace Australian values if they came from liberal democracies rather than “places run by religious fundamentalists, extremists and dictators”.
Asked whether immigrants from China and Vietnam agree, Taylor told ABC’s Insiders:
Some of the great Australians came from what were then bad countries. However, there is a higher risk that some bad people will come from these bad countries.
When asked whether China is a bad country, he said:
We have bad countries all over the world. My point is to argue that Iran is seriously a good country right now and that the government itself has implemented legislation that will make it harder for people to come from Iran.
We have seen terrible acts of brutality coming from Gaza.
I mean, we know that they have committed great atrocities against their own people in the Middle East and elsewhere. So there is a real risk with people coming from these countries. It is also true that many great Australians come from bad countries and therefore discrimination should not be based on race or religion but on Australian values.
When pressed, Taylor said Iran was one of the “bad countries” he was talking about now, but China was not.
Angus Taylor says coalition favors One Nation in Farrer to stop ‘orange policies’
opposition leader, Angus TaylorHe says the coalition is leaning towards One Nation ahead of independents in the Farrer by-election to avoid “orange politics”.
Liberals and Nationals put One Nation ahead of independence Michelle MilthorpeIt received a small portion of its funding from the “orange” independent fundraising group Climate 200.
Polls suggest One Nation will win the New South Wales seat in the Liberal and National preferences. When asked why Coalition parties put One Nation first, Taylor told Insiders:
If you vote teal you get Green. And so, while the choices beyond choosing the National party are choosing the least bad option and we want people to vote for the Liberal party and the National party, the truth is we don’t want to see teal policies for Farrer or for this country.
When asked about the threat One Nation poses to the Coalition in regional voters, Taylor said:
I think the teal policies, the Labor policies, are absolutely existential for the regions and the Labor government at the moment. If you go out to these areas you’ll see what it does to them.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog for today. I Luca Ittimaniand I’ll tell you Sunday’s breaking stories. Angus TaylorThe federal opposition leader will appear soon on ABC’s Insiders.
Let’s get stuck in.
Victorian motorists will get rego discount in pre-election budget sweetener
kelly burke
Drivers in Victoria could save around $400 a year on driving costs under the cost of living reduction in the Allan Labor government’s 2026/27 budget.
The state’s premier, in a move designed to buffer the impact of rising fuel prices linked to conflicts in the Middle East. Jacinta Allanannounced that it will provide a 20% discount on light vehicle registration.
Considering annual registration fees for standard vehicles run up to $930.70, a single-car owner could see themselves pocketing up to $186, while a two-car family could pocket up to $372.
The program is only valid for personal use vehicles, including cars and vehicles, weighing less than 4.5 tonnes. The discount will be retroactive to cover registration payments made for 2025/26, but Victorians will only have a two-month window to apply, from 1 June to 31 July.
Vehicle owners can only benefit from the discount for a maximum of two vehicles registered in their name.
While the government estimates the plan will cost $750 million, Allan said the state would cover the cost while maintaining a budget surplus.
Victorians have already seen plans for free and half-price public transport announced, and the rego discount announcement is expected to spark fresh criticism of the NSW premier. Chris MinnsFrom his state’s opposition calling on him to cut fuel duty and provide free public transport on long weekends to ease the suffering of NSW residents.
Shadow treasurer welcomes country hecklers ‘unworthy of Anzac legacy’
shadow treasurer, TimWilsonHe condemned the booing of statements made by the country at Anzac Day events on Saturday.
Wilson offered some of the strongest criticism of the heckler by a leading Coalition figure. In an article on X yesterday, he wrote:
We thank all our veterans who fought for our country. Anzac Day is a day to honor all those who fought and died for our country. Booing any Australian who served or their story is unacceptable, disrespectful and unbecoming of the Anzac legacy.
The story of these lands began thousands of years ago. Project Australia is the ongoing story of one country, one people with one destiny. Based on our common humanity and the equal dignity of all people, let us be worthy of the fullness of our heritage and those who sacrifice to honor it.
Liberal front lines James Paterson And Jonno Duniam He described the booing as “inappropriate” and said those opposed to a welcome to country should express their views elsewhere outside the Anzac service. Paterson told Sky News:
Being booed at an Anzac Day ceremony is incredibly disappointing and completely inappropriate. Whatever your views on welcome to country, Anzac Day is our holiest day… If you have strong views on this issue, there are many other ways in which you have the opportunity to express your views in a free country.
