Labor on a high as Barnaby bolts and Pauline shocks
Leaving behind years of landmark environmental reforms, Labor finished the political year on top; Liberals are still thinking about their future.
But even though parliament has reconvened for the year, ministers and federal ministries are still set for a grilling when Senate estimates begin next week.
The environmental laws were passed by parliament on Friday after the government reached an agreement with the Greens.
The project, which was launched for five years, will enable the protection of nature with environmental standards, while project approvals will also be accelerated.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the reforms as “a win for business, a win for our natural environment and a win for the country”.
The government was in talks with the coalition about a possible agreement on the laws, but the talks made no progress.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley later described the deal with the Greens as “destroying the economy”.
Despite speculation about her future as leader, Ms Ley has faced no leadership challenges after a bitter fight over energy policy within the coalition.
It has since signaled that immigration will be the next policy area of focus.
However, coalition ranks were further thinned when Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce announced he would leave the party on the last full session day.
This has led to speculation that he will join One Nation, but Mr Joyce has yet to indicate his next move.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson herself sparked controversy during the week by wearing a burqa to the Senate in protest and refusing to apologize for the action, which led to a seven-day suspension of the upper house.
With Senate estimates due to start on Monday, the Bureau of Meteorology will come under scrutiny after overcoming mounting criticism over an almost $100 million website overhaul.
The redesign of the office, one of the most visited in Australia, has faced criticism because it is difficult to use and weather radars do not indicate the severity of storms.
The cost of the website has also been subject to criticism; The redesign was initially estimated to cost $4.1 million, but was later revealed to be $96.5 million.
The bureau’s chief executive, Stuart Minchin, has previously acknowledged there had been miscommunication about the cost, leading to a negative perception among the public.
