Live: Labor welcomes 'modest' poll turnaround as One Nation support drops

Deputy federal Liberal leader Jane Hume has called for a pause in construction on several major Victorian infrastructure projects until "corruption" is dealt with via an extensive inquiry.

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Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 8:20am

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 8:20am

Any revisions to gambling ad proposal 'minor': Wells

By Courtney Gould

The government has been consulting with stakeholders on its proposed gambling advertising legislation.

But amid calls for the bill to go further, Communications Minister Anika Wells says any revisions will be "minor".

"The differences between the exposure draft and the legislation will be evident. But ... they're minor. There's nothing that is particularly substantive that will alter people's views of the legislation, given that these are very deeply entrenched views from all sides on this particular issue," she says.

"These are minor revisions."

Key Event

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 8:06am

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 8:06am

Gambling advertising legislation a 'milksop': Ryan

By Isabella Tolhurst

Independent MP Monique Ryan says she will not be supporting the government's changes to gambling advertising laws, calling them a "half measure".

The government will this week introduce legislation that will limit the number of gambling ads per hour, ban online ads for under-18s, and begin to phase out guernsey and in-stadium sponsors.

The changes follow a parliamentary inquiry into gambling harms, known as the Murphy Review, which called for a comprehensive ban on gambling advertising.

The government's proposed laws don't go that far.

Ryan has been an advocate for banning gambling ads, but says she can't support the changes in their current form.

"The legislation the government is proposing will be inadequate. It will not protect young Australians from gambling harm.

"The reality is this is a milksop, and the government has folded. It listened more to the gambling industry, sports broadcasters and the sponsors than it has to what Australians want".

Key Event

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 8:03am

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 8:03am

Taylor should 'absolutely' be leader at the next election: Hume

By Courtney Gould

Angus Taylor should "absolutely" stay as opposition leader until the next election, deputy leader Jane Hume says.

The opposition leader has been under pressure this morning as a pair of opinion polls showed the Coalition's primary vote was still trailing behind One Nation.

Hume argues Taylor has done a good job at reuniting the Coalition, but reiterates it will take time to rebuild voters' trust, noting he's only been in the position for 17 weeks.

"I think Angus Taylor has prosecuted against this terrible Labor budget exceptionally well. He really has led the charge in that debate, even if others potentially have got some of the credit," she tells ABC's Radio National Breakfast.

Should he get all the way to the next election?

"Oh, absolutely," Hume responds.

Key Event

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:49am

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:49am

Hume calls for halt in construction on Victoria's big build sites

By Courtney Gould

Deputy Liberal leader Jane Hume wants work to stop at Victoria's Big Build construction sites "until corruption is gone".

The Nine Newspapers have reported a two-year attempted clean-up of Victoria's Big Build has failed to stop large sums of money flowing from state and federally funded projects to the underworld.

Hume thinks the only way to deal with the matter is to halt construction until a royal commission can be held in Victoria.

"I personally think halting it and dealing with it is the only way to do it. And the best way to deal with that would be through a royal commission in Victoria," she tells ABC's Radio National Breakfast.

"But at a federal level, we've given the Albanese government an option to have an inquiry about corruption in the construction industry and they have voted against it over and over again."

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:41am

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:41am

Tweaks to social media ban not a concession as settings weren't right to begin with: Wells

By Courtney Gould

Tech giants that breach Australia's social media ban could soon face penalties of $99m as the government seeks to strengthen the eSafety commissioner's powers.

Communications Minister Anika Wells doesn't think the new powers, to be introduced to parliament this week, are a concession because the details of the ban weren't right in the first place.

"We've consistently said that our social media minimum age law is a world first. It's going to need to be flexible and adaptable," she tells ABC's Radio National Breakfast.

Key Event

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:35am

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:35am

Taylor on the defensive as support drops to new low

By Courtney Gould

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has popped up on Sydney's 2GB very early this morning, where he's being asked about his poor polling.

According to the latest Newspoll, support for the Coalition dropped to a new low of 17 per cent. The Australian Financial Review's Redbridge Group/Accent Research suggests the opposition's primary vote is sitting at 18 per cent.

Taylor, who moved to replace Sussan Ley as leader over similar poll results, defended his position.

"We were in freefall ... We'd seen two bust ups with the Coalition. Now the Coalition is solid. Solid as a rock," he says.

"It's going to take time because people need to rebuild trust in the Coalition, in a Liberal Party and National Party that has breached trust."

So how much time does Taylor think he has? The opposition leader, understandably, didn't say.

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:24am

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:24am

You'd be a fool not to look but a 'bigger fool' to read too much into it: O'Brien on latest polls

By Courtney Gould

Sticking with the opinion polls for a moment. The Coalition is still struggling to regain ground despite a drop in support for One Nation.

Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Ted O'Brien is keeping a glass-half-full approach to the polls.

"Any politician would be a fool to not look at the polls but they'd also be bigger fools to read too much into it," he told Nine.

"People are feeling the pain right now. The budget hasn't helped and Mark [Butler] is right. Post-budget, of course, you do see some fluctuation in polls."

Butler, the health minister, was also on the panel with O'Brien. He credited the improvement in the polls with people coming around to changes to the budget.

"I think what people are doing, after the media frenzy and commentators after the budget, which is usually what you get every single year, is focusing on what they're getting," Butler said.

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:14am

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:14am

Latest polls a 'modest improvement' for Labor: Plibersek

By Courtney Gould

A pair of polls suggests that support for Pauline Hanson and One Nation has dropped following her remarks about paid parental leave and multiculturalism.

Meanwhile, support for Labor in both the Australian's Newspoll, and the Australian Financial Review's Redbridge Group/Accent Research had bounced back ahead of One Nation following the budget.

Labor's Tanya Plibersek called it a "modest improvement" when asked on the television rounds this morning.

"Of course, that's welcome, but we know Australians are still feeling the pressure, and that's why we're determined to make changes that actually make a difference for them," she says.

Nationals leader Matt Canavan, who was also on the panel, was asked about Liberal leader Angus Taylor's low approval ratings and whether his days could be numbered.

He acknowledged the "electorate's very restless" but placed the blame on the government's actions regarding the cost of living.

"The first thing you’ve got to do is get the herd moving and the herd is moving. It’s just not going through the the right gate for us at the moment," he says.

Key Event

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:09am

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 7:09am

Australia-Vanuatu Nakamal agreement set to be signed

By Courtney Gould

Australia and Vanuatu are on the brink of finally signing a landmark strategic pact after months of prolonged and sometimes acrimonious negotiations.

Vanuatu's Prime Minister Jotham Napat and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese are set to ink the Nakamal Agreement later today in Canberra, almost 10 months after Napat pulled out of a planned signing ceremony in Port Vila, citing concerns around sovereignty.

The pact being signed today has been watered down from the original Nakamal Agreement, which was given initial approval in a spectacular ceremony at a spiritually charged location atop Vanuatu's Mount Yasur last year.

Most importantly, both countries have dropped key clauses clearly aimed at limiting Chinese investment in Vanuatu's ports, airports and telecommunications by blocking "third party involvement" in critical infrastructure, which could affect either country or "the region's security interests".

Read the full story from foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic and Vanuatu reporter Lillyrose WelWel at the link below.

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 6:58am

Mon 29 Jun 2026 at 6:58am

Good morning 👋

By Courtney Gould

Hi friends, welcome to our politics live blog. I'm Courtney Gould from the ABC's Parliament House team, here to guide you through the day.

Well, we've reached the final sitting week before the long winter break. But before we get there are a few things to get to. First is a visit from Vanuatu's PM Jotham Napat. He'll receive all the pomp and ceremony before the expected signing of a long-awaited agreement between the two countries.

Elsewhere, the government wants to progress plans to toughen the social media ban for under-16s. It wants to double the penalty for tech giants' breaches and strengthen the eSafety Commissioner's enforcement and compliance tools.

There were also two fresh opinion polls that dropped overnight. Both suggested a drop in support for Pauline Hanson and One Nation.

The sun is up and so are we so let's get right into the day, shall we?