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Thursday, December 12, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Eye of political storm nears as focus turns to polls

The Albanese government has been buoyed by the passage of key bills in a lengthy Senate session. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

By Kat Wong in Canberra

Labor is running victory laps around parliament after notching up some much-needed wins in the lead up to a federal election.

The Senate passed more than 30 bills after a marathon 14-hour sitting on Thursday, forcing MPs to return on Friday and rubber stamp the bills.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the legislation will improve lives.

“We understand the pressure people are under,” he told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

“My message is: we have your back.”

Labor passed key pieces of legislation including its Future Made in Australia clean energy incentives, and a social media ban for children younger than 16, which has attracted international attention.

In total, the Senate passed 45 bills during the last parliamentary sitting week of the year.

But the process has been criticised by the coalition and crossbench for rushing through procedure, placing excessive pressure on parliamentary staff and circumventing scrutiny.

“What we saw in the Senate last night was a going out of business sale,” Opposition Leader Peter Dutton told the Today show.

“It was like everything was discounted – whatever it takes to clear the shelves.”

With both chambers adjourned for the year, the political front is expected to go quiet as parties prepare their campaign game plans.

A federal election must be called by May 2025, though a date has not yet been set.

Some have speculated the contest will be called early to avoid holding two budgets in year, which would mean politicians will not return to Canberra until after the election.

But Mr Albanese has poured cold water on this theory as he expects to hold a parliamentary sitting in February.

Polls have showed support for the government has deteriorated, and crossbenchers are hoping to take advantage of a potential minority government.

“Experts are saying that is a very likely outcome… that puts an obligation on all of us to work together,” Greens Leader Adam Bandt told ABC radio.

“We’ve seen at the end of this parliament that where there’s goodwill, there can be constructive negotiations, we can get things done that actually make a difference.”

For some, the knives are already out.

Outgoing Liberal frontbencher Simon Birmingham urged voters to choose carefully.

“Think about who you want to govern the country,” he told Sky News.

“I’ve seen lots of unpredictable, destructive behaviour that – all too often – comes from minor parties and crossbenchers.”

The long nights of bargaining with the Greens over housing and environment reforms also left a sour taste in Labor politicians’ mouths, which they have tried to pass on to Australians.

“The Australian people are sick of them blocking progressive reform rather than working with the government,” cabinet minister Murray Watt told ABC.

The government has ramped up its attack on the minor party after the Queensland election produced a poor result for the Greens, bolstering hopes of a Labor resurgence in the state at the 2025 contest.

For now, Senator Watt says Labor is focusing on its February return.

“We didn’t manage to get every single bill through this week,” he said.

“We have more to do.”

Albanese gets down and dirty, deal making and breaking

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