It’s been a week of contrasts for the Albanese government – gridlock at home, momentum abroad.
In Canberra, Labor’s flagship overhaul of the EPBC Act has hit turbulence from both flanks. Murray Watt insists the reforms – designed to modernise outdated nature laws, create a powerful independent regulator and introduce a “net gain” test so that new developments improve, not just offset, environmental outcomes – are long overdue. But the Greens have branded the package “worse than the status quo,” accusing Labor of ducking the hard questions on climate by refusing to let the new regulator consider the carbon impact of fossil-fuel projects. On the other side, the Coalition wants the Bill split in two – one part for environmental protections, another for project approvals – arguing that too much decision-making power would shift from elected ministers to unelected bureaucrats.
With the Greens and Coalition holding their ground and a new Senate Inquiry underway, Labor is seeing one of its centrepiece reforms stall – a political headache early in its new term and a reminder that ambition in policy doesn’t always equal passage through Parliament.
While that domestic debate smoulders, Anthony Albanese has been flying the flag overseas. Fresh from a high-profile Washington visit with President Trump – where the pair announced a major critical minerals deal and reaffirmed the AUKUS partnership – the Prime Minister jetted to Malaysia for the ASEAN and East Asia summits before heading to South Korea for APEC. His pitch to regional leaders was clear: Australia is a dependable, forward-looking Indo-Pacific partner, committed to open trade, clean-energy supply chains and regional stability. It’s a moment of diplomatic confidence, contrasting sharply with the political gridlock back home – a week that captures Australia’s split screen perfectly: wrestling with its green conscience at home while chasing influence and opportunity on the world stage.
Top talking points
Overseas Visit: Anthony Albanese attended the East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur and then headed to South Korea for the APEC Summit.
Crossbench Advocacy: The crossbench is advocating for a new “mining rent tax” to ensure Australia benefits from a possible critical minerals boom.
Barnaby Update: Barnaby Joyce will no longer attend meetings in the Nationals’ party room, but confirmed he will continue to sit with the party in Parliament.
CPI Increase: The ABS released new CPI data showing a 1.3 per cent rise, dashing hopes of an imminent cut to the cash rate.
New South Wales Housing Delay: Legislation to establish[paywall] the Development Co-ordination Authority to streamline development approvals has been delayed until November.
Making headlines this week
Now or Never?
AI and Copyright Developments
Michelle Rowland confirmed the government will not introduce a copyright exception for text and data mining, rejecting proposals that would have allowed AI developers to use creators’ work without permission. The decision marks a significant stance in the ongoing debate over how to balance copyright protections with the rapid development of AI technologies. Instead, the government is focusing on developing fair and lawful approaches to AI and copyright, aiming to guide the use of creative works in AI training and deployment. As part of this effort, the Copyright and AI Reference Group convened to explore ways to ensure creators are protected while supporting responsible innovation. Discussions centred on how existing laws apply to AI-generated material, as well as how to strengthen the enforcement of copyright rights in the digital age.
Things to watch
3 November: The Federal Parliament will sit.
3 November: The ABS will release building approvals and monthly household spending data.
4 November: Judge Navi Pillay will address the National Press Club to discuss women, peace and justice.
5 November: Outgoing ASIC Chair Joe Longo will address the National Press Club to discuss the future of financial markets.
5 November: CEDA will host South Australian Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia.
6 November: The AFR will host the Future of Finance Forum in Sydney.
Superannuation and FIRB Consultations, ASIC Guidance Update and Payday Super
Jim Chalmers announced a consultation on the superannuation performance test, alongside an industry working group. While watering down the test has been ruled out, the move aims to ease barriers to investment in housing and clean energy. The Treasurer also launched a consultation on automatic FIRB approvals for trusted investors, allowing low-risk actions without sign-off.
ASIC clarified that Stablecoins, wrapped tokens, tokenised securities, and digital asset wallets are financial products in its updated guidance. The guidance outlines the regulatory obligations for issuers, intermediaries, and providers, including licensing, disclosure, and conduct requirements.
The Treasury Laws Amendment (Payday Superannuation) Bill 2025 passed the House of Representatives after the Coalition’s amendments were voted down. The Coalition broadly supported the Bill but criticised the short implementation timeline.
South East Asia Investment and Ministerial Visits
Don Farrell announced two milestone investments to support Australia’s economic engagement with Southeast Asia, aiming to support jobs and deepen economic engagement under the region-focused strategy to 2040.
Matt Thistlethwaite travelled to Vietnam to meet with bilateral counterparts and to lead a national delegation in signing the UN Convention against Cybercrime on behalf of Australia. Shared priorities under the Australia-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership were also discussed.
Energy Approvals, Drought Support and Investment Delivery Authority Developments
Murray Watt approved a new 400MW battery energy storage system near Chinchilla, which will power up to 101,500 households for four hours at peak demand. The Minister approved the site in just 19 days.
Julie Collins announced $60 million in funding for drought and climate risk support in Queensland. The funding will last four years and build on existing drought resilience plans.
The New South Wales Government announced it had received 48 proposals worth over $136 billion following the first round of EOIs for the new Investment Delivery Authority, including 22 renewable energy and energy security projects.
Social Media, HAFF, WSI and ACCC Moves
X, Meta, TikTok, and Snap agreed to comply with the under-16s social media ban at an inquiry hearing. The tech giants confirmed they will start deactivating accounts once the law takes effect on 10 December, maintaining their disagreement that the ban will protect young people as intended.
ANAO commenced an audit into the effectiveness of the design and delivery of the $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF). This was prompted by public and political concerns regarding the slow rollout of the 30,000 homes HAFF is responsible for delivering.
The Western Sydney International Airport had its first successful plane landing. A multi-agency emergency exercise was also conducted to ensure the airport meets all certification requirements ahead of its 2026 opening.
The ACCC accused Microsoft of misleading approximately 2.7 million Australian customers when communicating subscription options and price increases after integrating Copilot, its AI capability, into Microsoft 365 plans. Microsoft is reviewing the ACCC’s claims.
Early Childhood and NDA Updates
The Ombudsman of Western Australia has been appointed as the independent oversight body to ensure organisations working with children comply with national standards. The announcement came ahead of a Four Corners investigation exposing cases of child abuse, neglect, and injury, which highlighted significant safety and accountability gaps in the childcare sector.
The Victorian Government introduced a Bill to limit the use of NDAs in workplace sexual harassment claims and lift restrictions for employees who want to speak to police, medical professionals, or lawyers. This follows recommendations from the Victorian Ministerial Taskforce on Workplace Sexual Harassment.