News Articles for Simon Birmingham

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt is not holding out for further tariffs imposed by China to be dropped on Australian products immediately following the prime minister's visit to Beijing.

A parliamentary committee examining the Albanese government's blocking of additional Qatar Airways flights will grill senior bureaucrats about what they knew.

A $10 billion housing investment fund is set to be debated in the Senate and passed by the end of the week after the government struck a deal with the Greens.

Australia's leaders are preparing to meet virtually to discuss how to provide households and businesses with relief from increasing power bills.

The opposition says the government is trying to till the soil for changes to the stage three tax cuts.

Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen says the government's climate change legislation will send a message to the global community about Australia's renewed action on reduction emissions.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the United Kingdom-Australia relationship goes beyond individuals and will continue to thrive with new leadership.

The nation clearly voted for action on climate change at the May 21 poll; the challenge for Labor is to corral the Independents and Greens to support action.

Anthony Albanese has used his budget reply speech to pledge $2.56 billion to help the country's aged care sector, with the election just weeks away.

Tuesday night's federal budget is expected to include a cut to the fuel excise as well as assistance for more first home buyers.

The National Skills Commission says job advertisements on the internet rose by a further 3.6 per cent in February.

The federal government has plans for a $4.3 billion dry dock facility in Henderson, Western Australia, according to its latest pre-budget announcement.

Australia will roll out a third round of sanctions against Russia, aligning with US and UK moves, and will provide non-lethal military equipment to Ukraine.

New figures show the federal budget bottom line is improving as more people get back to work and fewer people need welfare payments.

Australia's peak union body has called a crisis meeting after the prime minister's "failure" to protect workers and community safety by making rapid antigen tests free.

Scott Morrison has warned of potential economic uncertainty for global markets in coming months in the wake of COVID-19.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has committed to making Australia carbon neutral by 2050 in a new plan that relies heavily on existing technologies.

The construction of Bullsbrook's 1,000-bed quarantine facility has officially begun today, just one month after the federal government abandoned plans to build it at Jandakot.

Businesses will no longer receive federal cash injections when vaccination coverage milestones are reached as the government phases out coronavirus support.

Australia's third COVID-19 wave has hit another case high as experts warn hospitals must be prepared to cope with reopening plans.

The federal government has abandoned plans to build WA's 1,000 bed quarantine facility at Jandakot, announcing last night the facility would instead be built in Bullsbrook.

The state government will provide quarantine assistance to arrivals from Kabul, as part of Australia's mission to evacuate people from the Taliban-controlled city.

New figures show real wage growth was going backwards even before the expected crunch to the economy from widespread virus lockdowns.

The federal government plans to begin construction on WA's 1,000 bed, purpose-built quarantine facility as early as October, despite the location having not yet been finalised.

More than 11,000 people have been sent debt notices worth almost $33 million linked to JobKeeper wage subsidies.

The federal government has quietly tightened the rules around people trying to leave Australia during the coronavirus pandemic.

Perth Airport chief Kevin Brown says he's not precious about losing the federal government's purpose-built quarantine facility to Jandakot, as long as the project is expedited.

Vaccinated Australians have been armed with more technology to prove their status as a new poll reveals majority support for domestic travel passports.

South Australia will spend the next seven days in lockdown as authorities try desperately to contain an outbreak of the fast-moving Delta coronavirus variant.

Australia's health minister has raised hopes of receiving bigger than expected shipments of Pfizer coronavirus vaccines next month.

The cap on international travellers coming into Australia looks set to be slashed as the country deals with widespread outbreaks of coronavirus.

Australians have been urged to take coronavirus vaccine advice from doctors rather than bickering politicians.

Senior cabinet minister Simon Birmingham has backed Barnaby Joyce joining him on a task force to tackle women's safety and economic security.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham has declared it is crucial to strive towards achieving net zero carbon emissions.

Scott Morrison is under renewed pressure to launch an independent inquiry into a decades-old rape allegation against Christian Porter, which he denies.

ASIC is in line for a new program designed to stop it imposing too many fees across the economy.

A decision on upgrading the Royal Australian Navy's Collins Class submarines will be made next month, a parliamentary hearing has been told.

Prosecutors are set to receive a brief of evidence within weeks relating to allegations former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins was raped inside Parliament House.

Scott Morrison faces stiff opposition on plans to allow vaccinated Australians to travel between states in the event of coronavirus lockdowns.

Spending on the National Disability Insurance Scheme is expected to overtake the cost of Medicare within the next three years.