Australia news LIVE: Ministers at odds over tax cut debate; Lehrmann trial continues in Canberra

Key posts

  • Shorten vows to stop NDIS providers engaging in ‘price gouging’
  • Ministers reject quick backflip on tax cuts
  • ‘We have no problem with anyone’s faith’: Essendon president
  • This morning’s key headlines at a glance

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Shorten vows to stop NDIS providers engaging in ‘price gouging’

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten has vowed to tackle “price gouging” by the scheme’s registered providers as the Albanese government tries to rein in the scheme’s cost. But physiotherapists and occupational and speech therapists are pushing for higher funding.

“When someone has an NDIS package, all of a sudden, the service they’re being charged, the price doubles,” Shorten said.

“We want to make sure that money is not getting wasted … we want to stop the price gouging.”

NDIS Minister Bill Shorten has vowed to tackle “price gouging” by the scheme’s registered providers.Credit:Paul Jeffers

Treasurer Jim Chalmers on Tuesday said the ballooning cost of the National Disability Insurance Scheme – which is forecast to grow from $27.6 billion in 2021-22 to $40.7 billion in 2024-25 – is one of five major pressures on the federal budget.

Chalmers said the government would be looking to ensure that NDIS funding was “better targeted”.

Read the full story here.

Ministers reject quick backflip on tax cuts

Federal ministers have tried to shut down talk of imminent changes to personal tax cuts for workers earning up to $200,000 but have left the door open to future amendments amid growing concern at the $243 billion cost of the plan.

Ministers are at odds over whether to launch a public debate over the controversial cuts amid the first signs of a powerful political attack on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for breaking an election pledge to deliver the benefits Labor voted for in parliament last year.

The treasurer’s remarks about putting economics ahead of politics fuelled speculation about the future of the tax cuts.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

With time running out to decide the question in the October 25 federal budget, senior figures in the government warned against fuelling the debate while caucus members unwilling to be named cited the debate over the carbon tax a decade ago as proof of the cost of breaking a promise.

Labor caucus members said there had been no information shared with them to explain the case for amending the stage three tax cuts and no proposals put forward on other ways to raise revenue if there were concerns about the $243 billion cost of the tax cuts over a decade.

More on this issue here.

‘We have no problem with anyone’s faith’: Essendon president

Former NAB chief executive Andrew Thorburn did not declare to Essendon that the church he chaired held controversial views that might be a concern for the Bombers before he was hired as chief executive.

And Essendon and their consultant Ernst & Young did not ask Thorburn about the religious views of the City on a Hill church that he chairs – which had included sermons that likened abortion rates to the Holocaust and urged same-sex attracted people to remain celibate – during his period as a candidate for the chief executive role, in what the club privately acknowledges was an oversight given the club’s values.

Andrew Thorburn’s tenure as Essendon CEO was short-lived.Credit:James Alcock

Sources familiar with Thorburn’s resignation situation confirmed that Thorburn, who had been brought to tears on Tuesday during talks about his future with the club, had considered stepping down as chairman of City on a Hill – but decided to resign from the position as Essendon CEO, after only one day, when the club board gave him a choice between those roles.

Thorburn’s church’s views on social issues and inclusion had not been the issue for the club, but that holding the leadership position of the church was deemed untenable if he was to be CEO of Essendon. The club’s position was endorsed by the AFL hierarchy.

Read the full story here.

This morning’s key headlines at a glance

Good morning and thanks for your company.

It’s Thursday, October 6. I’m Broede Carmody and I’ll be anchoring our live coverage for the first half of the day.

Here’s what you need to know before we get started.

  • Federal ministers have tried to shut down talk of imminent changes to the stage three tax cuts but have left the door open to tweaking the legislation, according to David Crowe.
  • The president of the Essendon Football Club says it was Andrew Thorburn’s leadership position at his church, and not his or the organisation’s views on social issues, that was untenable with his brief stint as club CEO.
  • NDIS Minister Bill Shorten has vowed to crack down on “price gouging” by the scheme’s registered providers.
  • Former Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins will continue giving evidence in Canberra today in the criminal trial of Bruce Lehrmann.
  • And in international news, United States intelligence agencies believe parts of the Ukrainian government authorised the car bomb attack near Moscow earlier this year that killed the daughter of a prominent Russian nationalist (who had also voiced support for Russia’s invasion). Ukraine has denied any involvement in the attack.

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