Sussan Ley ‘undermined’ by colleagues, Albanese says
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that former opposition leader Sussan Ley was “undermined” by conservative colleagues, Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie, throughout her 276-day tenure representing the seat of Farrer in southern New South Wales.
Speaking to Hit 104.9, which serves Ley’s electorate, Albanese criticized the internal conflicts within the Coalition while commending his own party’s approach. He said:
From day one, she was undermined by Angus Taylor and Andrew Hastie and a range of them who weren’t really working to try to get her success in the party. …
It’s, I think, unfortunate that politics can be a pretty rough game, and that [Ley] was elected by the Liberal party caucus, fair and square, she was the leader, but never even got to give a budget reply. I don’t know if that’s happened before. I’m not sure, but certainly she didn’t even get one year in the office, which is pretty rough.
Duniam says ‘constitutional risk’ of the proposal isn’t enough to stop from pushing it
Jonno Duniam, shadow minister for home affairs, asserted that the possibility of a high court defeat does not deter the Coalition from advancing its policy proposal.
He stated:
The constitutional risk or legal risk is not a reason to do nothing.
If that’s the approach the Albanese government want to take when it comes to national security, then they can explain why they choose to do nothing to strengthen laws to protect our border.
Our view is sitting by and doing nothing while someone is over in the Middle East trying to bring back terrorist sympathisers to our country, you have to act.
Save the Children says effort to ‘criminalise advocacy for Australian children’ would be extraordinary
Save the Children has criticized the Coalition’s proposal to criminalize assistance, describing it as “extraordinary.” The organization emphasized that politicians should focus on protecting children rather than impeding aid efforts.
The group’s CEO, Mat Tinkler, issued a statement:
Save the Children has already made it clear that we are not facilitating the re-entry of Australian citizens from northeastern Syria. We have not, and will not, conduct extraction or repatriation operations.
As a humanitarian organisation we abide by principles of neutrality, impartiality, independence and humanity and operate in compliance with Australian and international law. In the case of innocent children stranded in camps in northeastern Syria our role has been twofold: providing them with lifesaving humanitarian relief and advocating for national governments to repatriate their citizens.
Tinkler further stated that no child should be left stranded, noting that both sides of government have previously repatriated groups of Australian children and women.
We call on political parties to dial down the political rhetoric. It is time to show leadership and compassion for Australian children. The race to the bottom at the expense of vulnerable children’s lives must end.
Jonno Duniam clarified that the proposal targets anyone breaking the law, not specific groups like Save the Children.
Angus Taylor added:
This is targeting terrorist sympathisers, that’s who this is targeting.
I think it is reasonable to ask the government to be part of a solution here.
Angus Taylor calls on Labor party to work with them to exclude some Australian citizens
Opposition leader Angus Taylor spoke in Brisbane about the Coalition’s plan to criminalize assistance to Australians linked to Islamic State fighters stranded in Syria.
He accused the Albanese government of failing to prevent the return of terrorist sympathisers to Australia, stating:
Labor needs to be upfront with the Australian people about what’s going on here. But most of all, Labor needs to support this legislation.
Taylor affirmed the Liberal Party’s readiness to strengthen laws to protect Australian society.
Australians applied for more mortgages and credit cards at the end of last year
Australians increased their borrowing ahead of anticipated interest rate hikes by the central bank, with mortgage and credit card applications doubling in the recent quarter, according to AAP.
Mortgage credit demand rose by 12.3%, while credit card applications increased by over 15% in the three months to December compared with the same period in 2024, as reported by Equifax’s Market Pulse report.
The surge in mortgage applications was the highest in five years. Kevin James, chief solution officer at Equifax, attributed this to the government’s expanded 5% first home buyer deposit scheme introduced in October 2025 and buyers’ perception that interest rates had peaked late in 2025, prompting them to secure deals before year-end.
However, lenders appeared to be tightening credit limits, reducing new credit card limits by an average of 8.3% year-on-year and personal loan limits by 3.9%.
Australia will ‘examine all options’ to avoid new 15% tariffs announced by Donald Trump
Following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a temporary 15% tariff on imports from all countries, Australia declared it would explore all options in response.
The tariff announcement came less than 24 hours after the US Supreme Court overturned Trump’s original 10% import tariff. Trump then reinstated the 10% duties under a different law before increasing them to 15%.
Trade Minister Don Farrell stated on Sunday morning that he was collaborating closely with Australia’s embassy in Washington to assess the implications and consider all options.
Australia believes in free and fair trade,
We have consistently advocated against these unjustified tariffs.
Government defends policies on families linked to Islamic State fighters
Matt Thistlethwaite, assistant minister for foreign affairs, dismissed opposition claims that Labor had failed to protect Australian safety as a “stunt” during an appearance on .
He refuted comments made by Senator Maria Kovacic, asserting the Albanese government had strengthened border security by refusing assistance or repatriation support.
If anyone is advised by the security and intelligence agencies to have been involved in potential terrorist activities, they’ll be excluded. And we’re going to exclude someone.
So, we’re actually taking a tougher stand than the Coalition took.
More information about a temporary exclusion order issued to a woman last week is available here.
Butler criticises push to criminalise assistance for families linked to Islamic State
Health Minister Mark Butler criticized the opposition’s policy to criminalize assistance to women and children of Islamic State fighters in Syria, calling it a “grab for a headline” that could inadvertently penalize aid workers, according to AAP.
Speaking on ABC TV, Butler said:
No serious content about what appears to be some plans to try and criminalise the work of aid organisations like Save the Children.
He added that the government is focused on enforcing existing laws strictly.
The opposition’s proposal would apply even when the government has expressly permitted repatriation.
The federal government has ruled out any repatriation efforts for the group.
Liberal senator says government should change laws to restrict some Australian citizens from coming home
Liberal Senator Maria Kovacic urged the Albanese government to strengthen laws to restrict the return of Australian citizens linked to terrorist activities.
Her remarks coincided with the Coalition’s proposal to criminalize assistance to individuals connected to Islamic State.
Kovacic told :
We want to ensure that people who leave our country and go to terrorist hotspots, people who go there to support terrorist organisations or to support Islamic State or organisations or other terror listed organisations, and then who actually commit crimes over there … they can’t come back to Australia.
I’ve got a newsflash for the government. They are the government. They can change the law. If the law is not strong enough to keep Australians safe and to keep people out who actually hate Australian values and hate the Australian way of life, and who have left our country to fight for an alternate way of life, then we should change those laws.
Pollution from trucks and buses costs Australians $6.2bn in health effects each year, study finds
A University of study has found that air pollution from trucks and buses costs Australians approximately $6.2 billion annually due to health impacts from exposure to vehicle exhaust.
Dr Clare Walter, a health and policy researcher and study author, explained that heavy vehicle exhaust contains tiny toxic carbon particles and gases similar to cigarette smoke, which cause inflammation when inhaled and are linked to various respiratory, cardiac, and other health issues.
Most Australians encounter traffic pollution daily. Proximity to roads and truck routes increases health risks, with children, elderly individuals, and disadvantaged populations being particularly vulnerable, especially if they live, work, or attend school near major truck routes.
Heavy diesel vehicles such as trucks and buses constitute about 4% of the vehicle fleet but contribute to one quarter of exhaust-related pollution.
ABC veteran Michael Rowland to leave broadcaster
Michael Rowland has announced his departure from the ABC after nearly 40 years on air, including 15 years hosting ABC News Breakfast.
Rowland left News Breakfast at the end of 2024 and spent his final year as 7.30’s national affairs reporter, occasionally filling in as host for Sarah Ferguson.
He reflected on his career during a News Breakfast segment:
I’ve marked 39 years in the last couple of weeks or so, and when you know, you know.
I’ve had a great ride of the ABC, a charmed career, including back in the early days there at News Breakfast with Virginia [Trioli].
It’s just the right time for my family, my friends, just to step back from full-time work [and] move on to the next stage in life.
Rowland began at the ABC in Sydney in February 1987 as a radio news cadet, covering state and federal politics. He served as Washington correspondent and anchored four presidential elections and multiple major events, including the death of Queen Elizabeth.
Major rail corridor connecting WA to South Australia and eastern states closed for at least a week
The , a key outback transport network linking South Australia and Western Australia, will remain closed for at least seven days following heavy rain and flooding.
The rail corridor, which also connects WA to the eastern states, suffered significant damage including track washaways up to 100 metres in length, according to the Australian Rail Track Corporation.
The corporation cautioned that although weather systems are easing, ongoing heavy rain could further impact the network and complicate recovery efforts.
Large parts of the country in for stormy, wet start to the week
Severe thunderstorms are forecast to bring heavy rainfall, potentially isolating communities and disrupting large areas of Australia, AAP reports.
A low-pressure system over central Australia is expected to produce significant rain through midweek, the Bureau of Meteorology has advised.
Between Monday and Wednesday, meteorologist Sarah Scully indicated rainfall totals ranging from 150mm to over 300mm are expected across central Australia, South Australia’s border district, Queensland, and New South Wales.
A “bull’s eye” of over 75mm rainfall is forecast near central Victoria, which could help extinguish ongoing fires.
Severe thunderstorms and heavy rain are likely in central Australia and northwest New South Wales on Monday, with flood warnings extending from northern Australia to northern South Australia and Queensland.
Severe Weather Update: Multi-day heavy rainfall event across large parts of Aus.Video current as of 2:30pm AEDT 22 February 2026.Know your weather. Know your risk. For the latest forecasts and warnings, go to our website https://t.co/4W35o8iFmh or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/zFRxfYVg5i
Coalition details plan to criminalise assisting people with links to Islamic State
Ted O’Brien, shadow minister for foreign affairs, outlined the opposition’s proposal to criminalize aiding Australians with connections to Islamic State in returning home.
The plan arises amid parliamentary debate over 34 women and children stranded in camps in Syria linked to deceased or detained Islamic State fighters.
The Albanese government has stated it will not support repatriation efforts, although passports and travel documents have been issued as legally required.
O’Brien told RN Breakfast the proposal aims to close a legal loophole, preventing the government from outsourcing repatriation of terror sympathisers.
He emphasized the law would apply broadly, without automatic exemptions for children.
O’Brien also noted that non-governmental organizations like Save the Children could face penalties if found assisting foreign fighters, families, or terrorist sympathisers.
Victoria warns residents to be on alert for measles
Health authorities in Victoria have issued warnings about an increased risk of measles, particularly in metropolitan Melbourne, following local transmission among individuals without recent travel or known exposure.
Vaccination remains the most effective protection against measles.
The state’s acting chief health officer has published exposure sites, advising anyone who visited these locations during specified times to monitor for symptoms for up to 18 days.
Measles symptoms typically begin with fever, cough, runny nose, sore eyes, and general malaise, followed by a rash starting on the face and spreading across the body.
A rise in cases nationwide has been attributed to increased international travel during summer and declining childhood vaccination rates.
Good morning
Good morning, and happy Monday. Nick Visser here to start the week. Here’s what’s ahead:
- Victoria warns of increased measles risk after local transmission in Melbourne; health officials have published exposure sites and urge symptom monitoring.
- Severe thunderstorms and heavy rain are forecast to disrupt large parts of Australia, with a weather system over central Australia expected to persist through midweek.
- The , a major outback rail corridor connecting South Australia and Western Australia, remains closed due to flooding and track damage.
