Australia set to pass contentious tax cuts bill as parliament resumes
Sydney, Australia Reuters Australia looks set to pass a reshaped tax cuts bill, that would give low-income earners more breaks and trim benefits to the wealthy, as the opposition pledged support on Tuesday after initially criticising the government’s shift in policy. The conservative opposition’s decision came as the parliament resumed after a two-month recess. Australian […]
“Judas betrayal”: Indigenous Australians denounce opposition for rejecting referendum
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Senior Indigenous leaders on Thursday criticised Australia’s main opposition party’s “Judas betrayal” for declaring it would campaign against a proposal to constitutionally recognise the country’s Aboriginal and Torres Island people. Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton announced on Wednesday the party would campaign against a national vote to enshrine an Indigenous consultative body in […]
Analysis – Australian women unleash new political force on climate, integrity
Sydney, AustraliaReuters Professional women and voters concerned about climate change unleashed a third force in Australia’s election, taking a swath of seats that ended nine years of conservative rule even as votes for the winning Labor Party fell. Women who left successful careers in business, medicine and media to enter politics as independents were on […]
Business as usual for Canada’s Trudeau after he again falls short of majority
Ottawa, CanadaReuters It was business as usual in Canada on Tuesday after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fell short of winning a majority in a tightly fought federal election, leaving him once again dependent on opposition legislators to govern. Provisional results showed virtually no change from the 2019 election, leading voters to express frustration over the […]
Canadians vote as Trudeau’s bid for decisive win hangs in the balance
Montreal, CanadaReuters Canadians went to the polls on Monday as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared likely to lose his bid for a parliamentary majority after a tough campaign that may have dashed his Liberal Party’s hopes for a convincing win. Trudeau heads a minority government that relies on the support of other parties to pass […]
Canada reverses abortion rights proviso to summer jobs program
RNS Faith-based organisations in Canada are welcoming changes to the Federal Government’s summer jobs program that remove language interpreted by many to require support for abortion. “It’s encouraging to see that the government has heard and responded to our concerns,” said Julia Beazley, director of policy for the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Canoes await campers. […]
ESSAY: CONSOLATIONS FROM THE LIBERAL PARTY MESS
In an article first published on Eureka Street, FRANK BRENNAN, CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia, finds consolations and abiding concerns in the Liberal Party vote that led to the ousting of Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull…
ESSAY: YES/NO DIVIDE OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE DEBATE FAILS TO TACKLE BIGGER POLITICAL QUESTIONS
Sight contributor BRUCE C WEARNE argues that the yes/no debate over same-sex marriage fails to address the “deep problems” at the heart of the Australian political system…
Call for Australian churches to join in prayer over marriage next Tuesday
A group of Australian Christian prayer leaders has called for churches across the country to join in prayer and fasting for marriage next Tuesday as the issue of same-sex marriage continues to occupy MPs as Parliament returns from its winter recess next week. The news comes as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called a special meeting […]