Opposition Leader Tony Abbott returned from holiday and straight into the anti-carbon tax rally. Receiving a rock star welcome while trying to avoid standing near derogatory banners about Julia Gillard, Abbott continued his call for an election, while Greg Combet admitted the carbon price would continue to be a difficult sell for the Government. Labor backbencher Anna Burke has expressed concern that the safety of 800 asylum seekers being sent to Malaysia in the swap deal could not be guaranteed. Immigration minister Chris Bowen dismissed the comments and reiterated that their intention was to break the business model of people smugglers. Live exports to Indonesia have resumed with the first boatload of cattle arriving this week. Meanwhile, a bill to permanently end live exports will be debated in the lower house this today. Animal welfare groups maintain that live exports is inherently cruel while cattle producers say they have high animal welfare standards. News about economic instability slowed a little this week, but the government and Reserve Bank are urging Australian consumers not to psych themselves into an economic downturn, with debate over the Government’s plan for a surplus in 2012-13 also continuing. Communications Minister Stephen Conroy’s latest promotion of the National Broadband Network is to position it as a means to connect those that are digitally isolated, either by age, illness or disability. Conroy, addressing a National Digital Inclusion Summit said the NBN would connect isolated people to communities outside their confined spaces.
Federal Government Media Issues Report / 12 - 18 August 2011 (850kb)