Politics

Andy Burnham secured 322 of 403 Labour MP nominations on 9 July 2026, mathematically eliminating any challenger from reaching the 81-signature threshold required to stand.

The Paris Court of Appeal upheld Marine Le Pen's embezzlement conviction on 7 July 2026 but reduced her ineligibility period to 45 months with 30 months suspended, effectively restoring her eligibility for the April 2027 presidential election.

The federal government opened a travel grant program on 8 July 2026, offering $15,000 to $20,000 per recipient to send First Nations Australians and young people to COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye this November.

The Albanese government has rewritten Commonwealth procurement rules, copyright law settings and data centre standards to put worker and national interests at the centre of Australia's AI expansion.

Federal departments spent $5.97 billion on contractors, labour hire and consultants in FY 2023-24, equal to one dollar in every $16 of departmental expenses, even as the Albanese government pointed to steady progress on its public service rebuild.

Albanese lands in Suva to sign the Vuvale Union with Sitiveni Rabuka, Australia's latest Pacific treaty as competition with China sharpens.

Ten independent Australian opinion research and polling firms, ranked on methodology transparency, publication record and recent-election accuracy.

Australian families with a baby born after 1 July 2026 can now access 26 weeks of government-paid parental leave, with 12 per cent super paid on top.