93 m. ago Fires, funerals and MPs’ expenses keep the Herald newsroom humming

It’s been a giant week of news as the stories keep coming.

Events

3 h. ago Australia news as it happened: Albanese shirks responsibility for parliamentary expenses saga; Health minister meeting state counterparts over funding as ‘bed

Follow along as we bring you rolling news updates from Australia and beyond.

Politics

5 h. ago Labor veteran tipped for Racing NSW board amid questions over process

The state government is finalising new appointments to the board of the thoroughbred industry regulator, which is led by long-time CEO Peter V’landys.

Events

6 h. ago Second minister referred to expenses watchdog, PM asks for advice

Opposition leader Sussan Ley has written to the prime minister calling for Anika Wells to be investigated for breaching ministerial standard over the expenses scandal.

Politics

9 h. ago Hand over my social media accounts and pics? I’m cancelling my US trip

It’s a strange old time when a country that once symbolised freedom and the open road wants to poke through your social media posts.

Politics

11 h. ago Australia news LIVE: Albanese shirks responsibility for parliamentary expenses saga; Health Minister meeting state counterparts over funding as ‘bed

Follow along as we bring you rolling news updates from Australia and beyond.

Politics

12 h. ago Butler flags potential travel expense reform pending Wells investigation

The government has given its clearest signal yet that reform to politicians’ travel entitlements could be on the table.

Events

14 h. ago Australia news LIVE: Albanese continues to shirk responsibility for parliamentary expenses saga; Illicit tobacco market costing taxpayers $11.8 billion, government report finds

Follow along as we bring you rolling news updates from Australia and beyond.

Economics

16 h. ago Anika Wells is a talent. She could be PM one day, but Albanese should sack her as sports minister

Imagine the booing of cricket fans if she dares to turn up at the Boxing Day Test.

Politics

26 h. ago Albanese bristles at expenses questions, Wells faces having to hand over metadata

The prime minister has ducked responsibility for the widening MPs’ expenses saga by claiming he was not in charge of the rules in a tense press conference in Canberra.

Politics

27 h. ago Australia news as it happened: More parliamentarians embroiled in expenses scandal; Teens face day two of social media ban

Follow along as we bring you the latest live news updates from Australia and around the world.

Politics

27 h. ago Albanese is getting close to his ‘I don’t hold a hose’ moment

The prime minister’s sudden insistence the expenses saga has nothing to do with him has left even some of his own colleagues blinking.

Politics

28 h. ago Qld police face scrutiny for failures linked to state’s worst paedophile

The Crisafulli government faced questions about the police’s ability to investigate child sexual abuse after a 516-page report outlined failings and incompetence that could have seen one of the country’s worst paedophiles arrested 13 years before he was caught.

Events

30 h. ago ‘I’m not the finance minister’: Albanese angry with expenses questions in tense press conference

Senior politicians with an uncapped spousal travel allowance have billed taxpayers more than $660,000 since the start of the Albanese government.

Politics

31 h. ago ‘I’m not the finance minister’: Albanese says he has no influence on expense spending

Senior politicians with an uncapped spousal travel allowance have billed taxpayers more than $660,000 since the start of the Albanese government.

Politics

38 h. ago Australia news LIVE: More parliamentarians embroiled in expenses scandal; Teens face day two of social media ban

Follow along as we bring you the latest live news updates from Australia and around the world.

Politics

39 h. ago Australians to be forced to provide their social media to enter the US

Applying for a visa waiver is also set to get more complicated under the new plan, with authorities seeking to collect far more detailed information including biometrics, IP addresses and metadata and family histories.

Politics

49 h. ago Wells’ Kirribilli comeback mixes social media crusade with crisis management

Hiding under the Doona was not an option for Anika Wells today. So she showed up. Did her job. Powered on. Answered questions. Apologies were not on the agenda.

Events

51 h. ago Albanese digs in on MPs entitlements saga as more Wells spending comes to light

The prime minister is backing his minister Anika Wells’ use of parliamentary entitlements, even as fresh information reveals more examples of her using taxpayer funds to attend party fundraisers.

Economics

52 h. ago Wells’ expenses a costly distraction from admirable social media ban

The Albanese government has needlessly allowed Anika Wells’ expenses to cast a shadow over its big-ticket reform.

Politics