Karen Middleton

Canberra

Political Editor at The Guardian Australia

Journalist|writer|broadcaster|author. Books: An Unwinnable War; Albanese-Telling it Straight. Guardian Australia Political editor. Views mine.

Articles

A small target has suddenly got bigger

1 month ago | insidestory.org.au | Karen Middleton

Throughout last year, Western Sydney Liberals from non-English-speaking backgrounds pleaded privately for Peter Dutton to tone down his language about the war in Gaza. Alongside his uncompromising stance on immigration, they warned, his strident advocacy for Israel and lack of public compassion for ordinary Palestinians was making it harder to regain key Labor-held seats on Sydney’s western fringe, where significant numbers of voters come from Middle Eastern backgrounds.
Pre-election giveaways

1 month ago | insidestory.org.au | Karen Middleton

It’s always instructive to see how a government behaves in the days before an election is called. At the end of a budget week we weren’t meant to have — and with 3 May finally named as polling day after Cyclone Alfred kyboshed plans for 12 April — we can already glean quite a bit about the contest now formally underway. For starters, it’s become clear just how many seats Anthony Albanese’s Labor Party fears losing, and precisely where they are.
Advice to Scott Morrison at centre of five-year legal battle that cost taxpayers $400,000 finally released

Jan 24, 2025 | theguardian.com | Krishani Dhanji |Karen Middleton

A chapter has finally closed on a five-year legal battle, costing more than $400,000 of taxpayer money, over a letter of advice from the former attorney general Christian Porter to then prime minister Scott Morrison on the “sports rorts” saga.
Mining exports could plunge $100bn over four years, slashing $36bn from federal revenue, Myefo suggests

Dec 15, 2024 | theguardian.com | Karen Middleton

Mining exports are set to plunge more than $100bn over the next four years and deliver an $8.5bn hit to company tax receipts, representing a $36bn reversal in forecast federal revenue compared with a year ago, this week’s mid year budget update will reveal.
Australian tourists in hospital in Fiji with suspected alcohol poisoning

Dec 15, 2024 | theguardian.com | Karen Middleton

Several Australians are seriously ill in hospital in Fiji with what local authorities suspect is alcohol poisoning. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) confirmed through a spokesperson on Sunday evening that it was providing consular assistance to two Australian families in Fiji but declined to provide further details.
Final five members of Bali Nine released from jail and back in Australia, PM announces

Dec 15, 2024 | theguardian.com | Karen Middleton

The five remaining members of the Bali Nine in jail over a drug smuggling plot have returned to Australia under a deal negotiated with the Indonesian government. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, confirmed that Scott Rush, Matthew Norman, Si-Yi Chen, Martin Stephens and Michael Czugaj returned to Australia from Indonesia on Sunday.
Jim Chalmers says Coalition’s nuclear plan represents $4tn hit to economy by 2050

Dec 14, 2024 | theguardian.com | Karen Middleton

The federal treasurer says the Coalition’s nuclear policy costings suggest a $4tn hit to the national economy over the next 25 years, based on its assumption that the economy will be smaller with less need for energy. Jim Chalmers on Sunday also conceded the mid-year budget update to be released this week would reveal bigger deficits than the May budget, with the treasurer describing the revision as “slippage”.
Peter Dutton says nuclear ‘will make electricity cheaper’ but critics says Coalition costings a ‘fantasy’

Dec 12, 2024 | theguardian.com | Karen Middleton |Graham Readfearn

Peter Dutton claims his plan to introduce nuclear energy in Australia will “keep the lights on” at a lower cost than the Labor government’s renewables-reliant transition. “This is a plan which will underpin the economic success of our country for the next century,” Dutton said in Brisbane on Friday. “This will make electricity reliable. It will make it more consistent.
Moderna’s mRNA vaccines to be exempted from advisory committee scrutiny under $2bn Morrison-era deal

Dec 9, 2024 | theguardian.com | Karen Middleton

Australians will be offered respiratory vaccines from next year without the usual assessment that ensures they are the most effective available at the best possible price, under the confidential $2bn onshore manufacturing deal the Morrison government struck with Moderna. The agreement exempts Moderna’s mRNA vaccines from assessment by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, a government memorandum has revealed.
Labor says Dutton won’t admit ‘mistake’ after he wouldn’t reaffirm net overseas migration cut

Dec 9, 2024 | theguardian.com | Paul Karp |Karen Middleton

Bill Shorten has accused Peter Dutton of not being ready to govern and failing to admit mistakes, after the opposition leader appeared to back away from an earlier promise to cut net overseas migration. The government services minister accused the opposition leader of “stubbornness” and not having done his “homework” on two different measures of migration. Dutton’s office has denied dumping the commitment.

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