The condolence motion ends and the questions begin.

I think as we could all have predicted, the Coalition opens questioning over the social media clip of two Bankstown Hospital nurses which was uploaded by an Israeli content creator.

The creator was on an app which connects you to random people across the globe for conversations. When he tells the two people in the video he is Israeli, they react with disgust and say they would not treat an Isreali person. The pair reference Israel’s military actions in Palestine as the reason for their attitude.

The two nurses have been suspended by NSW Health pending an investigation and as you would expect there has been widespread political condemnation.

But Julian Leeser now asks:

Prime Minister, for the last 15 months, Jewish Australians have been subjected to harassment, doxxing, firebombing, death threats and terror plots. Today, we’ve seen revelations of New South Wales health workers calling for Israeli patients to be refused treatment and claiming to have murdered Israelis under their care. Prime Minister, the Australian Jewish community is living in fear. How did the country get to this point?

Anthony Albanese:

I have seen this anti-Semitic video. It’s driven by hate and it’s disgusting. The comments are vile, the footage is sickening and it is shameful. (Labor caucus; hear hear) Anti-Semitic comments have no place certainly in our health system but no place anywhere else in Australia either. Overwhelmingly, people in our health system, our nurses, our doctors, our orderlies, they go into the health system because they care about their fellow Australians, their fellow humans.

The idea that people would perpetrate the language and hate and bile that is there in this video…they’re talking – I’m not sure of the format, it’s apparently some format where people can talk to each other in different countries – the person they’re talking to is speaking about peace.

And is someone who is being very respectful back in amongst this extraordinary provocation. These individuals – the New South Wales Government has acted, the New South Wales Health Minister. They’ve been stood down by the New South Wales authorities. They’ve rightly been referred to the New South Wales Police for criminal investigation. I’ve had a discussion with the AFP Commissioner, Commissioner Kershaw, about these matters and they have offered whatever assistance is required at this stage. That has not been requested and I make this point – it is very clear to me that these people have commited what are crimes and they should face the full force of the law.

Lucy and Malcolm Turnbull are in the chamber for these condolence motions – Tom Hughes was Lucy’s father.

Anthony Albanese recognises this at the end of his speech:

I welcome all of Tom’s loved ones who have joined us here today, his beloved wife Christine Hughes, his daughter and son-in-law, Lucy and Malcolm Turnbull, who I was able to welcome into my office earlier today, and, in the gallery, his son Tom Hughes as well as Greg Hughes, Henry Wright and Georgina Arthur. You are all very welcome guests here. Even in Tom’s absence, may his presence always loom large in your lives. As Tom himself once put it – “It’s been a long life, but I’ve been very, very lucky.” Australia was certainly lucky to have him. May he rest in peace.

Excuse that slight delay in posts there – I was just pulled away for a scheduled interview.

The press club event ended with Ed Husic giving a rousing defence of research and development and then the chamber was filled with MPs for question time.

But before the questions there is a condolence motion for Thomas Hughes, a Liberal MP who was the last surviving member of the Gorton and McMahon governments.

Dr Yuki Tanabe, the Sustainable Development and Aid Program Coordinator, Japan Center for a Sustainable Environment and Society, is addressing the Climate Integrity Summit.

He has exposed the myth that Japan’s energy security depends on Australia LNG imports, pointing out that narrative serves commercial interests rather than reflecting genuine energy vulnerability or regional instability.

He’s provided three reasons why Japan does not need any more of Australia’s gas:

• LNG projects in Japan, proposed and new, are not in line with the Paris agreement
• Japan’s new gas deal are not for ‘energy security’ and Japan’s LNG re-selling is larger than what it is importing from Australia
• Hydrogen and Ammonia co-firing is not economically viable (and not in line with the Paris agreement)

Have we gone too far in politicising science and research?

Ed Husic:

I would like to think in an environment on the cusp of a Federal election, being politicised is going to come with the territory as well. I can’t avoid that.

What I would say is I think there are a lot of the elements of the Coalition – I haven’t been a fan of their treatment of science in times passed. I can only go by some of the things that have been said since. I think the fact they have main tanned a presence of science in their shadow cabinet is an important sign. We always want to work with them on these issues.

We have welcomed the fact that they have embraced some of the things we have done through the national science and research priorities. We will have differences of opinion on things. They have made the wrong call, they have focused on our investment in Psi Quantum and politicised that.

Long term, let’s see how it plays outside but I don’t think the mud they have thrown will stick and it will be an important investment in long term capability in this country, just like their investment in Moderna was. When it comes to science, there has been more to celebrate than to shake a fist at when it comes to this arena with respect to the intersection of politics and science. I hope that will be the case into the future because this is one realm where we don’t need the political fighting, we need to be all on board, recognising our people, Australian scientists and researchers, can do phenomenal things. If we back it, it will mean a great deal to our community but sustain the economy well into the future.”

Former professional footballer turned human rights activist Craig Foster has made some thought-provoking comments at the Climate Integrity Summit about the role sports and athletes.

Politicians are using them (athletes) and their brand,” he said.

But he makes the point that all the responsibility to drive change cannot fall to athletes – sports themselves must act.

If we can turn major sporting organisations around to authentically do something, then we can certainly create much faster progress,” he said.

The governing bodies have the power.”

On a side note, he is also hoping that the news out of the United States will spring people into action. 

My hope is that what Trump is doing, his retreat into climate madness, is that it will bring people together into action,” he said.

Back to the national press club and Ed Husic is still being asked about tariffs and Australian exports. Is he confident Australia will get the exemption?

Husic:

It is important to recognise the breadth of work that has been done across government through different ministers and through the arms of government to make the case to the Americans. I wouldn’t underestimate the impact of that and all the other factors I have said earlier.

In the last 24/48 hours it has been a massive issue here in Australia but I am actively engaged with the aluminium sector. We announced our $2 billion plan to see aluminium manufacture well into the future. Which sustains jobs in regional blue collar communities across the country. I have a deep personal interest in that as a son of a metal worker myself.

I am proud going to Portland seeing Alcoa’s operations and seeing loaded up lines and lines of aluminium and where countries are paying a premium price for that and 100% of that product that is made in Portland in Victoria is being exported, defying the people who say we can’t compete in manufacturing and people know we make a quality product.

The world has a high demand for our aluminium. We need it as part of the transition to net zero and there is a healthy future for Australian aluminium and the question is for our American friends “do you want to pay more for that product that you have got a big demand for?”

We will work through all those issues.

Meanwhile at the Climate Integrity Summit, there are some silver linings being found amongst the world’s muck:

Dave Richardson and Greg Jericho have taken a look at what exactly no action on housing affordability would look like: spoiler – it is not good.

If housing affordability keeps going the way it has over the past 20 years, an average dwelling in Sydney will be worth 24 years of an average salary.

The latest figures from the Bureau of Statistics today reveal that the size of the average home loan over just the past 5 years has increased by more than $198,000 in Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales.

Everyone knows Australian house prices are high and putting home ownership out of reach for many new home buyers. These most recent mortgage figures only serve to remind people just how expensive it is to buy a home.

While often the media commentary is about Sydney house prices, the home loan figures show all states are affected. For example, the average new home loan in South Australia in just five years has gone from $372,000 to $580,000 – a 56% increase at a time when the average full-time earnings in South Australia have increased only around 18%.

But while the current situation is dire, if the pace of the past 20 years continues, owning a home will not so much be the Australian dream, but a ludicrous fantasy unavailable to everyone except to the very richest.

You can read more, here.

The Australia Institute’s International and Security Affairs Director, Dr Emma Shortis is addressing the Climate Integrity Summit.

Dr Shortis did not mince her words when highlighting how our unwavering allegiance to the United States leaves us vulnerable and risks aligning climate and security strategies with a partner that is failing to lead on the most pressing issue of our time – climate change.

“The Trump administration is an active direct threat to our security and the security of the world,” Dr Shortis said.

“The America we thought we knew is gone and never coming back.”

But she points out that hope is not lost, but it requires bravery, understanding and imagination.

“We and the rest of the world have choices… what Australia does matter, our choices matter,” she said.

You can hear more from Emma Shortis on her podcast, After America.