Australia correspondent
Australia desk
Bel McRae is The Gold Standard's Australia correspondent. McRae covers Canberra, the states, and the Roads desk: heavy vehicles, the NHVR, the freight task.
Monday at Miners Lookout, Pauline Hanson and Warren Pickering pledged to keep Loy Yang A past 2035, scrap net-zero subsidies, and repeal Victoria’s 1983 nuclear ban. AGL still prints 2035. Election 28 November.
After Albanese and Chalmers branded One Nation a danger at Queensland Labor’s conference, Hanson claimed the language invites political violence. The Attorney-General told her to examine her own party instead.
ASIC’s Monday review found cash settlements in at least 63 percent of final home claims. IAG and Allianz each used cash in more than 80 percent.
Luke Herdegen is One Nation’s first Western Australian lower-house MP after the 29 August 2026 by-election. Labor’s Georgia Tree conceded on 30 August.
On 27 August Potentia finished a A$190 million hybrid 10 km northwest of Parkes: 98 MW solar, 20 MW / 40 MWh battery, one GPS, one controller. About 160,000 panels. Zen Energy holds ten years of offtake.
Six consortiums were shortlisted on 24 August for early work on trains and the first tunnels. Planning money is $230 million until 2028. Construction is still listed for 2029.
St John of God Midland Private Hospital opened 27 August 2026. 123 beds in the old railway workshops. Sixty public beds come back with the move.
One Nation previewed coal, gas and a VicGrid strip for VNI West at a Farmers Fightback rally. The formal launch is Monday at Yallourn.
