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Federal politics live: Four Australians confirmed safe in Nepal-Tibet flood disasterBy political reporter Courtney Gould
Posted Wed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:13amWed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:13amWed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:13amSkip to timeline
Four Australians have been confirmed safe after the Nepal-Tibet flood, with the number of unaccounted-for Australians revised down to 38.
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Wed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:04amWed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:04am
Four Australians confirmed safe in Nepal-Tibet flood disaster
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By Courtney Gould
Four more Australians have been confirmed safe in the Nepal-Tibet flood disaster.
Thirty-eight Australians remain unaccounted-for, with five citizens now located safe since yesterday morning. One of them was in Nepal, another in China, and three were found outside the crisis location.
The ABC understands those confirmed safe today had not had contact with families and next of kin since the disaster struck, and their welfare could not initially be confirmed.
A Royal Australian Air Force plane deployed yesterday with humanitarian and disaster relief supplies is due to arrive in Nepal at 10am local time today.
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Wed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:38amWed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:38am
Spender backs call for opt-in algorithm
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By Courtney Gould
Allegra Spender is one of the independent MPs also pushing for the government to adopt an “opt-in” algorithm, so harmful content can be switched off.
The Wentworth MP tells ABC’s AM the government is already looking at a digital duty of care and should consider this as part of the broader question.
“What we see is that algorithms, as they are currently running in certain circumstances, can serve content that has real damaging effects potentially across our community,” she says.
She says she doesn’t want to make this a political fight, saying it’s something that should unite parliament.
“This is about just doing the right thing.”
Wed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:25amWed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:25am
Canavan calls for more male teachers as a fix to the manosphere
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By Courtney Gould
The “feminisation” of the school curriculum and a lack of male role models has been named by Nationals leader Matt Canavan as the reason why young boys are turning to the online manosphere.
Consent advocate Chanel Contos will use an address to the National Press Club today to call for an “opt-in” model for social media algorithms, a move she says will disrupt the manosphere.
Canavan, a father of four boys, says the nation has to have a “deep hard look” at what is turning young men towards misogynistic content online.
He suggests a “big reason” for why is because “they are sick and tired of getting lectures about how bad men are at school” and called for more male teachers to be deployed as role models.
“So they go to other places. They’re sick and tired of the feminisation of our curriculum and the lack of direction and leadership that they’re given,” he tells Nine.
“Maybe we should look at getting more male teachers in. That used to be an agenda, I don’t know what’s happened to that. But maybe we should have more male role models in schools.
“I just know young boys often feel that they don’t get any kind of instruction, leadership. They’re not cherished there.”
Wed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:20amWed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:20am
Australia to spend $600m on scheme to tackle drug smuggling in Pacific
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By Courtney Gould
The federal government is expected to tip $600 million into a new Pacific scheme designed to tackle the surge of drug smuggling into the region, including into Australia.
It comes as leaders grapple with increasingly sophisticated and determined criminal cartels trafficking cocaine and methamphetamines into the country.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to announce the investment at the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau today, as leaders prepare to endorse the “Waqa Moana” initiative aimed at bolstering surveillance of the vast Pacific Ocean, helping authorities to intercept smuggling vessels and so-called narco subs.
The new funding package — which will be spread over several years — will see Australia spend more on aerial surveillance across the Pacific, as well as additional training and support for police in the region.
The new plan is also designed to help police across the Pacific region improve coordination to tackle the trade, while also bolstering Australian Federal Police cooperation with South and Central American countries in an attempt to target the source of the illegal drugs.
Read more at the link below.
Wed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:12amWed 2 Sep 2026 at 7:12am
AI boom’s demand for skilled workers could hit housing pipeline
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By Ewa Staszewska
There are not enough workers to build both the houses and data centres in Australia’s pipeline, with new data showing the artificial intelligence boom will exacerbate this shortfall.
The Powering Skills Organisation (PSO), a government-established jobs and skills commission, has warned that already-high competition for workers has been accelerated.
The report, released on Wednesday, estimates Australia needs an additional 72,000 electricians, technicians and related tradespeople by 2030 to meet projected demand.
Last year, the same report forecast a 42,000 energy worker shortage. A key driver of the increased gap is the rapid growth in construction of data centres, expected to be worth about $150 billion by the end of the decade, according to Treasury.
PSO chief executive Anthea Middleton said the government commitment to build data centres is now competing with other aims, such as the Housing Accord target to build 1.2 million homes and the nation’s renewables transition.
Read more at the link below.
Wed 2 Sep 2026 at 6:59amWed 2 Sep 2026 at 6:59am
Good morning 👋
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By Courtney Gould
Hello! Welcome to our politics live blog. I’m Courtney Gould from the ABC’s Parliament House team, here to guide you through the day.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese remains in Palau for another day of the Pacific Islands Forum, where he’ll announce a $600m package on scheme to tackle drug smuggling in Pacific.
Let’s dive into the day.
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