Mostafa Rachwani Updated July 2, 2026 — 10:40am, first published July 2, 2026 — 6:37am
10.40am Hastie denies he’s on the ‘way out’ amid One Nation surge By Broede Carmody
Former Liberal leadership contender Andrew Hastie has denied he’s on the “way out” amid enhanced security needs and mixed views about how best to tackle the surge of One Nation.
Award-winning political commentator Niki Savva suggested today that Hastie could leave the party if he felt abandoned in his “fight to the death” with Pauline Hanson’s supporters.
“I am here to stay, and I will recontest the next election. It’s as simple as that,” Hastie told radio station 2GB.
Andrew Hastie during a division in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday. Alex Ellinghausen “I think the Australian people have a rotten government, a government that can’t be trusted – whether it’s on taxation, or super, or borders. Pick an issue, they can’t be trusted. We need to deliver a centre-right government for the Australian people.”
10.13am Anti-budget campaigner wins chance to face PM in tennis match By Brittany Busch
A mortgage broker who spent thousands of dollars on prominent billboards in Canberra decrying Labor’s budget has forked out again to play tennis with the prime minister.
Joseph Daoud dropped $16,500 for a hit with Anthony Albanese at The Lodge in a charity auction for last night’s Midwinter Ball, so he could air his criticisms of the government’s capital gains tax discount and negative gearing directly to the prime minister.
Anthony Albanese during a pollies v press gallery tennis match at Parliament House in Canberra in 2019. Sydney Morning Herald “We have quite a few questions we want to ask him in regards to the budget, and we felt like they went unheard,” Daoud told Sky News on Thursday.
The winning bid came after he spent $17,000 on billboards labelling the budget changes an “ambition tax”.
Daoud told Sky News the money would not be wasted even though the measures have already passed parliament, and said he would not reveal the three guests he would invite along, who would also be asking questions of the prime minister.
Asked whether the thousands of dollars spent on the stun
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