When just a few hundred workers can bring Australia’s most important export gateway to a standstill, something has gone badly wrong. The industrial action now underway at BHP’s Port Hedland operations is not simply another workplace dispute. It has already resulted in the first major strike at BHP’s Pilbara iron ore operations in decades, despite ongoing negotiations and contingency measures to keep exports moving. That alone is a warning about the direction Australia is head

Australia’s resource sector has long underpinned our national prosperity. From iron ore and gold to lithium, rare earths and critical minerals, the discoveries across the country have generated hundreds of billions of dollars in exports, supported regional communities and helped fund public services across the nation. Yet legislation now before Parliament, which is expected to pass the Senate this week following a deal with the Greens, risks undermining the very foundation on

Australia’s housing market is sending a warning the Albanese Labor government cannot afford to ignore. Across the capital cities, more homes are now failing at auction than selling, pushing clearance rates below 50 per cent for the first time in six years. That is not merely a statistic for property analysts, it is an early warning that buyers are retreating, vendors are losing confidence and the housing market is entering a weaker phase. Auction clearance rates are among the

Beware the Coalition of voices wanting to tax our future energy security We live in genuinely interesting times when political movements such as One Nation, the Australian Greens and left-leaning Independents align on tax and energy policy. The origins of this populist alliance can be traced to the decision by Anthony Albanese and his loyal troop of Labor Senators to give life to an Australian Greens proposal for a Senate inquiry into the taxation of gas exports. The ce

This week Australia marked Minerals Week 2026—an opportunity to recognise a sector that does not merely talk about national prosperity, but actually delivers it. The Minerals Council’s theme for the last week, “Re-energising the future”, is a timely reminder of what should be front of mind for every Australian: is Australia genuinely backing the industry that powers our economy, funds public services, sustains regional communities and underpins our strategic future? Because m

FACTS ON FREE SPEECH You may have seen claims that the Liberal Party of Australia “supported hate-speech laws”. That claim is false and it is being pushed deliberately to mislead Australians. So before anything else, here is the truth in plain English. THE NEW LAWS ARE NOT “SPEECH POLICING” Claims that these laws are about controlling speech are wrong. These are counter-extremism laws, not ideological censorship. They target organised violent extremist activity, not lawf

If energy policy were judged on superficial speeches and symbolism, Chris Bowen’s 2025 performance could be declared a triumph. He has announced, promised and travelled – and basked in any international admiration that came his way. Unfortunately for Australian families, manufacturers and workers here at home, it is outcomes, affordability, reliability, confidence and economic security that matter. Bowen’s energy plan is failing to deliver any of this. He is the architect of

As is often the case when the Albanese Government makes a multibillion-dollar announcement, the devil is in the detail. Labor’s plan to sell-off more than 60 Defence assets is no exception. Already, there are serious concerns about this proposal, particularly its effect in erasing a Defence presence from our cities. Here in WA, that includes the Irwin and Leeuwin barracks. According to the Government’s own report, these barracks support roughly 1150-1200 and 350-400 personnel

by Senator Dean Smith – originally published in The West Australian on 07 January 2026 China’s concerning move to impose quotas and tariffs on Australian beef is not just another trade story — it is a clear demonstration of what happens when our national leadership becomes complacent and ineffective. It exposes the Albanese Government as having failed to anticipate risk and take proactive steps to mitigate it. As a result, Labor has once again jeopardised Australia’s produc

by Senator Dean Smith – originally published in The West Australian on 30 December 2025 Western Australians may have embraced Christmas with cheer, but there is now an ever-growing sense of New Year fear. It stems from a repeated warnings made this year from the Governor of the Reserve Bank. Michele Bullock has made it clear: if Australia’s inflation problem persists, interest rates may need to begin to rise again in 2026. Following the RBA rate decision earlier this month,

by Hon. Steve Martin MLC – Originally published in Countryman, 10 December 2025 The WA Government’s recent revelation that the WA sheep flock has plummeted 30 per cent in the past three years is distressing but not surprising. At a recent Estimates hearing into the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s 2024-25 annual report, I asked the WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis for the latest flock numbers and was told the flock had shrunk to 8.6 million a

by Senator Dean Smith – originally published in The West Australian on 12 November 2025 It should not take a taxpayer-funded trip to Canberra and a million-dollar advertising campaign on the east coast for Western Australians to know their GST deal is safe. Yet that is exactly what Premier Roger Cook and Treasurer Rita Saffioti have done — an expensive exercise that speaks volumes about WA Labor’s lack of confidence in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. If the Prime Minister we

by Senator Slade Brockman – originally published in The West Australian on 19 November 2025 In recent weeks, a United Nations Special Rapporteur has sought to intervene in Australian litigation over WA’s North West Shelf gas project. To some, this may appear technical or even benign — an expert offering insight on environmental and human rights issues. But the implications are much deeper. Allowing UN officials to influence domestic court proceedings strikes at a fundamental