James Ashby, who worked as a media adviser to the Speaker of the Federal Parliament, Peter Slipper, worked to undermine his boss by giving information to a tabloid journalist and to his political rivals, a court has heard.

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says Australia can't allow a "green veto" to hold back a massive expansion of coal exports from Queensland.

from Monbiot:

In the past five (5) years, the following price increases have occurred:

*   average loaf of bread up by 12%;

*   price of movie tickets up by 25%;

*   price of petrol up by 34%;

*   council rates have increased by 39%; &

*   electricity prices have increased by an obscene 163%

The overall cost of living has increased by 22%, whilst average weekly earnings have increased by only 14%, which effectively means that average real disposable incomes have fallen by more than 35% in the same period.

The Australian economy is going gangbusters, according to the latest figures.

Annual growth is 4.3%. Inflation is low. Interest rates continue to fall. Unemployment is at 4.9%.