Australia politics live: Albanese trashes Taylor’s Midwinter Ball speech saying ‘I would pretend it was all a bad dream’

<p>Follow today’s news live</p><ul><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p><strong>‘Eight weeks to shred documents’: Wells on social media law delay</strong></p><p>The main reason for <strong>Anika Wells</strong>’ media appearances this morning is to kick the Coalition and the Greens for sending that social media bill – increasing fines for platforms and handing the eSafety commissioner more power – into an eight-week inquiry.</p><p>It’s not complex, and I think <strong>Angus Taylor</strong> should explain why he is honestly giving big tech eight more weeks to prepare their case, eight more weeks to get their ducks in a row, potentially eight weeks to shred documents now that they know these changes are coming.</p><p>I think this is genuinely urgent. I’m crestfallen. Angus Taylor has decided to walk away from bipartisanship and he should explain why he would make such a craven and expedient decision.</p><p>If you chose to watch – I don’t want to name any particular given that we’re on the ABC – but if you are watching the football World Cup on SBS, another public broadcaster, for example, you have the ability to opt out of seeing gambling advertising and from 1 January on streaming. And we know the trend for viewing in Australia is that more than half of the population now view these things online through streamers.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/jul/02/australia-politics-live-defence-aukus-conroy-national-press-club-anthony-albanese-labor-question-time-angus-taylor-coaliti