Dastyari quits over China links

(Translation appears in Arabic section)

Canberra: Labor senator Sam Dastyari has sensationally quit the parliament after his links to Chinese donors were revealed.

He said wanted to “spare the party any further distraction”.

“Today, after much reflection, I’ve decided that the best service I can render to the federal parliamentary Labor Party is to not return to the Senate in 2018,” Senator Dastyari said today.

“I’ve not reached this decision lightly. But in my deliberations, I’ve been guided by my Labor values, which tell me that I should leave if my ongoing presence detracts from the pursuit of Labor’s mission.

Vic Police to use deadly force on terror

Melbourne: Victoria Police will soon have new powers allowing them to immediately respond with deadly force in the event of a terror attack.

From January, 16-thousand officers will be re-trained to make quicker decisions, and to shoot to kill suspected terrorists if necessary.

Police will receive U.S-style training, using a multi-million dollar virtual reality programme that simulates emergencies.

Scott Morrison says multinational companies must pay fair share of tax

Multinational companies must pay more tax, the Federal Treasurer has said, after reports more than 700 businesses with a combined income of $500 billion paid not one cent.

The Australian Tax Office estimates tax avoidance is now costing the Australian economy close to $2.5 billion a year.

Its latest report shows multinational company ExxonMobil reported a $6.7 billion income while Shell Energy Holdings Australia reported $4.2 billion. Both companies paid no tax.

Australians want focus on low power bills

Sydney: Nearly two in five Australians want governments to prioritise keeping the cost of power bills low when they form energy policy, a new poll shows.

But almost a quarter of those surveyed in the Essential poll, published on Tuesday, say they don't think governments have to choose between cost, reliability and cutting emissions because all three can be achieved.

Fewer people said the government should prioritise cutting emissions than when the question was last asked in June, when keeping bills down was also the top concern for people.

PM 'regrets' Abbott Newspoll reference

Sydney: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says he regrets referencing Newspoll when he announced his intention to replace Tony Abbott as Prime Minister in 2015.

Turnbull famously cited that the government had lost 30 Newspolls in a row when he put his hand up for the top job.

Mr Turnbull has lost 24 Newspolls in a row, the latest having been released on December 4th.

'I do regret having said it only because it allowed people to focus on that, rather than substantive reasons,' Mr Turnbull said.