News and politics live updates: Coalition backs Labor’s widow’s tax fix as Nats blasts ‘economic incompetence’

Small businesses across the country could soon save thousands on their power bills through expansion of a national solar program.

Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen will use an address to the National Press Club on Wednesday to announce an expansion of the small-scale renewable energy scheme.

Solar systems of up to one megawatt will be eligible for financial incentives, taking about 20 per cent off the installation price.

“Lower energy costs will improve productivity and competitiveness across manufacturing, agriculture, retail, transport and logistics, with benefits flowing through to households using those goods and services,” Mr Bowen is expected to say.

The scheme will be particularly targeted at medium-density housing, termed the “missing middle”, to encourage solar use on townhouses and apartments.

“It means more regional and remote areas will have access to clean, reliable and affordable solar energy,” the minister will say.

About a third of Australian homes have rooftop solar, with a system of between seven and 12 kilowatts.

Read now.

The Walking Dead’s fictional plot serves as a useful metaphor for the reality of where the Federal Labor government finds itself. Approaching the halfway mark of his second term with his eye on seeking a third and maybe even a fourth, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has conquered his first-term zombies.

Returning a stunning 94-seat majority in May last year, he crushed his Liberal opposition and reduced them to a rump of just a handful of frontbench performers.

To continue the zombie metaphor, the scarier opponents that now circle and stalk Labor are One Nation.

And Pauline Hanson does not play by the same rules. She is already banning journalists from media outlets that she does not like, and has happily platformed a far-right convicted criminal in the UK who agitates against Muslims.

Telling voters Pauline Hanson lacks credibility or experience to run the country may not matter to them. What matters is that she sits outside the status quo. And right now the face of status quo is Mr Albanese.

It is true that it makes for “orderly government” as the prime minister is so fond of saying.

But it also sends a signal to the public that their elected representatives are feckless, unwilling or incapable of taking up their concerns — in effect, zombie MPs. Forget about coming across as authentic; just a pulse would do.

If he leaves voters wondering why they gave him 94 MPs, only for the bulk of them to say and do as little as possible, he should not be surprised if voters grow disillusioned and see the once great Labor Party as out of touch with their despair, that life doesn’t seem to be getting better.

​Read more. ​

Independent MP Allegra Spender has called for taxpayer-funded government reviews to be made public, arguing Australians deserve to see the work they are paying for rather than having reports “sit on somebody’s desk”.

Speaking on Sunrise, Ms Spender pointed to a review into Fringe Benefits Tax commissioned under the former Coalition government, saying neither she nor the current government had been able to access it.

She said too many reviews disappear without their recommendations ever being considered, making it impossible for the public to judge whether governments are acting on expert advice.

An independent review of the Bureau of Meteorology could carry a multi-million-dollar price tag, independent MP Allegra Spender has warned, as scrutiny grows over the agency following its controversial $94 million website overhaul.

Speaking on Sunrise, Ms Spender said reviews of government agencies could “literally” cost millions once consultant fees and staff time were taken into account.

She said taxpayers should be able to see the findings of publicly funded reviews, while Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie argued ministers should have done more to prevent wasteful spending in the first place, saying the BOM website upgrade was an example of government agencies “running away with the chequebook”.

Labor will amend its controversial negative gearing reforms to fix the so-called “widow’s tax” after a loophole revealed Australians could lose access to negative gearing if they inherited a partner’s share of an investment property following death, divorce or separation.

The Coalition has confirmed it will support the changes, but used the move to accuse the government of another budget backflip and “economic incompetence”.

Speaking on Sunrise, Nationals Senate leader Bridget McKenzie said Labor was “again” being forced to clean up its own mistakes.

“Well, I think what we’re seeing with another backflip from Labor is confirmation of Labor’s economic incompetence,” she said.

Independent MP Allegra Spender welcomed the fix but warned more unintended consequences could emerge, saying the government’s tax reforms had been rushed and lacked sufficient consultation.