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Coalition can reform this week, under conditions: Ley
Ley is facing two challenges, the other of course is the Coalition split. Yesterday we reported that the Liberal leader had offered the Nats a deal that would see the three former frontbenchers who crossed the floor, remain off the frontbench for six months.
She says she expects to meet again with David Littleproud today.
The Coalition can reform this week but under certain conditions, and those conditions are overwhelmingly supported by the majority of my party room. And they are that shadow cabinet solidarity is mandatory. That shadow cabinet and the party room have primacy of over any individual party room, and the three senators do need to face ongoing suspensions.
Leadership rumours are ‘ridiculous suggestions’ says Ley
Sussan Ley has swat away questions on her leadership, as the prospect of a spill by Angus Taylor lurks behind her.
Speaking to ABC News Breakfast this morning, Ley is asked whether she’s spoken to Taylor about that not-so-secret meeting from key senior members of the right faction on Thursday before former Liberal MP Katie Allen’s funeral.
She says Taylor is in her leadership group, “we’ve had discussions about interest [rates], about the circumstances Australians face.”
So is she concerned Taylor is plotting to replace her next week? Ley says:
These are ridiculous suggestions and they’re made by people in the media, not the conversations that I’m having with colleagues, and they’re not the focus of my team.
She tries to pivot the conversation again to focus on interest rates and inflation.
ShareLiberal party can go it alone, says deputy leader
Daisy Dumas
The shadow treasurer, Ted O’Brien, says that, should the impasse between the Liberals and the Nationals not be resolved, the Liberal party has the talent on its own to take on the Albanese government.
Speaking on the ABC’s 7.30 program last night, the deputy leader of the opposition said “there’s no doubt the voters want to ensure that we have a stable opposition, an effective opposition. There’s just no doubt about that and I can’t pretend otherwise.”
Whether that opposition is ultimately from the Liberal party holding the government to account or a reunited Liberal-National party, well, let’s wait and see.
Australia I think is best served by a Coalition but, if at the end of the day that’s not to be, then I have enormous confidence in the depth of talent within the Liberal party and, yes, I do believe we can absolutely hold what is a very poor government to account.
ShareBattery installs increase four-fold off the back of federal subsidy, report says
Donna Lu
Solar battery installations in Australia increased four-fold in the second half of 2025, compared with the same period in 2024.
The Clean Energy Council’s rooftop solar and storage report, released today, found more than 450,000 home batteries had been installed across Australia, by the end of last year.
Australians continued to embrace solar, with more than 139,000 systems installed in the latter half of 2025. That brought the number of households with solar to 4.3 million.
As a result, Australia’s share of rooftop solar continued to increase, making up 14.2% of the energy supplied to the grid in 2025, almost doubling since 2020, when it was 7.2%.
CEC CEO, Jackie Trad, said that the figures were a testament to incentives such as the federal government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program, launched in July, in tandem with other state-based programs in New South Wales and Western Australia, which had expanded Australia’s longstanding love of rooftop solar.
Our biggest power station now resides on the rooftops of more than 4.3 million households, which is helping to drive downward pressure on power bills for consumers and businesses, with less reliance on expensive gas or unreliable coal to power our grid.
On Tuesday, the climate and energy minister, Chris Bowen, told parliament that more than 218,000 home batteries had been installed under the federal government’s subsidy scheme. That number was expected to climb to 2m by 2030, under an expansion of the program announced in December.
Updated at 15.13 EST
Good morning
Krishani Dhanji
Krishani Dhanji here with you for another busy day in parliament.
The government will be on the defence over the Reserve Bank’s decision to increase interest rates yesterday, having previously said publicly that the economy had “turned a corner” on inflation. There’ll be plenty of reaction to that decision today.
There’s some new data on the record number of solar batteries installed in Australian households – more on that in a moment.
And the Liberals and Nationals are still on the outs (Beckham family style, says Labor), but “constructive” talks continue – we’ll keep a close eye on any movements there.
I’ve got my coffee, I hope you’ve got yours – let’s get cracking!