Live: Labor's gambling ad laws an 'absolute fail', says shadow minister

Nationals frontbencher Anne Webster says a Senate inquiry into Labor's gambling advertising legislation shows the bill has "plenty of deficiencies".Follow all the updates in our live blog.Thu 6 Aug 2026 at 7:57amThu 6 Aug 2026 at 7:57amEnergy minister confirms Commonwealth will override Qld, NT on data centre standardsEnergy Minister Chris Bowen has confirmed the Commonwealth will step in and legislate national standards for data centres, even if some states or territories disagree with them.The nation's energy ministers have asked the Australia Energy Market Commission (AEMC) for advice on how data centres should bring their own electricity to the grid.Bowen used a speech to the National Press Club yesterday to say the federal government will override Queensland and the Northern Territory if it has to, to implement national standards for data centres.Speaking to ABC Radio National Breakfast, Bowen says it's "absolutely the case" the government will step in, because he says the standards must be nationally applicable."The majority of states and territories agreed that we needed to do this, but Queensland and the Northern Territory did not," Bowen says."It's in our national interest that the data centres work within the constraints and the rules that the governments of Australia wish to place on them to bring their own new additional renewable energy backed by sensible firming arrangements."Thu 6 Aug 2026 at 7:36amThu 6 Aug 2026 at 7:36amPenny Wong flies to Fiji for PIF foreign minister's meetingForeign Minister Penny Wong will travel to Fiji to attend the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) foreign ministers meeting.The meeting is in preparation for September's annual PIF Leaders Meeting in Palau.In a statement, the foreign minister says the meeting will cover peace and security, climate change and economic development."At a time of global uncertainty, it is more important than ever that Pacific countries work together to advance our shared interests, uphold Pacific priorities and strengthen the peace, stability and prosperity of our region. By bringing together its 18 members, the PIF makes us stronger and more resilient," Wong says."Australia strongly supports the PIF's role in bringing countries together and advancing our shared vision of a region where nations can make their own choices and shape their own futures."Thu 6 Aug 2026 at 7:30amThu 6 Aug 2026 at 7:30amDan Tehan says data centres should be able to use non-renewable powerShadow Energy Minister Dan Tehan says data centres should be able to use whatever source of energy they like to power their operations.Energy Minister Chris Bowen used a speech at the National Press Club yesterday to reaffirm Labor's position that data centres are welcome in Australia if they bring their own additional renewable energy to power them.It comes after the PM announced a new set of standards that will provide clear rules for data centres and force them to supply their own power.But speaking to ABC's AM program, the shadow energy minister says he doesn't believe data centres should be restricted to two forms of energy."Our view is we should be technology agnostic when it comes to our energy source and that's how you pursue energy abundance in this nation, which means you can actually put downward pressure on prices," Tehan says."And that is the key here, making sure that they continue to invest so we've got more energy than we need, rather than the current way Chris Bowen is doing this, is restricting energy sources to two, and that's wind and solar, and literally causing our nation to be energy scarce rather than energy abundant."Thu 6 Aug 2026 at 7:27amThu 6 Aug 2026 at 7:27amLabor's gambling legislation an 'absolute fail', shadow minister saysShadow Regional Communications Minister Anne Webster says the two-day senate inquiry into Labor's gambling advertising legislation show the bill has "plenty of deficiencies".As my colleague Clare Armstrong reports, Labor would consider shelving its proposed crackdown on gambling advertising rather than substantially change it.The government needs the support of the Greens or Coalition to pass the bill through the Senate, but both parties have expressed strong reservations about the legislation.Speaking to ABC Radio National Breakfast, Webster says the bill won't achieve what the government intends for it to achieve."This bill that the Labor government are wanting to introduce fails to stop the current state of play, so to speak, happening. And ads will continue in children's primetime TV. They will continue right up to five minutes before the game. They'll be able to do gambling ads when there's a goal scored, which currently does not exist," Webster says."Will this bill make it better or worse? It will make it worse. If gambling ads are going to increase because of this bill, that's a fail, an absolute fail."Thu 6 Aug 2026 at 7:11amThu 6 Aug 2026 at 7:11amGood morning 👋Hello, and welcome to our federal politics live blog! It's great to have you join us here on this freezing Thursday morning.I'm Josh Boscaini, joining you live from Parliament House in Canberra, here and ready to bring you all of today's federal politics news.We're likely to hear more about the inquiry into Labor's gambling advertising legislation, migration and reaction to the government's expansion of the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme.A bit is coming our way this morning, so strap in and let's get this show on the road!