MARK DREYFUS MP

On top of the cruel cuts to family benefits announced this week comes another shock the independent Parliamentary Budget Offices latest unlegislated measures update has confirmed the government's plans to implement its divorce tax, which targets families going through painful separations.

Whether its with copper or with coal, Turnbull's policies are taking Australia backwards.

On Friday, I instructed my solicitors to take the significant step of writing to the Australian Government Solicitor to notify them that I will begin contempt proceedings if my simple FOI request for a portion of George Brandis’s diary is not processed within 14 days.

Australians are shocked and angered by the evidence given today at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Labor extends its warm congratulations to Susan Kiefel AC on her elevation to Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, and the Hon James Edelman on his appointment as a judge of the High Court today.

With the Northern Territory due to lose its essential shortwave radio service tomorrow, the Government is ignoring Labor's calls to do all it can to continue this critical communications service and ensure listeners in the bush are not cut off.

Once again the Turnbull Government has shown absolute contempt for Australian consumers seeking information about the NBN.

With just over a week until the Northern Territory is due to lose its vital shortwave radio service, Indigenous Affairs Minister and Country Liberal Senator for the Northern Territory Nigel Scullion made his first, limp protest.

Labor condemns the resumption of illegal whaling by a Japanese fleet inside the Southern Ocean whale sanctuary, reported over the weekend.

Labor encourages Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to use this weekend's visit from Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to raise the issue of illegal Japanese whaling happening now in protected waters.