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Burke brushes off One Nation threat to his seat – as it happened

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Wong not ‘interested’ in One Nation’s fundraising

Wong says she isn’t concerned about One Nation’s fundraising efforts, but more about their policies. Pauline Hanson’s party says it has raised more than $1.5m in the last day, although those claims are unverified.

I’m less interested in what Pauline Hanson fundraises and am more concerned about One Nation’s policies. Just as I am concerned about the fact that the Liberal party and One Nation seem to be working together and that it appears to be very clearly that a vote for One Nation is actually a vote for the Liberal party, and a vote for the Liberal party is actually a vote for One Nation.

We’ve said for some time it’s obviously a fragile ceasefire, but we’ve also said that what Australia wants is a negotiated end to the war. That’s what we’re calling for, and that’s what we will continue to press for …

We’re not a central player in the Middle East, as we have said. What we can do is add our voice to others who are calling for a negotiated end to the conflict. It’s obviously one of the things we discuss today with the United Kingdom.

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© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP

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Mace Defeat Heralds an Exodus of Rabble-Rousers From Congress

The Republican congresswoman from South Carolina, who made enemies on both sides of the political aisle, is just one of several flashy lawmakers to be leaving Capitol Hill.

© Eric Lee for The New York Times

Representative Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina, at the Capitol earlier this year.
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Labor scraps plan to make spy agency’s 9/11-era questioning powers permanent

But Australian government will expand offences covered by rules to include promotion of communal violence and attacks on defence system

Labor has quietly backed down on moves to make spy agency Asio’s powers for compulsory questioning permanent, but will expand offences covered by the rules to include promotion of communal violence and attacks on Australia’s defence system.

The laws were introduced after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the US and give intelligence operatives powers to issue a questioning warrant requiring a person as young as 14 to give information or produce items that may assist in a serious investigation.

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© Photograph: AAP

© Photograph: AAP

© Photograph: AAP

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Why Complete Election Results in Maine Could Take More Than a Week

Winners in the Republican and Democratic primary races for governor and in a Democratic congressional primary have not yet been determined.

© Sophie Park for The New York Times

Voting in Belfast, Maine, on Tuesday. Arielle Greenberg, left, wore a hand-sewn skirt that she said she made from an American flag.
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Evette and Wilson Advance to Runoff in South Carolina Republican Primary for Governor

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and Alan Wilson, the state attorney general, now head to a runoff in the Republican contest for governor. President Trump vowed to “fight” for Ms. Evette in the second round.

© Meg Kinnard/Associated Press

Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette of South Carolina at a campaign rally on Monday.
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Sanders-Backed Progressive Advances in California Swing District Against Valadao

Randy Villegas will face the incumbent, David Valadao, a Republican who has survived numerous challenges in a competitive district.

© Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images For Connor Treacy

Randy Villegas, a progressive backed by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, defeated Dr. Jasmeet Bains in the Democratic primary in California’s 22nd Congressional District. He will face Representative David Valadao, the Republican incumbent.
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House defies Johnson and passes Democratic-led labor bill

Twenty G.O.P lawmakers broke with Speaker Mike Johnson and joined Democrats in backing a bill to amend the National Labor Relations Act.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

The vote on Tuesday was the latest reflection of Speaker Mike Johnson’s weak hold on his narrow majority.
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Pro-Israel Group Pushes for Haley Stevens in Michigan Senate Race

The main super PAC tied to the influential American Israel Public Affairs Committee released its first ads backing Ms. Stevens, a moderate congresswoman locked in a tight three-way primary.

© Sarah Rice/Getty Images

Representative Haley Stevens of Michigan has been a vocal supporter of Israel in the past.
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Blanche Was Once Seen as Tempering Trump’s Tactics. Now He’s All In.

The ascendancy of Todd Blanche shows how the practices that were initially deemed out of bounds even in President Trump’s Justice Department seem to be the order of the day.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, during a cabinet meeting at the White House in May.
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House Passes G.O.P.’s $70 Billion Immigration Bill

The vote gave final passage to Republicans’ megabill to fund immigration enforcement through the remainder of President Trump’s term, clearing it for his signature.

© Ashley Wu/The New York Times

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Tories Pledge to Scrap Diversity Rule After Nowak Murder

The Tories have pledged to tear up the requirement in the Equality Act for public-sector bodies to promote equality and diversity following the murder of Henry Nowak.

The post Tories Pledge to Scrap Diversity Rule After Nowak Murder appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

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Democratic Group Kicks Off $50 Million Midterm Blitz in Conservative Strongholds

American Bridge is hoping that Republicans are vulnerable in parts of the country that had been exceedingly tough terrain for Democrats in recent elections.

© Michael A. McCoy for The New York Times

American Bridge is kicking off a roughly $50 million advertising campaign targeting Republicans in more than a dozen House districts and four Senate races.
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Maine Elections Test Democrats’ Support for Platner: What to Watch in Today’s Primaries

Any indication of tepid support for Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine, will be seen as a warning sign about his chances against Senator Susan Collins, the Republican incumbent.

© Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Graham Platner, a Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine who is seeking to challenge Senator Susan Collins in the fall, has been mired in scandals in recent weeks.
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NSW prosecutors launch proceedings against Labor officials accused of disguising donations to Chris Minns

Labor MP Ernest Wong and restaurateur Jonathan Yee are facing court over allegedly circumventing election funding laws

New South Wales prosecutors have launched proceedings against two state Labor officials after they allegedly disguised donations to Chris Minns during his election campaign almost a decade ago.

On Tuesday, the NSW Electoral Commission revealed the director of public prosecution had begun proceedings against former Labor MP Ernest Wong and restaurateur Jonathan Yee. The commission commenced an investigation in 2019 into a “potential scheme to circumvent” election funding laws during the campaign to elect Minns for the seat of Kogarah.

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© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

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Tony Abbott backs One Nation preference deal and says Liberals can’t just be a ‘little less woke than Labor’

Liberals and Nationals grappling with surging support for Pauline Hanson’s party, which threatens to replace them as Australia’s main conservative party

The new Liberal president, Tony Abbott, has backed preference deals with One Nation as he declared the party wouldn’t win the next election by being “slaves to focus groups” and just a “little less woke than Labor”.

The opposition leader, Angus Taylor, all but confirmed he was open to such deals with Pauline Hanson, declaring the party was prepared to cooperate with “whoever we can to get rid of this rotten Labor government”.

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© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

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Trump Previews Fall Strategy With Baseless Claims of California Vote Fraud

The president is using the slow count of mail ballots in California to renew his effort to cast doubt on election outcomes he doesn’t like, despite a lack of evidence of any widespread fraud.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

By baselessly framing the rise of a candidate for Los Angeles mayor as a Democratic scam, President Trump has extended his long-running project to erode public faith in elections.
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