Politics live: new standards for datacentres being built in Australia; report warns of drone threat

Good morning, Krishani Dhanji with you as the politicians gather in Canberra for another sitting week.There is plenty on the agenda for today, the government will be under more pressure on global oil supply as the situation escalates in the Middle East.The Liberal party will continue deal with the fallout of the South Australian election over the weekend, and European Union president Ursula von der Leyen arrives in Sydney today, before addressing the federal parliament later this week. She’ll be the first female foreign leader to do so.And the government is introducing new rules for datacentres and AI – which will push companies building new developments to add to the clean energy supply and minimise water footprints.I’ve got my coffee, I hope you’ve got yours – let’s get stuck in!Should Australians work from home to save fuel?James Glenday then asks Tim Ayres whether he thinks Australians should consider working from home to conserve fuel. Countries like Sri Lanka have moved to a four day working week and are encouraging public servants to WFH.Ayres says the government won’t dictate that, and tries to remind everyone that the Coalition tried to “ban” working from home.double quotation markAustralians will make their own decisions, and work from home is a viable option for many, many people, and they’ll make that call, we’re not going further than that.Industry minister Tim Ayres has done his best to avoid directly answering some sticky questions on ABC News Breakfast this morning, including whether Australia will try to leverage our coal and gas exports to secure fuel imports.Joining the program a little earlier, Ayres said broadly the government is working with international partners to “maximise” fuel supplies, and ensure that fuel in Australia is going to regional areas where it needs to be.Host, James Glenday, tries to push Ayres on whether we’re considering a quid pro quo approach, but Ayres won’t bite. He says:double quotation markWe are an excellent partner on energy security for a range of our partners in the region in terms of refined fuel products and crude oil.Glenday then asks Ayres if the government will charge a 25% export tax on gas companies if prices begin to soar (as reported last week).Ayres dodges the question,double quotation markWe have moved for the first time at the Commonwealth level to impose a reservation scheme so that Australian gas is there for Australian households and Australian business. The details of that reservation scheme will be decided in the normal way and a proper cabinet process … We’ll release those, those details when it’s been properly decided.Governments around the world are unprepared for the growing threat of drones being used to carry out terror attacks, a report warns.Advances in drone technology, 3D printing and AI-assisted navigation should prompt leaders, including those in Australia, to rethink anti-extremism strategies, the paper from the Lowy Institute says.The report points to a series of incidents in recent years as “warning signs” of what may be to come if governments don’t crack down.They include a UK student arrested for using a 3D printer to build ‘kamikaze’ drones for Islamic State, seven people arrested in Queensland who had homemade guns and a drone-mounted improvised explosive device, and two separate US plots involving drone use.“What was once the exclusive domain of state actors now rests within reach of nearly anyone with a credit card and data signal,” authors James Paterson (not the senator) and Lydia Khalil wrote.double quotation markThe combination of easy accessibility and payload potential, and the limitations of domestic counter-drone systems, presents a growing challenge.Drones have also been used to deadly effect in the Russia-Ukraine war and Middle East conflict, where they are loaded with explosives and flown at military personnel or sensitive sites.The report warns a vast array of civilian and military sites could be targeted, including mass gatherings and major events.It argues “difficult decisions” will be needed to choose which locations to defend and how to do so.- AAPGood morning, Krishani Dhanji with you as the politicians gather in Canberra for another sitting week.There is plenty on the agenda for today, the government will be under more pressure on global oil supply as the situation escalates in the Middle East.The Liberal party will continue deal with the fallout of the South Australian election over the weekend, and European Union president Ursula von der Leyen arrives in Sydney today, before addressing the federal parliament later this week. She’ll be the first female foreign leader to do so.And the government is introducing new rules for datacentres and AI – which will push companies building new developments to add to the clean energy supply and minimise water footprints.I’ve got my coffee, I hope you’ve got yours – let’s get stuck in!