Australian news and politics live: Jim Chalmers says AI can be ‘force for good’ but remains aware of risks

That’s a wrap on todays live coverage of Australian news and politics.

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China does not interfere with other countries, a state-controlled newspaper has claimed, after a woman was alleged to have been sent by Beijing to spy on a Canberra Buddhist group.

The alleged agent, a permanent resident of Australia, is accused of covertly collecting information about an association banned in China, the Australian Federal Police said.

The AFP alleges the woman, who is also an Australian permanent resident, was tasked by China’s Public Security Bureau to covertly gather information about the Canberra branch of Guan Yin Citta, a Buddhist association.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said overnight his government was “not familiar with the specifics” of the case.

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“What I would love is for the Prime Minister to come out and say, ‘I support the National Anti-Racism Framework and my government is going to fund the recommendations in it,’” he said.

“What we have right now is ad hoc, piecemeal responses. Some levels of government don’t even want to use the word ‘racism’ they prefer euphemisms like ‘social cohesion’.

But you’ve got to name the beast to slay it.”

Asked whether confusion surrounding the weekend’s Sydney protest was an example of institutional racism, Mr Sivaraman said he didn’t know the specifics but welcomed the fact that the protest had been allowed to proceed following due legal process.

As for the federal government’s response to the framework so far?

“We’re considering it,” is all he’s been told.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Race Discrimination Commissioner Giridharan Sivaraman marked the 50th anniversary of the Racial Discrimination Act with a call to modernise it for today’s challenges.

While the Act laid the foundation for anti-discrimination laws in Australia, he argued it has not kept pace with the times. Structural racism, particularly in legal and justice systems, still persists, and the burden to seek justice often falls on those least resourced to bear it.

The Commissioner is urging lawmakers to introduce a “positive duty” into the RDA, a legal requirement for employers and institutions to actively prevent racism, rather than respond only after harm has occurred.

Similar obligations have already been added to sexual harassment laws and, as Mr Sivaraman put it, businesses have adapted.

“This isn’t about anyone giving anything up,” he said.

“It’s about all of us gaining more.”

The Opposition is calling on Tony Burke to explain how he rejects visas after the border chief revealed he has blocked dozens of visas to protect “social cohesion”.

Mr Burke holds a suite of powerful portfolios in the Albanese government, including home affairs and immigration.

This gives him direct oversight of intelligence and policing concerns, as well as the means to curb foreign threats, such as by knocking back visa applications.

Mr Burke would not be drawn on how many visas he had rejected in an interview with the Australian Financial Review, but said it was “in (the) order” of dozens

But his opposition counterpart Andrew Hastie said on Wednesday he worries Mr Burke is too liberal with his power.

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Sussan Ley also addressed the Productivity Commission’s recommendations about AI, saying she doesn’t want to see copyright and other laws changed to give free rein to big tech companies.

“It is not appropriate for big tech to steal the work of Australian artists, musicians, creators, news media, journalism and use it for their own ends without paying for it,” she says.

“AI’s important, we should embrace the technology with respect to AI, but we have to get the balance right.”

She accused the Government of using “wishy-washy language” about protecting Australian content and creative work.

“What we can’t have is a government that steps to the side and says it’s all too hard, or we can’t make it work,” she says.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley is speaking to media at Moorabbin Airport, in Melbourne’s southeast, but her message is to Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

She says it’s looking increasingly like the economic reform roundtable in a couple of weeks’ time will be used as cover to increase taxes.

“Productivity is not about raising taxes, Treasurer,” she says.

“Productivity is about innovation, it’s about growth, it’s about incentives.”

Tasmanian Governor Barbara Baker has reappointed Jeremy Rockliff as Premier after he formally asked for his government to be recommissioned, following a snap election that did not deliver either main party a majority.

However, he will now have to test his numbers in parliament.

“In a hung parliament, where no one clearly holds the confidence of the majority of the House of Assembly, the incumbent has the right to remain in office in order to test the numbers in the House of Assembly and for Parliament to have the final say in who should be Premier,” Ms Baker said.

“I consider the convention of incumbency applies in the current circumstances. I shall reappoint the Premier.

“It is better for confidence to be determined inside and not outside the Parliament. This will be done promptly, as the Premier will face the Parliament when it is recalled on Tuesday 19 August 2025.”

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One-time Labor leader Mark Latham has narrowly avoided being condemned by his colleagues in state parliament, but he’s still in political hot water.

Mr Latham has been embroiled in several scandals, including taking photos of women MPs without their knowledge, for which he has already apologised.

But on late Tuesday, when the NSW Parliament resumed sitting, he fended off a government-led censure motion after Labor called for an immediate vote.

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Dr Chalmers is asked to respond to concerns by arts bodies over the Productivity Commission’s recommendations that copyright rules be relaxed to enable data mining to train AI models.

This is an issue that Industry Minister Tim Ayres is looking at more closely and the Government would keep engaging with concerned parties to get it right, he said.

He refers to Senator Ayres’ comments on ABC this morning, that our copyright laws apply now already, which is one of the differences between the Australian regime and other jurisdictions.

“So there’s no ambiguity about that. Australian law, whether it’s criminal law or civil law, applies now,” he said, but adds that the Government’s focus is on how AI impacts the workplace and not working up ways to change the copyright regime.