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Australians with energy bill cuts on their Christmas wishlists will be eager to hear the results from a key meeting between federal, state and territory leaders.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is set to meet virtually with premiers and chief ministers for national cabinet to discuss how to ease pressures on households struggling with soaring electricity costs.
A cap on coal and gas prices and customer rebates have been flagged.
But the federal opposition warned the meeting's outcomes must not have unintended, long-term consequences.
Opposition spokesman Simon Birmingham was concerned the government's potential interventions in the market could scare investors away.
"We have to see the government's detail ... particularly when it comes to gas companies being able to drive a harder bargain without necessarily going down the path of direct regulatory intervention," he said.
"If you're creating investment uncertainty on top of that ... the government might provide something they claim as short-term relief, but it may actually result in more long-term pain."
Energy Minister Chris Bowen was confident a deal between the leaders would be reached, but wouldn't confirm whether rebates for households and businesses were on the table.
"We've been looking at our respective powers and those of states - particularly those states with black coal production which is NSW and Queensland - and talking to them about the most effective response," he said.
"We won't do anything to fuel inflation ... so anything we do will be seeking to reduce the bills before they arrive at the letterbox of the consumers."
The minister along with his state and territory counterparts have agreed to a capacity mechanism that would rely on renewable energy.
He said it was the biggest step forward towards Australia's transition to renewables.
"Let's just be very blunt and frank - coal fired power stations are going to close," Mr Bowen said.
"The task here is to ensure that new energy comes on not after coal fired power leaves, because that's too late, but before."
He said the agreement would encourage investment and create jobs in the renewables sector.
The federal budget forecast a 56 per cent increase in electricity prices and a 44 per cent rise in gas prices for households in the next two years.
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Australians seeking power price relief for Christmas will be eager to hear the outcomes from a key energy meeting between federal, state and territory leaders.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet virtually with premiers and chief ministers for national cabinet on Friday to discuss how to ease pressures on households struggling with soaring energy costs.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen is confident a deal will be reached, but wouldn't confirm whether rebates for households and businesses were on the table.
A report by The Australian said rebates would be funded by the federal government and would be issued via the state governments in exchange for NSW and Queensland capping coal prices.
Mr Bowen said he tended to ignore speculation in the papers.
"We've been looking at our respective powers and those of states - particularly those states with black coal production which is New South Wales and Queensland - and talking to them about the most effective response," he told ABC Radio on Friday.
"We won't do anything to fuel inflation ... so anything we do will be seeking to reduce the bills before they arrive at the letterbox of the consumers."
The minister, along with his state and territory counterparts on Thursday agreed to a capacity mechanism that would rely on renewable energy.
He said it was the biggest step forward towards Australia's transition to renewables.
"Let's just be very blunt and frank: coal fire power stations are going to close," Mr Bowen said.
"The task here is to ensure that new energy comes on not after coal fired power leaves, because that's too late, but before."
He said the agreement would encourage investment and create jobs in the renewables sector.
NSW Energy Minister Matt Kean said his state does not need compensation for lost coal royalties due to the coal cap but called for financial assistance to support families and businesses.
Queensland Energy Minister Mick de Brenni - whose state has been calling for compensation - said he would brief Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk before the meeting.
The October budget forecast a 56 per cent increase in electricity prices and 44 per cent rise in gas prices for households in the next two years.
National cabinet was delayed for two days and will be held virtually after Mr Albanese tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.
The leaders will discuss COVID funding arrangements for hospitals as the nation braces for another wave.
Disaster management planning is also on the agenda as the country enters a high-risk summer.
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Pat Cummins has declared that David Warner has the full support of the playing group after his public take down of the review process to have his leadership ban lifted.
Warner's situation continues to cloud the Adelaide Test, after his bombshell social media post on match eve revealing he had pulled his application to have his sanction reviewed.
In the post, Warner claimed he was acting in the best interests of both the team and his family after being furious that the independent panel wished to have his hearing play out in the public domain.
The situation then escalated further on Thursday, when Warner's manager James Erskine said players had been cleared to tamper with the ball by officials.
In an interview on SEN, Erskine said two executives had been in the changerooms after a 2016 loss to South Africa in Hobart when players were told to tamper with the ball to make it reverse swing.
A former executive who is believed to have been in the rooms at the time has contacted AAP to deny the allegation.
Cummins himself said he had not heard the Erskine comments when he did a commentary stint with Fox Sports late on Thursday night, but threw his support behind Warner.
"I chatted to Davey today and he is great," Cummins said on Fox.
"We really support Davey. He is a huge member of our side and been fantastic for me my whole career.
"In this side he has been an awesome leader, especially the past few years.
"He has our absolute support, we really back him and respect his decision."
The Test captain has also previously backed calls for Warner's leadership ban to be lifted, during a nine-month process which has now been rendered fruitless.
Teammate Marnus Labuschagne also said he had not seen a change in Warner during the days leading up to the Test or on the opening day.
While Warner's off-field situation is attracting headlines, the opener fell for 21 in Adelaide.
The left-hander's last Test century was in January 2020 against New Zealand at the SCG , having been dismissed 23 times since then.
"The thing with Davey is he's just so consistent around the group and he's so loved by the group," Labuschagne said when asked if Warner's mood had changed with the off-field drama.
"I really enjoy his company.
"I haven't really felt too much of a shift, but obviously there has been a lot on his mind."
Cummins suggested Warner's form had not got to the 36-year-old.
"Davey has been great. That's one of his biggest strengths," Cummins said.
"You don't know if he has scored a hundred or hasn't scored that day. He's the same Davey who turns up.
"He is hitting the ball beautifully in the nets and two weeks ago he hit a big hundred in the ODI format."
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Raising the age of criminal responsibility will be high on the agenda as attorneys-general from across Australia meet for the second time this year.
Federal Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus will on Friday meet with his state and territory counterparts to discuss Australia's justice system and potential areas of reforms, particularly regarding the age of criminal responsibility.
A national alliance is calling for the age to be lifted to at least 14 years old, up from 10 across Australia.
The Northern Territory recently lifted its age of criminal responsibility to 12.
Co-Chair of the First Peoples' Assembly of Victoria, Bangerang and Wiradjuri Elder, Aunty Geraldine Atkinson wrote an open letter to Victoria's Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes, urging her to raise the age.
"Ten years old, that's so young. It's like a baby to me. Our children need love and a helping hand, not to be thrown into concrete cells," she said.
A spokesman for Mr Dreyfus said the government was working closely with its partners on the issue.
"The decision by the Northern Territory to raise the age to 12 is evidence of the progress being made," they said.
"This Friday's meeting ... will also receive a progress report from the Age of Criminal Responsibility Working Group.
"This working group is paying particular attention to addressing the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the criminal justice system."
Women's Minister Katy Gallagher flagged the attorneys-general were also considering how to address problems in the justice system for sexual assault complainants.
She said the federal government should be a leader in driving reforms, while also considering important principles of the courts such as the presumption of innocence.
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