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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen are attending a pre-COP meeting in Fiji today. The multi-day United Nations event precedes next month’s main conference and includes high-level climate talks. Assistant Minister Julian Hill highlighted that legal tobacco sales in Queensland increased by 55% after new enforcement laws took effect, showing the effectiveness of stronger regulations against illicit tobacco sales.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-04,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia traveled to Fiji on Monday for a Pre-COP meeting, joining Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen. The event aims to discuss climate change with Pacific nations but may feel like a routine chore amid other pressing issues. While climate remains crucial globally, it has slipped down the public agenda in recent months. Meanwhile, interest rates in Australia were recently corrected by 0.1%, adding financial stress for many citizens. Additionally, Assistant Minister Julian Hill highlighted a 55% increase in legal tobacco sales in Queensland following new enforcement laws, emphasizing the effectiveness of stronger regulations against illicit tobacco trade.
Written for “Albanese Climate Talks” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but none of the 2 quote(s) it offered could be found in the article text, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 56115: no verified evidence · logged 2026-10-04
Albanese heads to pre-COP meeting in Fiji
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will attend a pre-COP meeting in Fiji today with Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen.
asserted
Albanese → head → Bowen
Submit a comment or question
Live updates
Assistant minister highlights figures showing rise in legal tobacco sales
Assistant Minister Julian Hill has seized on figures showing legal tobacco sales rose 55 per cent in Queensland following stronger enforcement.
The state's sales rose 55 per cent in the first month after new enforcement laws took effect in November and remained 40 to 45 per cent above previous levels for the following six months.
Federal Labor has been under pressure to reduce the tobacco excise after the Coalition and One Nation pledged to drastically reduce the tax.
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Coalition → submit → tax
Speaking to ABC Radio National Breakfast, Hill says strong licencing laws, tougher penalties, long-term closure orders and landlord penalties is effective in tackling illicit tobacco.
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laws → speak → tobacco
We're not going to surrender our health policy to these people," Hill says.
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Hill → go → people
"Imagine a world where you wiped out all tobacco excise, the illegal cigarettes are still cheaper.
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cigarettes → imagine → excise
You still have to go after the crooks and shut the shop and disrupt the criminal syndicates.
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You → have → syndicates
"
Joyce points to China's construction of coal-fired power stations
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce says his party would would use taxpayer money to build new coal-fired power stations in Australia.
Speaking to Channel Seven, Joyce has pointed to China as an example for building new coal-fired power stations.
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Joyce → point → stations
"You'd have to look at what they're doing in China.
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they → have → China
They just roll them basically off the plans," Joyce says
"If you if you go to build something that's first of type, you're going to pay a lot more money than if you build something that's more affordable."
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that → roll → something
But Labor MP Josh Burns has called the plan "mad" and has accused Joyce of wearing a "tinfoil hat".
"Our productivity of Australia is something that's so important, right?
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that → call → Australia
We need to make sure we're producing more.
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we → need → more
And the idea that we would go back and take away all of the science based renewable energy projects is just mad," Burns says.
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Burns → go → projects
Pre-COP kicks off today in Fiji
Bula from warm and humid Fiji 🌴🍹
Pre-COP is kicking off today and I'll be your eyes and ears on the ground, bringing you everything you need to know over coming days.
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you → kick → days
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen are set to attend.
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Albanese → set → ?
Pre-COP is a multi-day United Nations event featuring high-level climate talks, ahead of next month's main conference.
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COP → feature → conference
You might recall that Australia handed hosting rights for COP31 to Türkiye in exchange for Bowen becoming President of Negotiations.
The deal also meant a lead-up event would be held in Fiji and Tuvalu, which is why we're here!
uncertain
we → recall → Fiji
You can read more about the event as well as the pressure that's being applied to Australia to stop expanding coal and gas projects in the link below.
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that → read → link
It's great to have you join us here early this Monday morning.
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you → have → us
I'm Josh Boscaini joining you live from Parliament House in Canberra, here and ready to bring you all of today's federal politics news.
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I → join → news
The PM and climate change minister are off to pre-COP in Fiji today ahead of next month's main conference.
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PM → pre → conference
Otherwise, let's get this show on the road!
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show → let → road
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