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Sky News AU
33 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ‘not worried' about relationship with US President Donald Trump despite tariff deadlock and diplomatic snub
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has downplayed concerns over the strength of the US-Australia alliance, saying he is 'not worried' about relations with President Donald Trump. The comments come after President Trump abruptly cancelled their G7 meeting and did not make a phone call to Mr Albanese afterward, despite contacting other world leaders. Mr Albanese has since been urged to reschedule the meeting in order to negotiate in the national interest, including on trade tariffs, defence spending and the AUKUS pact. Speaking at Sky News' Australia's Economic Outlook forum on Friday, he insisted that a meeting with President Trump would take place before the end of the year. 'Well of course we will have meetings, there will be a range of meetings between now and the end of the year with President Trump,' he said. Mr Albanese said he was not concerned after asked whether it was impolite that President Trump did not call him following the cancelled meeting, 'I'm not worried by someone making an understandable decision, which he did, to return to Washington,' Mr Albanese said. No tariff exemption on the horizon Mr Albanese conceded that Australia would likely not get any exemption from President Trump's universal 10 per cent tariff rate on all goods exported to the US. 'We will continue to put our case… but bear in mind that during the first Trump administration, it took some period of time for change to occur then as well,' he said. He defended the government's approach, insisting Australia was being constructive in its engagement, despite President Trump's enthusiasm for protectionism. 'You know, when negotiating with (him)… he has said that there's no more beautiful word in the English language than 'tariff',' Mr Albanese said. 'Now, we have a different view. That wouldn't be in my top million of words.' The Prime Minister said he raised the issue with senior figures at the G7 summit, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Foreign Minister Penny Wong also held talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, but no exemption was made. AUKUS tensions surface The Prime Minister also brushed aside concerns that President Trump could 'pull the rug' on the $368 billion AUKUS submarine pact, after the Pentagon announced a review. The US department of defence revealed recently it would review the AUKUS alliance to ensure it fit in with an 'America First' agenda. 'Look, AUKUS is a good deal for Australia and it's a good deal for the United States. We are contributing to the industrial capacity in the United States right now,' Mr Albanese said. 'President Trump has said nothing negative about AUKUS, nor have other people, including (Secretary of State) Marco Rubio.' However, tensions have emerged since the US launched strikes against Iran in mid-June, with both Australia and the UK adopting somewhat ambiguous responses. Mr Albanese waited 24 hours before offering support and initially released only a short statement calling for 'dialogue and de-escalation'. The delay sparked criticism from opposition figures in Australia, and the UK Labour government faced similar backlash for not supporting the US military action outright. Rudd not to blame, says PM Mr Albanese also dismissed speculation that former prime minister and current ambassador to Washington Kevin Rudd was contributing to frosty personal ties with President Trump. Mr Rudd has previously labelled Trump a 'traitor to the West' and a 'village idiot', leading to reports that the US President was not fond of him. 'The connections that Kevin Rudd has… no one could doubt his capacity, his hard work, his ability to work strongly,' Mr Albanese said. 'The discussions that I've had have been very positive. Nothing but positive comments have been made to me.' Optimism for the 'Australian way' Despite the lack of a formal meeting, Mr Albanese said he remained optimistic about the relationship and expected a face-to-face engagement would occur by the end of the year. Mr Albanese may use the UN General Assembly in New York as the best opportunity to secure a rescheduled face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump. He said, in the meantime, political commentators need to 'talk Australia up' and show support for the government. 'We're getting on with things and we need to, I think, talk Australia up—about what we contribute in defence and security.'
Man of Many
34 minutes ago
- Man of Many
Feel-Good Friday: Chicken and Donuts and Coffee, Oh My!
By Dean Blake - News Published: 13 Jun 2025 |Last Updated: 12 Jun 2025 Share Copy Link Readtime: 8 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Welcome to another Feel-Good Friday, where the vibes are free and so is the chicken. This week, we're highlighting Hoodies for Homelessness, a damn good initiative to help clothe young people stuck on our streets, as well as directions to a couple places to get a free meal this weekend. Plus, if you've ever wanted to know what a 'reverse cloakroom' is, now's your chance. Welcome to Feel-Good Friday! Melbourne Streetwear Brand HoMie Launches Hoodies for Homelessness | Image: HoMie Melbourne Streetwear Brand HoMie Launches Hoodies for Homelessness To quote Game of Thrones, winter is coming and while that might spark images of snuggling up by the heater and wrapping yourself in blankets, spare a thought for those doing it tough. Recent studies have shown that more than 122,000 Australians are without a home, and over a quarter of them are under 25. Youth unemployment is twice the national average, rents have surged 54 per cent since 2020, and Youth Allowance sits at just $47 a day. For young people who experience youth homelessness, the challenges of finding meaningful employment, a warm place to stay and a safe domicile are becoming increasingly complex. It's something that Marcus Crook, co-founder of streetwear label and social enterprise HoMie is looking to change. The Melbourne-based creative has just launched its 2025 Hoodies for Homelessness campaign, combining streetwear and social impact with a limerick that's stumping the nation: 'How much good could a good hood do, if a good hood could do good?' For every limited-edition hoodie sold, HoMie's principal partner, Champion, will donate another to a young person affected by homelessness or hardship. 'At HoMie, our hoodies do good,' Crook said. 'We've seen over the last decade that employment really does have the potential to break the cycle of homelessness. Paid work builds confidence and connections, and that's what Hoodies For Homelessness is all about, everyone coming together to build a brighter future for the young people in our community.' Since launching in 2022, Hoodies for Homelessness has sold over 7,000 hoodies raising over $772,000 to support HoMie's youth employment programs. Each year, the campaign has grown in scale and impact, not only putting warm hoodies on the backs of young people, but creating paid job opportunities and long-term pathways out of homelessness. This year's collection features bold hoodie designs in green, blue, and white marle, available from May 31 until June 14, 2025. Supporters are encouraged to join in the fun by filming themselves reciting the tongue-twister – 'How much good could a good hood do, if a good hood could do good?' – and posting it on social media, tagging @ The tongue twister isn't just a verbal challenge; it aims to spark vital conversations about the reality of youth homelessness during one of the toughest times to be young and without stable housing. Pappa Flock | Image: Pappa Flock Pappa Flock is Giving Away Free Chicken Tendies We're a big fan of fried chicken here at Man of Many—Monday Munchies should attest to that already—and now you can go get some of our favourite chicken for free: Sydney-based Pappa Flock's is opening its 9th store this Saturday, 14 June at Marrickville, and every person in line before midday is getting a free Flock Box voucher. The Flock Box is made up of three chicken tenders (either classic or spicy), along with seasoned chips, buttery toast, some tangy signature sauce, and a regular drink. We've tried it, it's delicious. Plus, the voucher technically doesn't expire for an entire year, so if you wanted to jump in line at 11:55, get the voucher and bounce that's fine too. If that wasn't enough, the first 50 customers of the day will get their hands on exclusive, limited-edition Pappa Flock merchandise, like a football jersey designed by local artist and ex-Mambo art director Brent Smith. If you'd prefer to head in on Sunday, you'll be able to get your hands on a free lemonade with any meal purchase (until they run out), so you're set for freebies throughout the whole weekend. Alpine Hypercar driver Ferdinand Habsburg for Mary's Meals Image: Supplied Austrian Motorsport Royalty Takes on Le Mans for a Good Cause Ahead of the iconic endurance spectacle Le Mans, Alpine Hypercar driver Ferdinand Habsburg has announced a new partnership that is set to drive serious change. The Austrian star has teamed up with international charity Mary's Meals to launch 'Race for Meals', a unique fundraising campaign that transforms every lap of the 2025 24 Hours of Le Mans into an opportunity to fight child hunger. 'This campaign is a way for me to give back while doing what I love,' Habsburg said. 'It's more than a race. It's a chance to make every lap count for something far greater.' A hunger solution charity, Mary's Meals provides life-changing daily meals to children in the world's poorest communities. According to the organisation, a donation of just €22 is enough to feed a child for an entire school year, but with the help of Ferdinand, who won Le Mans in 2021, Mary's Meals is hoping to raise much more than that. Through this campaign, fans and supporters can sponsor each lap Ferdinand and the #35 Alpine crew complete at Le Mans, turning race distance into hope. An anonymous sponsor has already pledged to match all donations, doubling the number of children who can be fed through this initiative, while French cosmetic brand Clarins Group has committed to contributing an additional €22 for every lap completed. This means that for every single lap Ferdinand and the #35 crew drive, three children will receive meals for a full year. Best of all, Ferdinand has pledged to donate his winner's bonus should he claim victory again this year. 'Of all of the causes in the world to fight for, bringing food to starving children whilst also educating them seems to me the first and most urgent need to conquer. It is a mission everyone can get behind, it is not only important but also unifies us,' Ferdinand said. 'It is our individual responsibility to help others when we can. Time in motorsport is limited, but we have a platform. It's up to us to know what to do with our responsibility.' To find out more about Ferdinand's partnership with Mary's Meals, or to donate yourself, visit the website below and tune in. You can donate €22 per lap to sponsor a child's meals for a year and track Ferdinand's progress live during the race. A counter on the official campaign site will show how many laps have been completed and how many children have been sponsored. In last year's race, the winning car completed 311 laps, which would be the equivalent of over 900 children fed, thanks to matched donations. Mary's x Coffee Supreme x Grumpy Donuts | Image: Tom Wilkinson / Supplied Mary's XV Goes Full Brekkie-Mode Next Week If chicken tendies aren't your thing, maybe some delicious breakfast is more up your alley? Our friends over at Mary's Victoria Cross, North Sydney, are delivering an absolutely banging brekkie pop-up all through next week: with breakfast sandwiches, brekkie burgers, stacked hotcakes, and, of course, coffee on display. Plus, Mary's is teaming up with Grumpy Donuts and Coffee Supreme to offer a $5 coffee + donut combo, with the first 50 people to order each weekday getting their coffee and donut free. But the fun doesn't end on Friday, with a special weekend menu kicking off with bottomless mimosas and bloody marys, cinnamon donut french toast with soft serve, and breakfast cereal-themed thick-shakes, such as Coco Pops, Milo, and Fruit Loops. My mouth is watering just writing this stuff out. The 'Wake the Hell Up' breakfast pop-up kicks off on Monday, 16 June, and runs through Sunday, 22 June. Espolòn's Reverse Cloakroom | Image: Supplied Sip and Swap in Style at Espolòn's Reverse Cloakroom Split across both Sydney and Melbourne, Espolòn Tequila is partnering with Second Life Markets to bring cocktail culture and vintage fashion together in it's 'Reverse Cloakroom' activations. Essentially, you're tasked with heading to a particular venue on particular days (more details below), where you'll order an Espolòn Tequila cocktail and be given a randomly-numbered cloakroom ticket. That ticket can be used to redeem a 'one-of-a-kind vintage' piece of clothing, provided by Second Life Markets. The Lord Gladstone in Chippendale is hosting the event in Sydney across the 15, 26, and 27 June, while Melbourne's Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy is playing host to the reverse cloakroom on 22 and 29 June, as well as 6 July. Plus, you'll be able to take in a full program of Boiler Room-style DJ sets at each venue, so even if you don't get the vintage silk scarf you were hoping for you can still get your boogie on.
ABC News
36 minutes ago
- ABC News
WA screen industry workers call on government to enforce 'buy local' policy
Tourism WA is working on the next phase of its push to sell the state as a premium holiday destination, but an east coast-based director and production company will be used for part of the work. Mark Braddock, a board member of IN:WA, which represents 40 creative production companies in the state, says it is always frustrating when local firms miss out on state government work. "For us, it's all about keeping taxpayers' money in the state and building out a production ecosystem that allows the state to service the government's policy commitments through Diversify WA and their buy local policy, and the investment they're making in Creative WA strategy," he said. Mr Braddock said the government was making a big investment in new film studios in Malaga, but private commercial work such as government ad campaigns was vital to sustain the local workforce. "At the moment, our local production companies are really struggling," he said. "[WA government agencies] are the biggest client for us in the state. A state government spokesperson said local company The Brand Agency had been chosen to lead the development and production of the Tourism WA campaign. The firm assessed more than 50 suppliers, including ones from WA, for their experience and ability to deliver value for money for the taxpayer-funded campaign. "Unfortunately, while a local production company and director were shortlisted, the cost identified was prohibitively higher than the chosen option," the spokesperson told ABC Radio Perth. But Premier Roger Cook acknowledged the screen industry's concerns and said he was disappointed a local production company was not selected. "We know that in WA we've got some great production crews and I'm sure that work could have been undertaken in Western Australia," he said. "I can't see a need to export that sort of work." Mr Cook's support was welcomed by Perth-based camera assistant Arthur Bienkowski, who has worked as a camera assistant for 15 years. Mr Bienkowski said he had regularly seen WA workers miss out and that he would like to see the state government's "buy local" policy more strictly enforced. "There are good productions where they do engage locals and they try their hardest to support the local industry," he said. "And it's cost-effective for them to do so — historically, our rates are actually a lot lower than on the east coast, and yet our proficiency is quite high. "Then there's others where they maybe take the easy route and employ someone they know and work with all the time rather than taking a risk on someone they don't from here. Mr Bienkowski recently finished work on a Bruce Beresford film called The Travellers that was shot entirely in Western Australia and said the feedback for the local production workers was positive. "They used as many locals as they possibly could," he said. "Towards the end of the shoot Bruce Beresford and his longtime cinematographer Peter James, who was my direct boss on that job, said that the local crew were as good as any crew they've ever worked with, and they used the words 'world class.'" Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance representative John Fairhead said the union had been advocating for more stringent employment requirements on government projects for years. "Historically the TVC [television commercial] sector is what has kept us going," he said. "TVCs support freelancers in between long-form productions." Mr Bienkowski said working on TV commercials also supported the professional development of film crews, which would be needed for the expected expansion of the sector. Perth Film Studios, which have been financed by the state government at a cost of more than $200 million, are expected to open at Malaga next year and create hundreds of jobs. "It's a no-brainer if you're the state government — [TV ad campaigns] should be going back into the industry here," Mr Bienkowski said. The Brand Agency declined a request to comment.
