UK's Reeves is getting on with 'tough' job after upset
Reeves was speaking a day after she appeared in tears in parliament, sparking fears about her future in the job and triggering a market sell-off.
"Is this job easy? Is it easy to turn around the economy? No, it's not. It is tough, but I'm getting on with that job," Reeves told reporters on Thursday.
"During the course of this parliament, I'm determined to do more."
Reeves' tearful appearance came after a bruising week for the government when it was forced to abandon key planks of planned welfare reforms, which blew a hole in her budget plans and threatened to undermine her fiscal rules.
Starmer has given his full support to Reeves and the two appeared together at the launch of a healthcare policy on Thursday.
"Clearly I was upset yesterday and everyone could see that. It was a personal issue and I'm not going to go into the details," Reeves said.
"I guess the thing that maybe is a bit different between my job and many of your viewers, is that when I'm having a tough day, it's on the telly (TV), and most people don't have to deal with that."
Asked if she could reassure people that she was still up for the job, she said: "I totally am. This is the job that I've always wanted to do. I'm proud of what I've delivered as chancellor (finance minister)."
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West Australian
6 hours ago
- West Australian
Albanese to use a former PM John Curtin memorial speech to define Australia's sovereignty in US-Alliance
Anthony Albanese is expected to use a speech in Sydney on Saturday to draw parallels between Australia's foreign policy under his government with that of war-time PM John Curtin. Marking the 80th anniversary of the Labor leader's death, Mr Albanese will tell an address at the John Curtin Research Centre that Australia will forge its own path as a middle power in the region — just as Curtin had at the height of World War II. His speech is expected to draw on Curtin's time in office — which he will describe as 'dark days of conflict' during which the wartime PM shifted Australia's reliance on Britain to the US — forming the US Alliance. There are calls for the PM to shore up Australia's US relationship, after the Pentagon launched an AUKUS review and Donald Trump cancelled the pair's planned meeting. Mr Albanese will describe Australia's 14th prime minister, the only one born in WA, as a 'pillar of our foreign policy'. 'John Curtin is rightly honoured as the founder of Australia's alliance with the United States,' he said, in a draft version of the speech seen by The West Australian. 'Our most important defence and security partnership. And a relationship that commands bipartisan support, respect and affection in both our nations. 'Yet our Alliance with the US ought to be remembered as a product of Curtin's leadership in defence and foreign policy, not the extent of it.' In the face of global leaders, Curtin had defied requests for soldiers to travel to Burma as the Japanese military then swept South-East Asia. 'And he was locked in a battle of wills with the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill as well as the President of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt. 'Churchill wanted them in Burma – and Roosevelt backed him. 'Curtin wanted those troops for the defence of Australia. 'That's what Curtin recognised – this was a Pacific war. It was its own conflict which demanded its own strategy.' Spruiking Australia's determination to 'think and act for ourselves' he will argue the nation doesn't 'seek our inspiration overseas' but rather 'we find it right here in our people'. He's expected to outline Australia's ambitions amid an evolving environment in the Indo-Pacific, including strengthening ties with neighbouring nations and deepening economic connections. 'That's the approach our Government has taken, from day one. Rebuilding our standing as a leader and partner in the Pacific,' he will say, referring to security pacts with Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and India. 'Then – and now – we championed the rights and the role of middle powers and smaller nations.' He will also say Australia needs to 'patiently and deliberately' work to 'stabilise our relationship with China'. Mr Albanese will travel to China in August, following an invitation from President Xi Jinping before a string of other overseas trips across the Indo-Pacific this year — including Solomon Islands, Malaysia, and South Korea.
Sydney Morning Herald
10 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
With civics education, we can all become influencers
Inherent in the concept of compulsory voting is an informed understanding of the democratic process, which civic education provides (' Inquiry urges new school subject ', July 4). Voting is a sovereign right – the only way we can influence the type of society we want: our society. It is how we communicate our ideas on a good society. The course should include the Australian legal and constitutional system as well as the Democracy Index, which supports the democratic and legal framework. Understanding civics engenders love and respect for a system, a desire to protect and take it seriously and to recognise and reject disinformation and demand truth of politicians and in political advertising. Academically, civics education is a very practical example of analytical and critical thinking, a great skill for every student, and helps to avert becoming a flawed democracy like the United States. That country lacks the democratic institutions a civics education here would continue to uphold. Anne Eagar, Epping Educating our young adults in civics and parliamentary procedure is critical to ensure democracy continues to succeed. But educating our young in the actualities of representation in politics (no matter their sex), including backstabbing, power grabbing, lobbying, manipulation and self-interest, is something they should discover first themselves. Janice Creenaune, Austinmer Back in 1837, when the British passed the Electoral Reform Bill allowing a handful of men from the lower classes the vote, the call went out, 'We must educate our masters', and certainly this widening of the vote did great things for the education system. Since then, in the western world, education has become mandatory for all children, but so far this education explosion has had only mixed results electorally, as the 1933 German election ended democracy in that advanced nation for a decade. In Russia and Turkey, democracies have morphed into dictatorships, while in the US Trump won in a virtual landslide. Against this backdrop, it is great to see that our humble state parliament is considering making civics compulsory, especially for years 11 and 12. For democracy to work well, voters must understand that the right to vote implies an equal duty to cast an informed vote. Plaudits to the government for leading the way. Andrew Caro, Greenwich When many Australian high school students fail a basic civics test on how our democracy works, it's good news that the NSW and federal governments are pushing for mandatory civics classes. The deluge of misinformation on the internet now is a new barrier for kids to understand how the world works and guard against those who would sell them lies. We see the outcome of that with the rise of Trumpism, the election of a convicted felon as president of the US. It's not easy. The lie peddlers get smarter. RMIT Information Integrity Hub recently reported that Moscow now has a 'fact checker', which is really a cover for pushing Russian propaganda. But it is really the more subtle misinformation rife on social media that the likes of Trump can use, and that democracies scramble to combat. Civics classes are a good start. But only a start. Gary Barnes, Mosman From cradle to grave Making a profit fails people at their most vulnerable, first as kids via childcare centres and again with our elderly as we have become aware at aged care centres (' Relentless profit push fails our kids ', July 4). Both these types of profit-driven institutions have been allowed to flourish and expand to the detriment of our young and old, with little scrutiny. Con Vaitsas, Ashbury Mother load Your correspondent (Letters, July 4) has made a good point. Women would often prefer to stay at home and care for their own infants, but they miss out on a salary, superannuation and career advancement. A government allowance for women caring for preschoolers, perhaps by extending the term of maternity leave, would go a long way to easing those pressures. Meanwhile, most women are stuck between the rock of childcare (expensive and of questionable safety) and the hard place of the good intentions of grandparents, who are often elderly due to late childbearing for the last two generations. Stay-at-home dads are increasingly common, but reduce the family to one income. Stephanie Edwards, Leichhardt I agree with your correspondent that mothers caring for young children at home in the first two years have historically been undervalued, and it would be beneficial to consider greater financial support so that more families could opt for at-home care rather than using for-profit daycare institutions. However, my support would have been much stronger if the writer had included fathers as potential stay-at-home carers (which is an increasing trend) rather than limiting the scope to 'mothers' only and so perpetuating gender stereotype role modelling. There is some fairly credible evidence that most children have both a mother and a father. Warren Marks, Richmond (Tas) Your correspondent asks, 'Would children be better off in the first two years of life being cared for by their mothers?' Should she not have asked, 'Would children be better off in the first two years of life being cared for by their mothers and/or fathers?' John Berry, Cammeray Bad apple effect Imagine those honest and hardworking men working in childcare centres and the damage caused by a few bad apples (' Nightmare waits for childcare families ', July 4). They must be nervous, as they will be under suspicion from female colleagues, parents and authorities and will struggle to regain society's confidence. The childcare industry has severe workforce shortages; with this incident, many men will leave the industry, putting further stress on already stretched resources. New men entering the industry will be severely diminished. Many young women work in childcare centres. These women start their own families and leave their jobs or take a long absence of leave. A vicious circle of increasing childcare demands as both parents work and shortages of workforce creates more stress for all stakeholders. Also, kiddies need male teachers in childcare to understand that society is not just run by women, but men do play an important role in their development and understanding their roles. Governments at all levels must do more, quickly, with increased checks and balances in place, but don't create unmitigated disasters that will create more problems in the future. Mukul Desai, Hunters Hill Semi-Nats? When raking over the ruins of the Coalition's performance at the last election, it could be helpful to examine the Nationals' position in the partnership. It's true that the Libs could never form a government without the support of the Nats, as they claim to support rural/regional Australia and didn't lose a seat. However, they hold only 15 seats, six in Queensland, six in NSW and three in Victoria – none in any other state. Is it a bit of a stretch then to call themselves a 'National' party? Duncan McRobert, Hawks Nest Give me a PM who acts with dignity James Massola says that, after the G7 and NATO no-shows, 'all hell could break loose politically' for Anthony Albanese if Donald Trump also delays or cancels the submarines under the AUKUS deal (' Between Xi and Trump, a relaxed PM?' , July 4). I'm not so sure. I'd rather not have our prime minister behaving like yet another sycophantic toddler, running to tug at 'daddy's' trouser-leg so he'll agree to someday fill our toy box with pricey hand-me-downs. For my money, Albanese's 'all in due course' approach has an agreeable bit of dignity and backbone about it. And if that can produce political hell, people's idea of heaven certainly doesn't have much to recommend it. Adrian Connelly, Springwood Why all the fuss about the urgency of our prime minister having a meeting with America's president? Albo should just send him a text message or email, 'Hi Donald, I know you've been very busy lately, arranging peace in the Russia/Ukraine conflict and at the Middle East, bombing Iran, supporting Israel and making America great again. So, when you eventually have time, come here (Down-Under) for some talks – about scrubbing AUKUS, a new deal on Pine Gap, Exmouth and the various US military activities around Darwin and our north-west, our precious minerals, and then, tariffs. I'll advise you on our defence spending plans. Just when you're ready, Regards, Albo.' Time for us to stop grovelling and stand up as a strong, independent nation. Ken Butler, Mount Colah John Howard made 'relaxed and comfortable' his mantra in government and was in power for 11 years, and though I am not advocating that Anthony Albanese become a 'left wing' Howard, he should pursue policies to both retain the trust of the sensible centre and pursue pragmatic and progressive reform. In any event, he should be careful of thought bubbles from the impatient Left of Labor and from the likes of the irrelevant Angus Taylor. Any future meeting with Donald Trump, which while necessary eventually, should be viewed with caution given Trump's unpredictable nature and America First mentality. Albo has shown commendable restraint thus far, but eventually hard decisions have to be made, and some political capital spent. The secret is not to waste it. Max Redmayne, Drummoyne School of life for gifted Your correspondent (Letters, July 4) is spot on about selective education. I was a 'gifted' child, assessed as such by possessing a good memory and scoring well in IQ tests. This resulted in my being top of the class without effort throughout primary and opportunity school. The other result was my lifelong belief that studying was actually cheating. Naturally, I ceased to be top of the class in my selective high school and at university. At high school I think I actually had my most rounded education as a member of the cadet corps. John Flint, St Leonards Acca Dacca DAs There they go again (' Fans fret over plans for rock stars' site ', July 4). A 39-storey tower with 48 two-bedroom flats. Why is it that developers cannot incorporate three-bedroom units in their glitzy towers? You shut out so many families by neglecting this point. Why aren't authorities demanding there be three-bedroom units in all high-rise designs? And how's it going on the insulation side, both climate- and noise-wise? Have regulators got this under control yet? I wouldn't want to live in a tower like the one proposed for Burwood without knowing I won't hear what's going on above, below or beside me. This is a simple stipulation that no developer can stint on. Regulations should favour the client. After all, high-rise units are not exactly dirt cheap. Claudia Drevikovsky, Croydon I can see why Burwood Council is not happy with the new development on the birthplace of AC/DC. There simply aren't enough racing stripes compared with other apartment blocks that have been approved. Todd Hillsley, Homebush Hells Bells! That proposed building is a Touch Too Much and looks like Anything Goes. If built next to you, it would almost certainly Shake Your Foundations. The good people of Burwood need one of two things to cope with this situation: a Stiff Upper Lip, or TNT. Stephen Driscoll, Castle Hill Footy free-for-all As a non-interested bystander of male-dominated rugby league or union, that often occasions thuggish collisions causing concussions, fractured and broken body bits, eye gouging, ruptured organs and tendons and, at times, digital rape, I am gobsmacked that an eye-watering $600 million of taxpayers' money will be spent on these sports to further Australia's diplomacy in the Pacific (' Pacific rugby leaders raise alarm about NRL ', July 4). Is that what it takes? Also, won't legal and illegal gambling increase, furthering financial suffering on many? Finally, how much of this money will be spent on establishing women's teams so they, too, can equally damage themselves? Jennifer Fergus, Croydon Weight a minute ... I've been in and out of gyms most of my adult life and have seen many 'crazes' over the years (' Weight nearly over for fans of addictive fitness craze ', July 4). The one thing they all have in common is that they become obsolete rather quickly. Stick to walking and a weights program, especially as you get older – you'll look and feel better and save a lot of money. Peter Miniutti, Ashbury More the merrier There's nothing to disagree with in the many letters this week about taking up a hobby, and much to admire, but the common thread is that whatever you do, do some of it with others. Whether it's your partner, your bestie, your instructor or your fellow volunteers, it probably matters less what you do than that you do it in company. Prue Nelson, Cremorne Point Postscript This has been a different sort of week on the Letters pages. After many weeks of politics, politicians and political parties, this week's most popular story was about finding a low-cost hobby, following a story by Shona Hendley. It turns out that letter writers have many hobbies they can recommend. The usual – reading, walking and running, volunteering and sewing – but also the more unusual, such as campanology, recording audiobooks, and geocaching, which, now that you ask, turns out to be a pastime that involves hiding something and putting the GPS co-ordinates online for treasure hunters. A number of writers also claimed that writing letters to the Herald is an excellent hobby, which, of course, we endorse. Of course, there was also a lot of politics – a week without politics is like a spring without sunshine around here. First there was discussion about George Brandis telling Sussan Ley how she could be like Gough Whitlam and lead her party out of the wilderness. Writers could mostly see the point Brandis was making, but spent a lot of time explaining why this was not realistic as times had changed so much. Then came the question of why women aren't joining the Liberal Party, and the related subject of should there be quotas. Writers had scathing things to say about grumpy old men who can't see the need for quotas because they were, of course, chosen on merit; the lack of women chosen for safe seats; and how women got sick of ″bringing a plate″ and organising Miss Young Liberals competitions. As for the idea that the Liberals are considering going to the Court of Disputed Returns because Gisele Kapterian lost in Bradfield, well, don't make the letter writers laugh – but they did. Letters writers also had much to say about the reports into the Merivale companies. No one was impressed. The end of the week was discussion of what can be done about childcare. Should men be banned from work involving small children? This was almost unanimously dismissed as impractical, and an insult to men.
Sydney Morning Herald
10 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trump's big, beautiful mistake will have China licking its lips
China is betting that you cannot halt a technological steamroller or force the world to act against its own economic self-interest. Electro-tech will win in the end because it is massively more efficient. Critics of clean energy love to hurl the laws of thermodynamics at their foes, but they commit two intellectual crimes themselves: they skip over the detail that two-thirds of fossil energy is in aggregate lost to the skies in heat, while roughly 90 per cent of electric energy is used for its final function. They hide behind the fallacy of primary energy demand. How many times have you heard that 80 per cent of our energy still comes from fossils, as if that tells you anything? But when you replace a dinosaur light bulb with an LED bulb you slash energy use by 80 per cent at a stroke. When you switch from a home gas boiler to an electric heat pump powered off the British grid on an average energy mix, you also cut it by about 80 per cent. Bingo. As expected, Trump's omnibus bill guts the Inflation Reduction Act, Joe Biden's Rooseveltian bid to throw the US back into the global race for electro-tech supremacy before the window closes altogether. But it goes further. Loading It actively handicaps those new technologies that fall foul of MAGA ideology. It is not a return to the free market. It rigs the market to defend the legacy status quo, though geothermal is spared, and so is nuclear fusion. 'America's strength has always been that it lets old industries die, but now it is now blocking the Schumpeterian process of creative destruction,' said Ember's Kingsmill Bond. Market commentary has honed in on the US' spiralling debt-to-GDP ratio and the dangers of a compound interest trap, as indeed it should. The omnibus bill – a 'disgusting abomination', says Musk – sets the US on a path of fiscal deficits of 6 per cent to 7 per cent of GDP as far as the eye can see. The US Treasury relies on foreign funds to soak up this debt, and they know that Trump will force the Federal Reserve to slash rates and hold down bond yields by fiat, debasing the coinage in the manner of Henry VIII after he had exhausted his plunder from the monasteries. But there is another question for markets. It will become clearer over the next five years that 'going electric' outcompetes fossils on pure price in most activities. At what point do global investors conclude that the US is making a fatal and irreversible error? When will they judge that it no longer deserves an equity premium, and deserves a discount instead? That fundamental re-rating may not be far off. The bill eliminates tax credits for wind and solar but creates a new tax credit for coal. The federal coal royalty rate is slashed. Fees for wind and solar projects on federal land rise fivefold. The $US7500 subsidy for electric vehicles is axed. Electric vehicles (EVs) will pay a $US250 annual road charge, double what petrol cars pay through fuel tax. Old Auto will get an effective $US2000 subsidy by making car loans tax-deductible. Few EVs qualify because they fall foul of Trump's war on Chinese clean-tech components. The US Post Office has been ordered to sell its EV fleet. You get the drift. The whole thrust of the policy is vindictive. Another generation of US car buyers will be locked into old technology. By the time that is cleared, EVs will have leapt further ahead and Chinese companies like BYD will own the planet. You can take the view that there should be no subsidies, but the problem with this piety is that China already manufactures 80 per cent of the world's solar panels, 75 per cent of its batteries and 70 per cent of its EVs. The US needs turbo-charged incentives to have any hope of catching up. Wind and solar added over 90 per cent of all new power in the US over the last two years. Further projects are the only possible way to meet rising electricity demand for data centres between now and 2030, since there is a five-year supply chain blockage for new gas turbines. Every other option takes too long. Energy Innovation estimates that Trump's bill will deprive America of 340 gigawatts of power over the next decade and push up wholesale electricity prices by 74 per cent. Data centres will not be built because there won't be enough power. You could hardly find a better way to sabotage the country's AI ambitions. The United States has just dropped a big, beautiful, bunker-busting bomb on its own economy. It fritters away America's advantage in industrial costs just as China reaps a mirror-image gain from installing that much new wind and solar every year, at costs that take your breath away. BNEF says the cost of Chinese solar modules fell below 10 cents per watt last year. That is tantamount to free power. The combined 24/7 cost of solar and batteries is already the cheapest form of power for the large majority of mankind in low latitudes. Four-fifths of those people live in countries that are net importers of fossil fuels. These nations have no interest in perpetuating a dependency on oil and gas that drains their balance of payments year-in, year-out. It would be insane for them to invest in new infrastructure that locks them into this wealth loss for the next 40 years, or even to think of buying Trump's LNG at an exorbitant Asian spot price of $US11 per MMBtu. Loading They will buy Chinese solar panels, and then Chinese cars. They will go full electric. The energy trillions of the future will either go to China or those countries that carefully nurture their electrification industries. The United States has just dropped a big, beautiful, bunker-busting bomb on its own economy.
