Trade minister admits gaffe over Trump-Albanese beef talks
The opposition is calling for both a Senate inquiry and an independent scientific review of the decision to end the restrictions, which they have suggested was made to help secure a trade deal with the Trump administration.
Asked about diplomatic discussions leading up to last week's announcement, Farrell said on Sunday that: 'Of course, the president of the United States has raised it with the prime minister'.
Pressed on when Trump and Albanese had discussed the issue, Farrell told Sky News: 'I couldn't tell you off the top of my head which of the discussions, but I'm aware that this issue was raised by the president of the United States, but that will not change the way in which we conduct and examine our biosecurity issues.'
Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Michaelia Cash leapt upon Farrell's 'extraordinary' comments, saying they had raised more questions about whether the process to ease restrictions on beef imports was purely science-based.
Loading
Albanese later told the ABC's Insiders that he had not discussed the issue with Trump in any of their three phone conversations, refuting Farrell's initial claim.
'I made a mistake,' Farrell told this masthead, adding that he had confused Trump's remarks about Australian beef in the White House rose garden with a conversation between the two leaders.
Asked whether Trump had raised the issue with him, Albanese said: 'No. Donald Trump, though, did raise it at the so-called Liberation Day, of course – he raised it publicly, so his views were well-known.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News AU
35 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Dan Tehan flags gas is crucial moving forward as Coalition's net zero review could take up to a year to settle on final outcome
Shadow energy minister Dan Tehan has flagged gas as a crucial element in the Coalition's energy policy moving forward and confirmed the ongoing review into net zero could take up to a year. Net zero has become a critical issue for the Coalition, with former Nationals leaders Barnaby Joyce and Michael McCormack tabling a Private Member's Bill last week aimed at overhauling all climate related policies. Numerous Nationals and Liberal backbenchers have publicly spoken out against the controversial policy despite Liberal leader Sussan Ley touting reducing emissions as a top priority for the Coalition. Ms Ley told Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell on Thursday she wanted to develop an energy policy focussed on manufacturing while making power more affordable and also reducing emissions. As the Coalition's working group continues its review on the polarising issue, Mr Tehan, who is leading the policy review, told Sky News' Sunday Agenda that the process could take 'nine to 12 months". 'We've got to work out: okay, what will our nuclear policy be? What will our gas policy be? What will we do with state governments that continue to provide subsidies to keep coal-fired power stations going?' Mr Tehan said. The Nationals are also conducting a review to determine its position on net zero, with the process being led by vocal climate critic Senator Matt Canavan. When asked by Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell what the Coalition's approach on coal would be, Mr Tehan said the working group had a lot to consider and that gas would be an important factor moving forwards. 'We've said the first focus is going to be on gas,' Mr Tehan said. Mr Tehan reiterated he wanted the review to result in a sustainable and coherent policy position and said the Liberal and National parties needed to find common ground on the issue. He said it was vital that the two political camps 'agree on a policy moving forward" and added that another Coalition split would 'not do the cause on the centre-right of Australian politics any good whatsoever'. 'I think all of us, as individuals – all members of both the Liberal Party and the National Party – have to think very seriously about that over the next 12 to 24 months," he said.
AU Financial Review
37 minutes ago
- AU Financial Review
Roundtable must reform the super performance test
Last week, French pharmaceutical company Sanofi announced a deal worth over $1 billion to buy a biotech firm with exclusive rights to a unique vaccine technology developed by Australian scientists. This is great news. The global player will buy into Vicebio, a London-based group, which is developing vaccines for two respiratory viruses using the molecular clamp technology invented by University of Queensland professors Paul Young, Daniel Watterson and Keith Chappell.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
'Not right': Australia urged to wind back tax breaks
Australian workers could be locked out of home ownership unless property concessions are reined in, but any reform would require careful manoeuvring from the government. As the federal government seeks ways to reinvigorate the nation's languishing productivity, the Australian Council of Trade Unions has urged it to reform the tax system and make housing affordable. Tax concessions like negative gearing, which allows investors to claim deductions on losses, and the capital gains tax discount, which halves the amount of tax paid by those who sell assets owned for a year or more, have incentivised property investment and tied up capital that could otherwise be invested more productively, according to the union. "Working people can no longer afford to live near where they work and young people are locked out of the housing market and locked into high rents," ACTU secretary Sally McManus said. "It's just not right and has to change." The union has proposed limiting negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts to a single investment property, though those tax breaks would be grandfathered for five years on properties that already benefit, giving investors time to adjust. Independent economist Saul Eslake, who has spent decades advocating for the abolition of negative gearing and the capital gains discount, said the ACTU's proposal was "good policy". "One of the things about our tax system is it provides enormous incentives for people to invest in residential property - not so much in building more of it but in speculating that its price will go up," he told AAP. But reforms to property tax concessions have historically been political kryptonite for Labor. A previous proposal to limit negative gearing contributed to the party's narrow defeat at the 2019 election, which may not come as a surprise given about one in five taxpayers have at least one investment property and about half of them are negatively geared, Australian Taxation Office statistics have found. While Labor won the May election in a landslide victory, Australian political orthodoxy would suggest the government may not do much with its margin and instead seek to argue for an expansive mandate at the 2028 contest when it will be prepared to take some flack. "There's a lot of votes at risk," Mr Eslake said. "But what's the point of having political capital, if you're not prepared to spend it?" Treasurer Jim Chalmers appears keen to break from the political orthodoxy in pursuit of major tax reforms. However, this will come at a cost, Mr Eslake said. Australia's last big tax reform - the introduction of the GST - came during a time when the Howard government had maintained a significant surplus that could be drawn down on to ensure everyone was better off. The current government is staring down a decade of deficit, which means some people will have to be worse off. "(But) the government can afford to alienate people who would never vote for it in the first place," Mr Eslake said. He says this is the implicit attitude behind such Labor policies as its proposal to lift taxes on super balances above $3 million from 15 per cent to 30 per cent, which will impact about 0.5 per cent of savers. Dr Chalmers will convene a roundtable later in August that will focus on lifting living standards by improving productivity, building resilience and strengthening the budget. The union has also urged the government to implement a minimum 25 per cent tax rate for individuals who earn more than $1 million and a cap on the Fuel Tax Credit Scheme for big business to ensure companies cannot claim more than $20 million in those credits. But the Business Council of Australia has hit back, calling the proposals "ad hoc tax grabs". "You don't fix Australia's lagging productivity and investment by taxing businesses more and making Australia less competitive," chief executive Bran Black said. Australian workers could be locked out of home ownership unless property concessions are reined in, but any reform would require careful manoeuvring from the government. As the federal government seeks ways to reinvigorate the nation's languishing productivity, the Australian Council of Trade Unions has urged it to reform the tax system and make housing affordable. Tax concessions like negative gearing, which allows investors to claim deductions on losses, and the capital gains tax discount, which halves the amount of tax paid by those who sell assets owned for a year or more, have incentivised property investment and tied up capital that could otherwise be invested more productively, according to the union. "Working people can no longer afford to live near where they work and young people are locked out of the housing market and locked into high rents," ACTU secretary Sally McManus said. "It's just not right and has to change." The union has proposed limiting negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts to a single investment property, though those tax breaks would be grandfathered for five years on properties that already benefit, giving investors time to adjust. Independent economist Saul Eslake, who has spent decades advocating for the abolition of negative gearing and the capital gains discount, said the ACTU's proposal was "good policy". "One of the things about our tax system is it provides enormous incentives for people to invest in residential property - not so much in building more of it but in speculating that its price will go up," he told AAP. But reforms to property tax concessions have historically been political kryptonite for Labor. A previous proposal to limit negative gearing contributed to the party's narrow defeat at the 2019 election, which may not come as a surprise given about one in five taxpayers have at least one investment property and about half of them are negatively geared, Australian Taxation Office statistics have found. While Labor won the May election in a landslide victory, Australian political orthodoxy would suggest the government may not do much with its margin and instead seek to argue for an expansive mandate at the 2028 contest when it will be prepared to take some flack. "There's a lot of votes at risk," Mr Eslake said. "But what's the point of having political capital, if you're not prepared to spend it?" Treasurer Jim Chalmers appears keen to break from the political orthodoxy in pursuit of major tax reforms. However, this will come at a cost, Mr Eslake said. Australia's last big tax reform - the introduction of the GST - came during a time when the Howard government had maintained a significant surplus that could be drawn down on to ensure everyone was better off. The current government is staring down a decade of deficit, which means some people will have to be worse off. "(But) the government can afford to alienate people who would never vote for it in the first place," Mr Eslake said. He says this is the implicit attitude behind such Labor policies as its proposal to lift taxes on super balances above $3 million from 15 per cent to 30 per cent, which will impact about 0.5 per cent of savers. Dr Chalmers will convene a roundtable later in August that will focus on lifting living standards by improving productivity, building resilience and strengthening the budget. The union has also urged the government to implement a minimum 25 per cent tax rate for individuals who earn more than $1 million and a cap on the Fuel Tax Credit Scheme for big business to ensure companies cannot claim more than $20 million in those credits. But the Business Council of Australia has hit back, calling the proposals "ad hoc tax grabs". "You don't fix Australia's lagging productivity and investment by taxing businesses more and making Australia less competitive," chief executive Bran Black said. Australian workers could be locked out of home ownership unless property concessions are reined in, but any reform would require careful manoeuvring from the government. As the federal government seeks ways to reinvigorate the nation's languishing productivity, the Australian Council of Trade Unions has urged it to reform the tax system and make housing affordable. Tax concessions like negative gearing, which allows investors to claim deductions on losses, and the capital gains tax discount, which halves the amount of tax paid by those who sell assets owned for a year or more, have incentivised property investment and tied up capital that could otherwise be invested more productively, according to the union. "Working people can no longer afford to live near where they work and young people are locked out of the housing market and locked into high rents," ACTU secretary Sally McManus said. "It's just not right and has to change." The union has proposed limiting negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts to a single investment property, though those tax breaks would be grandfathered for five years on properties that already benefit, giving investors time to adjust. Independent economist Saul Eslake, who has spent decades advocating for the abolition of negative gearing and the capital gains discount, said the ACTU's proposal was "good policy". "One of the things about our tax system is it provides enormous incentives for people to invest in residential property - not so much in building more of it but in speculating that its price will go up," he told AAP. But reforms to property tax concessions have historically been political kryptonite for Labor. A previous proposal to limit negative gearing contributed to the party's narrow defeat at the 2019 election, which may not come as a surprise given about one in five taxpayers have at least one investment property and about half of them are negatively geared, Australian Taxation Office statistics have found. While Labor won the May election in a landslide victory, Australian political orthodoxy would suggest the government may not do much with its margin and instead seek to argue for an expansive mandate at the 2028 contest when it will be prepared to take some flack. "There's a lot of votes at risk," Mr Eslake said. "But what's the point of having political capital, if you're not prepared to spend it?" Treasurer Jim Chalmers appears keen to break from the political orthodoxy in pursuit of major tax reforms. However, this will come at a cost, Mr Eslake said. Australia's last big tax reform - the introduction of the GST - came during a time when the Howard government had maintained a significant surplus that could be drawn down on to ensure everyone was better off. The current government is staring down a decade of deficit, which means some people will have to be worse off. "(But) the government can afford to alienate people who would never vote for it in the first place," Mr Eslake said. He says this is the implicit attitude behind such Labor policies as its proposal to lift taxes on super balances above $3 million from 15 per cent to 30 per cent, which will impact about 0.5 per cent of savers. Dr Chalmers will convene a roundtable later in August that will focus on lifting living standards by improving productivity, building resilience and strengthening the budget. The union has also urged the government to implement a minimum 25 per cent tax rate for individuals who earn more than $1 million and a cap on the Fuel Tax Credit Scheme for big business to ensure companies cannot claim more than $20 million in those credits. But the Business Council of Australia has hit back, calling the proposals "ad hoc tax grabs". "You don't fix Australia's lagging productivity and investment by taxing businesses more and making Australia less competitive," chief executive Bran Black said. Australian workers could be locked out of home ownership unless property concessions are reined in, but any reform would require careful manoeuvring from the government. As the federal government seeks ways to reinvigorate the nation's languishing productivity, the Australian Council of Trade Unions has urged it to reform the tax system and make housing affordable. Tax concessions like negative gearing, which allows investors to claim deductions on losses, and the capital gains tax discount, which halves the amount of tax paid by those who sell assets owned for a year or more, have incentivised property investment and tied up capital that could otherwise be invested more productively, according to the union. "Working people can no longer afford to live near where they work and young people are locked out of the housing market and locked into high rents," ACTU secretary Sally McManus said. "It's just not right and has to change." The union has proposed limiting negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts to a single investment property, though those tax breaks would be grandfathered for five years on properties that already benefit, giving investors time to adjust. Independent economist Saul Eslake, who has spent decades advocating for the abolition of negative gearing and the capital gains discount, said the ACTU's proposal was "good policy". "One of the things about our tax system is it provides enormous incentives for people to invest in residential property - not so much in building more of it but in speculating that its price will go up," he told AAP. But reforms to property tax concessions have historically been political kryptonite for Labor. A previous proposal to limit negative gearing contributed to the party's narrow defeat at the 2019 election, which may not come as a surprise given about one in five taxpayers have at least one investment property and about half of them are negatively geared, Australian Taxation Office statistics have found. While Labor won the May election in a landslide victory, Australian political orthodoxy would suggest the government may not do much with its margin and instead seek to argue for an expansive mandate at the 2028 contest when it will be prepared to take some flack. "There's a lot of votes at risk," Mr Eslake said. "But what's the point of having political capital, if you're not prepared to spend it?" Treasurer Jim Chalmers appears keen to break from the political orthodoxy in pursuit of major tax reforms. However, this will come at a cost, Mr Eslake said. Australia's last big tax reform - the introduction of the GST - came during a time when the Howard government had maintained a significant surplus that could be drawn down on to ensure everyone was better off. The current government is staring down a decade of deficit, which means some people will have to be worse off. "(But) the government can afford to alienate people who would never vote for it in the first place," Mr Eslake said. He says this is the implicit attitude behind such Labor policies as its proposal to lift taxes on super balances above $3 million from 15 per cent to 30 per cent, which will impact about 0.5 per cent of savers. Dr Chalmers will convene a roundtable later in August that will focus on lifting living standards by improving productivity, building resilience and strengthening the budget. The union has also urged the government to implement a minimum 25 per cent tax rate for individuals who earn more than $1 million and a cap on the Fuel Tax Credit Scheme for big business to ensure companies cannot claim more than $20 million in those credits. But the Business Council of Australia has hit back, calling the proposals "ad hoc tax grabs". "You don't fix Australia's lagging productivity and investment by taxing businesses more and making Australia less competitive," chief executive Bran Black said.
