Planet America: Weekend Edition (Friday 27/6/2025)
NEW EPISODE
Politics
Talk & Interview
Thought-Provoking
Watch
Article share options Share this on Facebook
Twitter Send this by Email
Copy link
Messenger
Coming to you from the Situation Room, John Barron and Chas Licciardello cut through the spin as they discuss the people, policies and politics from the week in Donald Trump's second term in the White House.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AU Financial Review
5 hours ago
- AU Financial Review
Trump's lawsuit against Murdoch ruptures bond that shaped the US right
As Rupert Murdoch settled into Donald Trump's luxury box to watch Chelsea's victory in the Club World Cup last Sunday, all appeared well with a relationship that has shaped conservative America for more than a decade. But within hours the US president would call on the billionaire again, this time with demands to not publish an embarrassing letter allegedly from Trump in the 50th birthday scrapbook for Jeffrey Epstein, the paedophile who would later die by suicide in jail.
AU Financial Review
6 hours ago
- AU Financial Review
Trade stand-off continues as US drug tariffs loom
Australia's pharmaceutical benefits scheme is not up for negotiation, says the federal government in the face of ramped-up US threats to triple the price of foreign medicines. In a continuation of his erratic approach to trade policy, President Donald Trump says taxes on drug imports could be announced as soon as the end of the month, with eventual tariff rates of up to 200 per cent. 'We're going to start off with a low tariff and give the pharmaceutical companies a year or so to build, and then we're going to make it a very high tariff,' Trump said. Australia's Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, under which the government negotiates medicine prices with manufacturers before subsidising them for patients, is reportedly in the crosshairs of US pharmaceutical companies lobbying the White House. The Albanese government has flatly refused any negotiation on the PBS. 'Obviously, they are being lobbied, as other US presidents have been for many years by the US big pharma industry, which wants not just Australia's scheme but other schemes like it around the world ... they want that freed up,' federal health minister Mark Butler said on Wednesday. 'They want to see their profits increased. That's been the case for decades and decades.' The PBS is crucial to ensure equitable and affordable access to medicines, according to Royal Australian College of GPs president Michael Wright. 'We should be proud of the prime minister and treasurer's steadfast support for maintaining the PBS, regardless of external pressure.' But complaints about such pricing schemes are common across the industry and include Australian medicine manufacturers, says Melbourne University research fellow Joe Carrello. 'They argue the increasing costs it takes to investigate and run trials and bring a new drug to market aren't keeping up with what the return is, given what the government is willing to pay,' Dr Carrello said. Dr Carrello, who helps evaluate medicines proposed for the PBS after their approval by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, said there could be consequences to a relatively small market like Australia negotiating such lean prices. 'The fear is some US companies may decide against launching new drugs in Australia because comparatively, they're not going to get a good price,' he said. In the US, where a relatively free-market approach has been favoured, drug prices are almost three times higher than in 33 comparable income countries, according to RAND research. Australians have an average life expectancy of 83.2 years, compared to 77.4 years in the US, World Bank data shows. 'Without the PBS, we'd see people losing access to affordable medications and an increased spend per person on average but it wouldn't be evenly distributed,' Dr Carrello said.
SBS Australia
6 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Tasmania election: Liberals ahead but short of majority to form government
Tasmania faces a period of political talks after a snap election delivered another hung parliament and more seats to the Liberals than Labor. Liberal Premier Jeremy Rockliff declared victory on Saturday night after his party secured 14 seats to Labor's nine, both short of the 18 required for majority. Rockliff said he would ask the governor to recommission his government, noting a roughly three per cent swing to the Liberals. However, Labor leader Dean Winter, whose party experienced its worst-ever result in Tasmania with just 26 per cent of the primary vote, didn't concede defeat. He appeared to leave the door open to governing, if the Liberals couldn't make it work. Labor leader Dean Winter says he will not "be trading away any of Labor's policies or our values". Source: AAP / Chris Kidd "The result of this election is that the Liberals will have the most seats, but it is uncertain as to how they will achieve a majority," Winter said. "Another election is not an option, which means we need to figure this out." The Greens have retained at least five seats while there are three independents, with counting potentially extending for weeks to determine four undecided seats. Rockliff would need to work with left-leaning independent crossbenchers to govern. Independents Kristie Johnston and Craig Garland, who both voted for the June no-confidence motion against Rockliff that triggered the election, have been returned. Johnston urged the next premier to be more collaborative and said she wouldn't enter into a formal deal for confidence and supply with either major party. "They need to negotiate and respect the views of parliament," she told the Australian Associated Press. Independent Kristie Johnston says she will not enter into a formal deal with the Liberals or Labor. Source: AAP / Chris Kidd Anti-salmon activist and independent Peter George has been elected after a strong campaign at the federal election. Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff has called on Winter to "have a conversation" about forming an alliance with her party. However, Winter has repeatedly ruled out doing a deal with the Greens and on Saturday night also said he wouldn't "be trading away any of Labor's policies or our values". The drawn-out post-election scenario, just 16 months after the previous poll, will further delay the parliamentary approval process for a new $945 million stadium in Hobart. The venue, a condition of Tasmania's AFL licence, is supported by the Liberals and Labor but opposed by the Greens, Garland, Johnston and George. The new parliament will be very similar to the previous one that included 14 Liberals, 10 Labor, five Greens, five independents and one Jacqui Lambie Network member.
