
Has Newcastle lost its small-town feel and shifted into a bona fide city?
At sunset recently, I stopped halfway across the Cowper Street bridge to contemplate Newcastle's changing skyline. With its combination of moored yachts and mid to high-rise buildings, the view of the waterfront and West End verged on glamorous. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, but I'm sure you'll allow that it's a great improvement on the grim neighbourhood some of us grew up with. The same can be said for many other parts of "town".
The other day, I met an older Novocastrian who used to have professional offices at the top of town. He remembered the East End as being "awful", a grimy mélange of derelict warehouses, railway sidings, and pollution from the Zaara Street power station. Now, of course, the area is a tourist mecca and a highly successful event space. The shared paths along the foreshore and beaches are thronged, and the renovated ocean baths and new skate park have been enthusiastically embraced.
Much remains to be done, of course. The slow death of street front retail has left large stretches of Hunter Street struggling to find a new purpose, Beaumont Street has its challenges, and while Newcastle's light rail line was the right idea, it remains a job only partly done. I'll report back in another three years.
THE owners of Tomago Aluminium have warned that high energy prices may put the plant's future in jeopardy. That could cost 1500 direct jobs and an extra 5000 across the region ("Minister optimistic on smelter despite surging energy prices", Newcastle Herald 12/6).
With energy prices to rise from July 2025, Tomago seems to be seeking government subsidy (taxpayer money) to keep operating profitably. Additionally, Alcoa plans to close down an aluminium smelter and two mills in WA this year due to high energy prices and production costs. With the US placing tariffs on Australian aluminium and Indonesia now expanding its cheap production, the future of our aluminium industry is not bright. Without reliable and affordable 24/7 energy supplies, productivity in Australia will continue to decline. It does not take an Einstein to figure that out.
GRAHAME Danaher ("Tackling adversity way to go", Letters 10/6), and Steve Barnett ("Costs are high, but working hard tough to beat", Letters 5/6): of course, tackling adversity is a great part of life, and overcoming it is the greatest high. However, once 3.5 times the median national income was enough for a house deposit. In 2024, it's 8.6 times.
Outrageously, concessional superannuation greatly favours the wealthy, people who do not need it, while the taxation tab is picked up by our younger taxpaying community. A parent recently expressed his bewilderment in the Sydney Morning Herald that, in retirement and with few expenses, he paid no tax, while his child with so many living expenses paid $37,000 on similar income. Employment is now far less stable, for a far more precarious life, for many. What toll is this taking on the social fabric?
The recent Fair Work Commission decision improved real incomes by only 1 per cent, with much of the wage rise lost to inflation. Like me, Mr Danaher and Mr Barnett should be very thankful for how the times favoured them. At the start of his working life, Mr Barnett could pocket $60 of his pay. Sounds pretty good to me.
MY parents didn't have botox injections, false eyelashes, manicures, exfoliation, waxing, cosmetic surgery, day spas, and that was just Dad. Throw in streaming services, exotic holidays, regular nights out, extra TVs, the biggest barbecue backyard smokehouse, spa, pool, four-car garage, double-storey house, jet ski, social media profile, designer clothes and handbags (are you reading this, honey? I hope not). I'm sure you people get my drift.
I know it's hard these days, but it's not impossible to buy a home and start small, dream big. We are dreaming of a small, nice retirement apartment near the beach. It might be a cave overlooking the Hawkesbury River if Mac Maguire's prediction of 1000 years of Labor government comes true. Good luck, I hope you achieve your goals.
MATT Ophir says he does not see any mosques being firebombed or sprayed with graffiti ("Targets of hate speak volumes", Letters, 12/6). What we are seeing is Palestine being destroyed and tens of thousands of its innocent citizens being slaughtered. Unfortunately, the hard-line government in Israel has used the bad behaviour of Hamas to invade the entire country. Yes, bad behaviour on both sides. I congratulate our government's brave decision to call out poor behaviour on both sides. I also congratulate the Albanese government on their response to the amazing clown act happening in America. Go Albo.
WITH all due respect to Cr Clausen ("Councillors have duty to speak up", Letters, 10/6), the community's response to the Davidson Report, on display in these pages, shows it did nothing to restore public trust. Nor did accusing the lord mayor of spreading misinformation in any way stem the community outrage that drove the former lord mayor out of office.
AN article on an Upper Hunter solar farm said it would cost $300 million and create five permanent jobs. I wonder where the thousands of permanent jobs will go when Mt Arthur closes, if five cost so much?
APPARENTLY, Greta Thunberg and her cohort will be shown a video of the Hamas attack on Israel as justification for the invasion of Gaza. I wonder if they will also justify their response to the October 7 attack?
The US wants us to spend more on defence, but surely the $368 billion for nuclear submarines more than covers us? I am not sure that Donald Trump knows much about the submarine deal, though.
I RECENTLY celebrated three years since returning to live in Newcastle, having been away for almost three decades. My main revelation upon return was that Newcastle had acquired that indefinable quality that comes from being a city rather than a large country town.
At sunset recently, I stopped halfway across the Cowper Street bridge to contemplate Newcastle's changing skyline. With its combination of moored yachts and mid to high-rise buildings, the view of the waterfront and West End verged on glamorous. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, but I'm sure you'll allow that it's a great improvement on the grim neighbourhood some of us grew up with. The same can be said for many other parts of "town".
The other day, I met an older Novocastrian who used to have professional offices at the top of town. He remembered the East End as being "awful", a grimy mélange of derelict warehouses, railway sidings, and pollution from the Zaara Street power station. Now, of course, the area is a tourist mecca and a highly successful event space. The shared paths along the foreshore and beaches are thronged, and the renovated ocean baths and new skate park have been enthusiastically embraced.
Much remains to be done, of course. The slow death of street front retail has left large stretches of Hunter Street struggling to find a new purpose, Beaumont Street has its challenges, and while Newcastle's light rail line was the right idea, it remains a job only partly done. I'll report back in another three years.
THE owners of Tomago Aluminium have warned that high energy prices may put the plant's future in jeopardy. That could cost 1500 direct jobs and an extra 5000 across the region ("Minister optimistic on smelter despite surging energy prices", Newcastle Herald 12/6).
With energy prices to rise from July 2025, Tomago seems to be seeking government subsidy (taxpayer money) to keep operating profitably. Additionally, Alcoa plans to close down an aluminium smelter and two mills in WA this year due to high energy prices and production costs. With the US placing tariffs on Australian aluminium and Indonesia now expanding its cheap production, the future of our aluminium industry is not bright. Without reliable and affordable 24/7 energy supplies, productivity in Australia will continue to decline. It does not take an Einstein to figure that out.
GRAHAME Danaher ("Tackling adversity way to go", Letters 10/6), and Steve Barnett ("Costs are high, but working hard tough to beat", Letters 5/6): of course, tackling adversity is a great part of life, and overcoming it is the greatest high. However, once 3.5 times the median national income was enough for a house deposit. In 2024, it's 8.6 times.
Outrageously, concessional superannuation greatly favours the wealthy, people who do not need it, while the taxation tab is picked up by our younger taxpaying community. A parent recently expressed his bewilderment in the Sydney Morning Herald that, in retirement and with few expenses, he paid no tax, while his child with so many living expenses paid $37,000 on similar income. Employment is now far less stable, for a far more precarious life, for many. What toll is this taking on the social fabric?
The recent Fair Work Commission decision improved real incomes by only 1 per cent, with much of the wage rise lost to inflation. Like me, Mr Danaher and Mr Barnett should be very thankful for how the times favoured them. At the start of his working life, Mr Barnett could pocket $60 of his pay. Sounds pretty good to me.
MY parents didn't have botox injections, false eyelashes, manicures, exfoliation, waxing, cosmetic surgery, day spas, and that was just Dad. Throw in streaming services, exotic holidays, regular nights out, extra TVs, the biggest barbecue backyard smokehouse, spa, pool, four-car garage, double-storey house, jet ski, social media profile, designer clothes and handbags (are you reading this, honey? I hope not). I'm sure you people get my drift.
I know it's hard these days, but it's not impossible to buy a home and start small, dream big. We are dreaming of a small, nice retirement apartment near the beach. It might be a cave overlooking the Hawkesbury River if Mac Maguire's prediction of 1000 years of Labor government comes true. Good luck, I hope you achieve your goals.
MATT Ophir says he does not see any mosques being firebombed or sprayed with graffiti ("Targets of hate speak volumes", Letters, 12/6). What we are seeing is Palestine being destroyed and tens of thousands of its innocent citizens being slaughtered. Unfortunately, the hard-line government in Israel has used the bad behaviour of Hamas to invade the entire country. Yes, bad behaviour on both sides. I congratulate our government's brave decision to call out poor behaviour on both sides. I also congratulate the Albanese government on their response to the amazing clown act happening in America. Go Albo.
WITH all due respect to Cr Clausen ("Councillors have duty to speak up", Letters, 10/6), the community's response to the Davidson Report, on display in these pages, shows it did nothing to restore public trust. Nor did accusing the lord mayor of spreading misinformation in any way stem the community outrage that drove the former lord mayor out of office.
AN article on an Upper Hunter solar farm said it would cost $300 million and create five permanent jobs. I wonder where the thousands of permanent jobs will go when Mt Arthur closes, if five cost so much?
APPARENTLY, Greta Thunberg and her cohort will be shown a video of the Hamas attack on Israel as justification for the invasion of Gaza. I wonder if they will also justify their response to the October 7 attack?
The US wants us to spend more on defence, but surely the $368 billion for nuclear submarines more than covers us? I am not sure that Donald Trump knows much about the submarine deal, though.
I RECENTLY celebrated three years since returning to live in Newcastle, having been away for almost three decades. My main revelation upon return was that Newcastle had acquired that indefinable quality that comes from being a city rather than a large country town.
At sunset recently, I stopped halfway across the Cowper Street bridge to contemplate Newcastle's changing skyline. With its combination of moored yachts and mid to high-rise buildings, the view of the waterfront and West End verged on glamorous. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, but I'm sure you'll allow that it's a great improvement on the grim neighbourhood some of us grew up with. The same can be said for many other parts of "town".
The other day, I met an older Novocastrian who used to have professional offices at the top of town. He remembered the East End as being "awful", a grimy mélange of derelict warehouses, railway sidings, and pollution from the Zaara Street power station. Now, of course, the area is a tourist mecca and a highly successful event space. The shared paths along the foreshore and beaches are thronged, and the renovated ocean baths and new skate park have been enthusiastically embraced.
Much remains to be done, of course. The slow death of street front retail has left large stretches of Hunter Street struggling to find a new purpose, Beaumont Street has its challenges, and while Newcastle's light rail line was the right idea, it remains a job only partly done. I'll report back in another three years.
THE owners of Tomago Aluminium have warned that high energy prices may put the plant's future in jeopardy. That could cost 1500 direct jobs and an extra 5000 across the region ("Minister optimistic on smelter despite surging energy prices", Newcastle Herald 12/6).
With energy prices to rise from July 2025, Tomago seems to be seeking government subsidy (taxpayer money) to keep operating profitably. Additionally, Alcoa plans to close down an aluminium smelter and two mills in WA this year due to high energy prices and production costs. With the US placing tariffs on Australian aluminium and Indonesia now expanding its cheap production, the future of our aluminium industry is not bright. Without reliable and affordable 24/7 energy supplies, productivity in Australia will continue to decline. It does not take an Einstein to figure that out.
GRAHAME Danaher ("Tackling adversity way to go", Letters 10/6), and Steve Barnett ("Costs are high, but working hard tough to beat", Letters 5/6): of course, tackling adversity is a great part of life, and overcoming it is the greatest high. However, once 3.5 times the median national income was enough for a house deposit. In 2024, it's 8.6 times.
Outrageously, concessional superannuation greatly favours the wealthy, people who do not need it, while the taxation tab is picked up by our younger taxpaying community. A parent recently expressed his bewilderment in the Sydney Morning Herald that, in retirement and with few expenses, he paid no tax, while his child with so many living expenses paid $37,000 on similar income. Employment is now far less stable, for a far more precarious life, for many. What toll is this taking on the social fabric?
The recent Fair Work Commission decision improved real incomes by only 1 per cent, with much of the wage rise lost to inflation. Like me, Mr Danaher and Mr Barnett should be very thankful for how the times favoured them. At the start of his working life, Mr Barnett could pocket $60 of his pay. Sounds pretty good to me.
MY parents didn't have botox injections, false eyelashes, manicures, exfoliation, waxing, cosmetic surgery, day spas, and that was just Dad. Throw in streaming services, exotic holidays, regular nights out, extra TVs, the biggest barbecue backyard smokehouse, spa, pool, four-car garage, double-storey house, jet ski, social media profile, designer clothes and handbags (are you reading this, honey? I hope not). I'm sure you people get my drift.
I know it's hard these days, but it's not impossible to buy a home and start small, dream big. We are dreaming of a small, nice retirement apartment near the beach. It might be a cave overlooking the Hawkesbury River if Mac Maguire's prediction of 1000 years of Labor government comes true. Good luck, I hope you achieve your goals.
MATT Ophir says he does not see any mosques being firebombed or sprayed with graffiti ("Targets of hate speak volumes", Letters, 12/6). What we are seeing is Palestine being destroyed and tens of thousands of its innocent citizens being slaughtered. Unfortunately, the hard-line government in Israel has used the bad behaviour of Hamas to invade the entire country. Yes, bad behaviour on both sides. I congratulate our government's brave decision to call out poor behaviour on both sides. I also congratulate the Albanese government on their response to the amazing clown act happening in America. Go Albo.
WITH all due respect to Cr Clausen ("Councillors have duty to speak up", Letters, 10/6), the community's response to the Davidson Report, on display in these pages, shows it did nothing to restore public trust. Nor did accusing the lord mayor of spreading misinformation in any way stem the community outrage that drove the former lord mayor out of office.
AN article on an Upper Hunter solar farm said it would cost $300 million and create five permanent jobs. I wonder where the thousands of permanent jobs will go when Mt Arthur closes, if five cost so much?
APPARENTLY, Greta Thunberg and her cohort will be shown a video of the Hamas attack on Israel as justification for the invasion of Gaza. I wonder if they will also justify their response to the October 7 attack?
The US wants us to spend more on defence, but surely the $368 billion for nuclear submarines more than covers us? I am not sure that Donald Trump knows much about the submarine deal, though.
I RECENTLY celebrated three years since returning to live in Newcastle, having been away for almost three decades. My main revelation upon return was that Newcastle had acquired that indefinable quality that comes from being a city rather than a large country town.
At sunset recently, I stopped halfway across the Cowper Street bridge to contemplate Newcastle's changing skyline. With its combination of moored yachts and mid to high-rise buildings, the view of the waterfront and West End verged on glamorous. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, but I'm sure you'll allow that it's a great improvement on the grim neighbourhood some of us grew up with. The same can be said for many other parts of "town".
The other day, I met an older Novocastrian who used to have professional offices at the top of town. He remembered the East End as being "awful", a grimy mélange of derelict warehouses, railway sidings, and pollution from the Zaara Street power station. Now, of course, the area is a tourist mecca and a highly successful event space. The shared paths along the foreshore and beaches are thronged, and the renovated ocean baths and new skate park have been enthusiastically embraced.
Much remains to be done, of course. The slow death of street front retail has left large stretches of Hunter Street struggling to find a new purpose, Beaumont Street has its challenges, and while Newcastle's light rail line was the right idea, it remains a job only partly done. I'll report back in another three years.
THE owners of Tomago Aluminium have warned that high energy prices may put the plant's future in jeopardy. That could cost 1500 direct jobs and an extra 5000 across the region ("Minister optimistic on smelter despite surging energy prices", Newcastle Herald 12/6).
With energy prices to rise from July 2025, Tomago seems to be seeking government subsidy (taxpayer money) to keep operating profitably. Additionally, Alcoa plans to close down an aluminium smelter and two mills in WA this year due to high energy prices and production costs. With the US placing tariffs on Australian aluminium and Indonesia now expanding its cheap production, the future of our aluminium industry is not bright. Without reliable and affordable 24/7 energy supplies, productivity in Australia will continue to decline. It does not take an Einstein to figure that out.
GRAHAME Danaher ("Tackling adversity way to go", Letters 10/6), and Steve Barnett ("Costs are high, but working hard tough to beat", Letters 5/6): of course, tackling adversity is a great part of life, and overcoming it is the greatest high. However, once 3.5 times the median national income was enough for a house deposit. In 2024, it's 8.6 times.
Outrageously, concessional superannuation greatly favours the wealthy, people who do not need it, while the taxation tab is picked up by our younger taxpaying community. A parent recently expressed his bewilderment in the Sydney Morning Herald that, in retirement and with few expenses, he paid no tax, while his child with so many living expenses paid $37,000 on similar income. Employment is now far less stable, for a far more precarious life, for many. What toll is this taking on the social fabric?
The recent Fair Work Commission decision improved real incomes by only 1 per cent, with much of the wage rise lost to inflation. Like me, Mr Danaher and Mr Barnett should be very thankful for how the times favoured them. At the start of his working life, Mr Barnett could pocket $60 of his pay. Sounds pretty good to me.
MY parents didn't have botox injections, false eyelashes, manicures, exfoliation, waxing, cosmetic surgery, day spas, and that was just Dad. Throw in streaming services, exotic holidays, regular nights out, extra TVs, the biggest barbecue backyard smokehouse, spa, pool, four-car garage, double-storey house, jet ski, social media profile, designer clothes and handbags (are you reading this, honey? I hope not). I'm sure you people get my drift.
I know it's hard these days, but it's not impossible to buy a home and start small, dream big. We are dreaming of a small, nice retirement apartment near the beach. It might be a cave overlooking the Hawkesbury River if Mac Maguire's prediction of 1000 years of Labor government comes true. Good luck, I hope you achieve your goals.
MATT Ophir says he does not see any mosques being firebombed or sprayed with graffiti ("Targets of hate speak volumes", Letters, 12/6). What we are seeing is Palestine being destroyed and tens of thousands of its innocent citizens being slaughtered. Unfortunately, the hard-line government in Israel has used the bad behaviour of Hamas to invade the entire country. Yes, bad behaviour on both sides. I congratulate our government's brave decision to call out poor behaviour on both sides. I also congratulate the Albanese government on their response to the amazing clown act happening in America. Go Albo.
WITH all due respect to Cr Clausen ("Councillors have duty to speak up", Letters, 10/6), the community's response to the Davidson Report, on display in these pages, shows it did nothing to restore public trust. Nor did accusing the lord mayor of spreading misinformation in any way stem the community outrage that drove the former lord mayor out of office.
AN article on an Upper Hunter solar farm said it would cost $300 million and create five permanent jobs. I wonder where the thousands of permanent jobs will go when Mt Arthur closes, if five cost so much?
APPARENTLY, Greta Thunberg and her cohort will be shown a video of the Hamas attack on Israel as justification for the invasion of Gaza. I wonder if they will also justify their response to the October 7 attack?
The US wants us to spend more on defence, but surely the $368 billion for nuclear submarines more than covers us? I am not sure that Donald Trump knows much about the submarine deal, though.
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ABC News
23 minutes ago
- ABC News
As Torres Strait battles rising seas, Canberra has been put on notice
To the beat of ancient drums, in the language of their ancestors, dancers from Australia's northernmost islands share a modern story. Outside the federal court in Cairns, Torres Strait Islander dancers wear grass skirts and the traditional headdresses of their warriors; their movements depict the rising of the seas and the strengthening of the currents. It's the story of climate change. Across the globe, outside the world's highest court in the Netherlands, our Pacific Island neighbours shared a similar dance about their culture and traditions. Together, they send a message to the world of what stands to be lost if leaders don't take serious action on climate change. Last week, the federal court found Australia does not owe a duty of care to protect Torres Strait Islander people and their culture from the impacts of climate change. In its wake, the International Court of Justice declared that states do have a "duty to cooperate" on addressing climate change or they risk breaching international law. It raises the question — will the Australian government heed the warning? Not many get to visit Australia's northernmost islands, but as one of the lucky ones, I witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts climate change is having on these small island communities, their livelihood, and culture. It is not a distant threat; it's happening now. Their loved ones' gravestones have been destroyed, beaches once used for camping eroded, and food is unable to be grown due to salty earth. Lead applicants for the case, Uncle Paul Kabai and Uncle Pabai Pabai, explained how the seasons have changed and the migration of traditional food sources, turtles and dugongs, has shifted — generations of passed-down knowledge are being lost. As some of the lowest emitters contributing to the global carbon footprint, they are also amongst the most vulnerable to the impacts of the imposing climate frontline. Sea levels in the Strait are estimated to be rising at about twice the global average. Scientists predict that in 25 years, the islands will be uninhabitable. This is the reality we face as a nation — the severing of our connection to some of the world's oldest traditions and culture. Justice Michael Wigney accepted these facts in court last week but found the case failed not because it had no merit but because negligence law doesn't apply to 'core government policy', nor does it acknowledge the loss of culture. While sympathetic, he ultimately determined it was up to parliament to make decisions on climate policy, not the courts. "Until the law in Australia changes … the only real avenue for those in the position of the applicants and other Torres Strait Islanders involves public advocacy and protest or ultimately recourse via the ballot box," Justice Wigney said. This is little comfort for First Nations people who have been protesting environmental degradation and heritage destruction for decades, and are a minority at the ballot box. Three thousand kilometres away from the Torres Strait in Canberra, where the impacts of climate change are arguably not so visible, our leaders make the decisions on how Australia will participate in its global responsibility to address climate change. As Justice Wigney noted, "perhaps still are some climate change doubters and deniers among the politicians and bureaucrats." The landmark case put under the microscope the government's willingness to address the impacts of climate change and found that in the past, it hadn't been doing enough. The Commonwealth argued Australia was not the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, at 1.3 per cent, and therefore has little impact on a global scale. But the Torres Strait Islanders argued Australia — a high-emitting country in per capita terms — was not contributing its fair share to the global effort to reduce emissions, based on the best available science. If you include exports, Australia accounts for 4.5 per cent of global fossil fuel carbon dioxide emissions, with 80 per cent of those emissions from exports, according to the Climate Analytics Institute. Justice Wigney acknowledged the current Labor government has set "significantly higher and more ambitious goals" than the previous government. But Traditional Owners, environmental groups, and scientists were dismayed when it green-lit the controversial expansion of Woodside's Northwest Shelf gas project until 2070, despite their continued protests about the degradation of 50,000-year-old sacred rock art as well as its impact on emissions. Like the Torres Strait, our Pacific Island neighbours maintain ancient traditions and a deep connection to the land and sea. They are also on the climate change frontline. This week, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared that states have a legal obligation to address climate change, and if they don't, it may constitute "an internationally wrongful act". It was a campaign started in 2019 by students and youth organisations from Vanuatu, which is amongst the nations that are most vulnerable to climate change impacts. The 500-page opinion is not legally binding, but advocates and lawyers hope the world's highest court will hold some weight amongst the largest carbon emitters. Australia was one of 132 member states that requested the opinion in 2023, but in hearings, it argued that nations have no legal obligations on climate change beyond those in existing pacts like the Paris Agreement. This diverged from the views of the Pacific Islands and put into question Australia's role and responsibility as a key strategic partner in the Pacific. Could and should Australia be doing more to encourage other nations to do more to stop our neighbours from sinking beneath the tide? The historic ruling could pave the way for reparations for nations harmed by climate change and create a moral responsibility for Australia to take more action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But, as determined in the uncles' climate case, it will be up to the Commonwealth to decide whether it will listen to the international court, its Pacific neighbours, and its own people to do more. Uncle Paul Kabai and Uncle Pabai Pabai fear their people will become Australia's first 'climate refugees', and it's a fear shared by Tuvaluans. Australia has already made a resettlement agreement with Tuvalu to take in their people as the seas rise. Tuvalu's former prime minister criticised the agreement as a way to "buy Tuvalu's silence over Australia's coal exports" in an opinion piece published by Radio New Zealand in 2023. In other words, planning for the worst rather than working to prevent it. Last year at Garma, I sat in the audience as Tuvalu's Minister for Climate Change Mania Talia spoke of the devastation his island nation faces from the rising seas. Something that stuck with me was his final comment expressing his admiration for the strength and resilience of First Nations people. "Despite all the difficulties, the problem that you're facing, you are able to dance and dancing in the face of despair is literally telling us that we have hope in the future," he said. "That's the message I'm going to take and tomorrow we'll also continue to dance our fidelity, our traditional dance, despite climate change." As the prime minister next week heads back to Garma, one of the country's largest Indigenous gatherings, will climate policy be on the agenda? The international court has made its decision, and vulnerable communities have made their plea, but will Australia act?


The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Risk of higher US tariffs looms despite beef deal
Australia's move to lift restrictions on US beef is unlikely to shift the dial on tariff negotiations, as the nation's products face the possibility of even steeper duties. The Albanese government will allow access to US beef that has been raised in Canada or Mexico but processed in America, following a safety review. Australia is subject to a baseline 10 per cent tariff applied by the Trump administration and has been keeping an eye on the trade negotiations of other countries. AMP chief economist Shane Oliver said Donald Trump's flagged higher tariffs might include the nation's exports. "The risk for Australia is that we may be lucky to hang on to 10 per cent, which could actually turn out to be higher," he told AAP. "This (beef decision) might help us hang on to 10 per cent or avoid a worse outcome, but I don't think there's any guarantees of that." American beef was banned from Australia almost two decades ago following an outbreak of mad cow disease. Mr Trump has pressured the government to ease restrictions as Labor argues for an exemption from the tariffs as part of the US president's deepening trade war. Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said while biosecurity investigations can take a while to finalise, it was a "sensible outcome". "The challenge here is it doesn't look like we're putting together a package deal," he said. "It'd be better if there was a package approach to this if we're seeking to gather an overall trade outcome with the US." Australian Farm Institute executive director Katie McRobert said the cattle industry has been "extremely nervous" about biosecurity traceability from different parts of the north and South America regions. "We wouldn't expect a significant impact on Australian producers from the potential to import American beef ... because we already produce far more beef in Australia than we can possibly eat," she said. Trade Minister Don Farrell said he didn't have any meetings scheduled with American counterparts after last meeting US trade representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of an OECD ministerial meeting in Paris in June. Senator Farrell said Mr Greer didn't raise beef concerns at that meeting. "We believe that America should lift those tariffs on Australia, there's no justification whatsoever for the United States to apply tariffs to Australia," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday. "We have a free trade agreement, that agreement makes it very clear that it's a tariff free arrangement." Senator Farrell also denied the move was to create a bargaining chip. The Philippines and Japan recently struck agreements with the US to lower their tariff rates, but both are still above the 10 per cent baseline. Australia's move to lift restrictions on US beef is unlikely to shift the dial on tariff negotiations, as the nation's products face the possibility of even steeper duties. The Albanese government will allow access to US beef that has been raised in Canada or Mexico but processed in America, following a safety review. Australia is subject to a baseline 10 per cent tariff applied by the Trump administration and has been keeping an eye on the trade negotiations of other countries. AMP chief economist Shane Oliver said Donald Trump's flagged higher tariffs might include the nation's exports. "The risk for Australia is that we may be lucky to hang on to 10 per cent, which could actually turn out to be higher," he told AAP. "This (beef decision) might help us hang on to 10 per cent or avoid a worse outcome, but I don't think there's any guarantees of that." American beef was banned from Australia almost two decades ago following an outbreak of mad cow disease. Mr Trump has pressured the government to ease restrictions as Labor argues for an exemption from the tariffs as part of the US president's deepening trade war. Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said while biosecurity investigations can take a while to finalise, it was a "sensible outcome". "The challenge here is it doesn't look like we're putting together a package deal," he said. "It'd be better if there was a package approach to this if we're seeking to gather an overall trade outcome with the US." Australian Farm Institute executive director Katie McRobert said the cattle industry has been "extremely nervous" about biosecurity traceability from different parts of the north and South America regions. "We wouldn't expect a significant impact on Australian producers from the potential to import American beef ... because we already produce far more beef in Australia than we can possibly eat," she said. Trade Minister Don Farrell said he didn't have any meetings scheduled with American counterparts after last meeting US trade representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of an OECD ministerial meeting in Paris in June. Senator Farrell said Mr Greer didn't raise beef concerns at that meeting. "We believe that America should lift those tariffs on Australia, there's no justification whatsoever for the United States to apply tariffs to Australia," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday. "We have a free trade agreement, that agreement makes it very clear that it's a tariff free arrangement." Senator Farrell also denied the move was to create a bargaining chip. The Philippines and Japan recently struck agreements with the US to lower their tariff rates, but both are still above the 10 per cent baseline. Australia's move to lift restrictions on US beef is unlikely to shift the dial on tariff negotiations, as the nation's products face the possibility of even steeper duties. The Albanese government will allow access to US beef that has been raised in Canada or Mexico but processed in America, following a safety review. Australia is subject to a baseline 10 per cent tariff applied by the Trump administration and has been keeping an eye on the trade negotiations of other countries. AMP chief economist Shane Oliver said Donald Trump's flagged higher tariffs might include the nation's exports. "The risk for Australia is that we may be lucky to hang on to 10 per cent, which could actually turn out to be higher," he told AAP. "This (beef decision) might help us hang on to 10 per cent or avoid a worse outcome, but I don't think there's any guarantees of that." American beef was banned from Australia almost two decades ago following an outbreak of mad cow disease. Mr Trump has pressured the government to ease restrictions as Labor argues for an exemption from the tariffs as part of the US president's deepening trade war. Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said while biosecurity investigations can take a while to finalise, it was a "sensible outcome". "The challenge here is it doesn't look like we're putting together a package deal," he said. "It'd be better if there was a package approach to this if we're seeking to gather an overall trade outcome with the US." Australian Farm Institute executive director Katie McRobert said the cattle industry has been "extremely nervous" about biosecurity traceability from different parts of the north and South America regions. "We wouldn't expect a significant impact on Australian producers from the potential to import American beef ... because we already produce far more beef in Australia than we can possibly eat," she said. Trade Minister Don Farrell said he didn't have any meetings scheduled with American counterparts after last meeting US trade representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of an OECD ministerial meeting in Paris in June. Senator Farrell said Mr Greer didn't raise beef concerns at that meeting. "We believe that America should lift those tariffs on Australia, there's no justification whatsoever for the United States to apply tariffs to Australia," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday. "We have a free trade agreement, that agreement makes it very clear that it's a tariff free arrangement." Senator Farrell also denied the move was to create a bargaining chip. The Philippines and Japan recently struck agreements with the US to lower their tariff rates, but both are still above the 10 per cent baseline. Australia's move to lift restrictions on US beef is unlikely to shift the dial on tariff negotiations, as the nation's products face the possibility of even steeper duties. The Albanese government will allow access to US beef that has been raised in Canada or Mexico but processed in America, following a safety review. Australia is subject to a baseline 10 per cent tariff applied by the Trump administration and has been keeping an eye on the trade negotiations of other countries. AMP chief economist Shane Oliver said Donald Trump's flagged higher tariffs might include the nation's exports. "The risk for Australia is that we may be lucky to hang on to 10 per cent, which could actually turn out to be higher," he told AAP. "This (beef decision) might help us hang on to 10 per cent or avoid a worse outcome, but I don't think there's any guarantees of that." American beef was banned from Australia almost two decades ago following an outbreak of mad cow disease. Mr Trump has pressured the government to ease restrictions as Labor argues for an exemption from the tariffs as part of the US president's deepening trade war. Former ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said while biosecurity investigations can take a while to finalise, it was a "sensible outcome". "The challenge here is it doesn't look like we're putting together a package deal," he said. "It'd be better if there was a package approach to this if we're seeking to gather an overall trade outcome with the US." Australian Farm Institute executive director Katie McRobert said the cattle industry has been "extremely nervous" about biosecurity traceability from different parts of the north and South America regions. "We wouldn't expect a significant impact on Australian producers from the potential to import American beef ... because we already produce far more beef in Australia than we can possibly eat," she said. Trade Minister Don Farrell said he didn't have any meetings scheduled with American counterparts after last meeting US trade representative Jamieson Greer on the sidelines of an OECD ministerial meeting in Paris in June. Senator Farrell said Mr Greer didn't raise beef concerns at that meeting. "We believe that America should lift those tariffs on Australia, there's no justification whatsoever for the United States to apply tariffs to Australia," he told reporters in Canberra on Thursday. "We have a free trade agreement, that agreement makes it very clear that it's a tariff free arrangement." Senator Farrell also denied the move was to create a bargaining chip. The Philippines and Japan recently struck agreements with the US to lower their tariff rates, but both are still above the 10 per cent baseline.

The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
ASX set to slide, Wall Street mixed; Tesla falls, Alphabet surges
Wall Street is hanging near its records on Thursday, though the calm surface of the US stock market is hiding some roiling moves underneath. Alphabet is rising, and Tesla is tumbling following a jumble of profit reports from big US companies. The S&P 500 was 0.3 per cent higher in afternoon trading, coming off its all-time high set the day before. The Dow Jones was down 174 points, or 0.4 per cent, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.4 per cent higher. The Australian sharemarket is set to retreat, with futures at pointing to a fall of 33 points, or 0.4 per cent, at the open. The ASX lost 0.8 per cent on Thursday. Alphabet climbed 1.9 per cent after the company behind Google and YouTube delivered a fatter profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It's leaning more into artificial-intelligence technology and said it's increasing its budget to spend on AI chips and other investments this year by $US10 billion ($15.2 bilion) to $US85 billion. That helped push up other stocks in the AI industry, including a 1.1 per cent rise for Nvidia. The chip company was one of the strongest forces lifting the S&P 500 because it's the largest on Wall Street in terms of value. But an 8.8 per cent drop for Tesla kept the market in check. Elon Musk's electric-vehicle company reported results for the spring that were roughly in line with or above analysts' expectations, and Musk is trying to highlight Tesla's moves into AI and robotaxis. Loading The focus, though, remains on how Musk's foray into politics is turning off potential customers, and he said several rough quarters may be ahead as 'we're in this weird transition period where we'll lose a lot of incentives in the US' Stocks have broadly been rallying for weeks on hopes that President Donald Trump will reach trade deals with other countries that will lower his stiff proposed tariffs, along with the risk that they could cause a recession and drive up inflation. The record-setting gains have been so strong that criticism is rising about how expensive stock prices have become. That in turn puts pressure on companies to deliver solid growth in profits in order to justify their gains. Chipotle Mexican Grill also helped weigh on the market despite delivering a profit for the spring that topped analysts' expectations. The restaurant chain's growth in revenue came up short of expectations, and its stock fell 13.8 per cent.