Australia news and politics live: Former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas charged after protest
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Responding to a warning from the Chinese Ambassador over the risks of Australia complying with US demands to increase defense spending, the PM said it is in Australia's national interest to 'invest in our capability and invest in our relationships'.
''The Chinese ambassador speaks for China,' Mr Albanese said.
'My job is to speak for Australia and it's in Australia's national interest for us to invest in our capability and to invest in our relationships and we're doing just that.'
China has warned Australia against folding to demands to increase defence spending, with its top diplomat flagging it as a 'heavy fiscal burden'.
While not mentioning the US directly, Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian has attacked the push led by President Donald Trump, who has exerted pressure on allies to ramp up spending.
Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian said other countries had 'hyped up the so-called China threat narrative' at recent international gatherings, including at the Shangri-La Dialogue, G7 summit and NATO summit.
Describing this as 'slander', Mr Qian said such rhetoric fuelled the global arms race and was a threat to global peace and stability.
He said China's military build-up was 'normal' and only represented 'just 1.5 per cent' of GDP — 'far below the global average and paling in comparison to certain hegemons or their allies and partners'.
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Foreign Minister Penny Wong is set to meet with her US counterpart for crucial talks as America ramps up pressure on Australia to increase defence spending.
She will fly out to Washington today ahead of a meeting of Quad foreign ministers, which includes US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with ministers from India and Japan.
The trip to the US will also see Senator Wong hold one-on-one talks with Mr Rubio, as Australia tries to carve out an exemption to tariffs imposed on exports to America.
'This will be the second Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting within six months, reflecting the importance of our partnership and the strategic circumstances confronting our region and the world,' Senator Wong said.
'The United States is our closest ally and principal strategic partner. Our alliance contributes to the peace, prosperity and stability of our countries and the region we share.
'We will continue to work together to further our important economic and security partnership and advance our mutual interests.'
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Former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas has been charged after being injured during a pro-Palestine protest.
Ms Thomas, who was a candidate for Grayndler in the recent Federal election, suffered facial injuries after clashing with police during the protest outside a business in Belmore on Friday.
Protesters targeted the business over concerns it was providing components for jets used by the Israeli Defence Force, a Greens statement confirmed.
NSW Police said officers issued a move on direction to a group of about 60 protesters, who allegedly attempted to block pedestrian access to the business.
Ms Thomas was among a number of people arrested after allegeldy failing to comply with that direction.
'During the 35-year-old woman's arrest, she sustained facial injuries and was taken to Bankstown Hospital for treatment, where she remains,' a police statement read.
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Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Critical incident declared as police investigate Greens candidate's eye injury
'I look like this now because of Chris Minns and Yasmin Catley and their draconian anti-protest laws and their attempts to demonise protesters, especially protesters for Palestine. They've emboldened the police to crack down with extreme violence and brutality, and they were warned that those laws would lead to this outcome.' Thomas stood for the Greens against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the seat of Grayndler at last month's federal election. She is the daughter of former Malaysian attorney general Tommy Thomas. The confrontation occurred in Belmore outside SEC Plating, which protesters say supplies plating services for F-35 jets used by the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). New video of the event shows a protester being grabbed after questioning what legislation officers were citing to issue move-on orders. The video shows police telling the protesters they were being issued a move-on order, but failing to provide them with details, simply saying they needed to leave the suburb of Belmore 'for 24 hours'. 'You're making shit up,' one protester said. 'If you're not educated, go read something,' the male officer responded. Activist Zack Schofield asked police to cite the legislation that empowers officers to issue move-on orders. 'Can you name it, please, because this is actually counter to LEPRA [the Law Enforcement Powers and Responsibilities Act],' he said. In response, the male officer grabbed Schofield by the upper arm, pulling him away. A scuffle broke out between protesters and officers. Loading Five people, including Thomas, have been charged with a range of offences. She will appear at Bankstown Local Court on August 12. Questions have been raised about whether new powers aimed at stopping protests at places of worship were used to justify breaking up Friday's demonstration. SEC Plating is opposite the Teebah Islamic Association Mosque on Lakemba Street in Belmore. A police factsheet for one of the other protesters seen by the Herald cited a 'place of worship' in a document describing the arrest. However, Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden said none of the five protesters charged were issued with offences under the new legislation. Police maintain they were issued move-on orders for allegedly attempting to block pedestrian access to the business. 'The group of protesters have chosen over the last three months to engage in a number of protests and have refused [to submit authorisation paperwork],' he said. 'There is no doubt that the injury was sustained during the course of her arrest. We're now looking to understand the full circumstances as to how that took place,' McFadden said, adding police were sweeping social media and analysing videos. McFadden said police were previously unable to declare a critical incident as Thomas hadn't provided medical records to police. Greens MP Sue Higginson said she welcomed the declaration after writing to Premier Chris Minns on Monday morning to demand that all charges laid against protesters be withdrawn. 'I welcome the declaration that the police assault of Hannah Thomas has been declared a critical incident, but this must be recognised as the minimum requirement when police actions cause serious injury,' she said. 'It concerns me deeply that the police in announcing the critical incident have referred to the protest at Belmore 'unauthorised' … It's important to remember people do not need authorisation to hold a protest.' Speaking at an event on Monday, Minns denied police used the new laws during the Belmore protest. He said he was sorry that Thomas was injured, but refused to condemn the actions of police while an investigation was ongoing. 'My understanding is [police were called] because there was a series of protests in front of a private business. In the state, they are entitled to protest, but businesses in NSW are entitled to run their companies as well,' he said. 'If we get to the point where it is the law to allow in all circumstances a private firm to be interrupted whenever and wherever a protest wants to take place, you'd appreciate that puts us and it puts police in a terrible position.' The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission said it had been notified of the critical incident and would be independently monitoring the investigation.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Trump says Japan will receive trade letter
US President Donald Trump says Japan will be the recipient of a letter related to trade, following pledges by his administration to send letters to countries outlining tariffs they would need to pay to the United States. "I have great respect for Japan, they won't take our RICE, and yet they have a massive rice shortage," he said in a Truth Social post. "We'll just be sending them a letter, and we love having them as a Trading Partner for many years to come." Trump did not say what terms would be outlined in the letter. Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, told reporters at the White House that Trump "is going to finalise the frameworks we negotiated with a whole bunch of countries after the weekend". Trump has suggested that the US will be sending letters to many countries, informing them of the new tariff rates they will face from the US after a July 9 deadline when the president's 90-day pause on "reciprocal" tariffs expires. Hassett said of tariff negotiations with Japan that there will "still be discussions right up to the end". Hassett also confirmed on Monday that US-Canada trade negotiations would resume after Canada scrapped plans for a digital services tax targeting US technology firms. "Absolutely," Hassett said on Fox News Channel when asked about the talks restarting. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called Trump on Sunday evening to tell him the tax was being dropped, calling it a big victory for US tech companies. "Very simple. Prime Minister Carney in Canada caved to President Trump and the United States of America," she said, crediting Trump's hard-line negotiating style for the shift. "President Trump knows ... that every country on the planet needs to have good trade relationships with the United States, and it was a mistake for Canada to vow to implement that tax that would have hurt our tech companies here in the United States," she said. Trump had asked Canada to drop the tax at a G7 meeting in Canada earlier in June, Hassett said. "It's something that they've studied, now they've agreed to, and for sure that means that we can get back to the negotiations." Canada's finance ministry said late on Sunday that Carney and Trump would resume trade negotiations in order to agree on a deal by July 21. "Thank you Canada for removing your Digital Services Tax which was intended to stifle American innovation and would have been a deal breaker for any trade deal with America," US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick responded in a post on X. Stocks hit record highs on Wall Street on Monday morning as sentiment in the markets rose amid optimism about US trade negotiations with key partners including Canada. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also struck an optimistic tone over the potential for "a flurry" of trade deals ahead of a July 9 deadline, after which 10 per cent US tariff rates on imports from many countries are set to snap back to Trump's April 2 announced rates of 11 per cent to 50 per cent. But Bessent, speaking on Bloomberg Television, warned that countries may not get extensions from that deadline even if they are negotiating in good faith as he suggested previously. Any extensions would be up to Trump himself, Bessent said. Leavitt said Trump was meeting his trade team this week to set tariff rates for those countries that were not negotiating. "He is going to set the rates for many of these countries if they don't come to the table to negotiate in good faith, and he is meeting with his trade team this week to do that," she said. with AP
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Trump says Japan will receive trade letter
US President Donald Trump says Japan will be the recipient of a letter related to trade, following pledges by his administration to send letters to countries outlining tariffs they would need to pay to the United States. "I have great respect for Japan, they won't take our RICE, and yet they have a massive rice shortage," he said in a Truth Social post. "We'll just be sending them a letter, and we love having them as a Trading Partner for many years to come." Trump did not say what terms would be outlined in the letter. Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, told reporters at the White House that Trump "is going to finalise the frameworks we negotiated with a whole bunch of countries after the weekend". Trump has suggested that the US will be sending letters to many countries, informing them of the new tariff rates they will face from the US after a July 9 deadline when the president's 90-day pause on "reciprocal" tariffs expires. Hassett said of tariff negotiations with Japan that there will "still be discussions right up to the end". Hassett also confirmed on Monday that US-Canada trade negotiations would resume after Canada scrapped plans for a digital services tax targeting US technology firms. "Absolutely," Hassett said on Fox News Channel when asked about the talks restarting. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called Trump on Sunday evening to tell him the tax was being dropped, calling it a big victory for US tech companies. "Very simple. Prime Minister Carney in Canada caved to President Trump and the United States of America," she said, crediting Trump's hard-line negotiating style for the shift. "President Trump knows ... that every country on the planet needs to have good trade relationships with the United States, and it was a mistake for Canada to vow to implement that tax that would have hurt our tech companies here in the United States," she said. Trump had asked Canada to drop the tax at a G7 meeting in Canada earlier in June, Hassett said. "It's something that they've studied, now they've agreed to, and for sure that means that we can get back to the negotiations." Canada's finance ministry said late on Sunday that Carney and Trump would resume trade negotiations in order to agree on a deal by July 21. "Thank you Canada for removing your Digital Services Tax which was intended to stifle American innovation and would have been a deal breaker for any trade deal with America," US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick responded in a post on X. Stocks hit record highs on Wall Street on Monday morning as sentiment in the markets rose amid optimism about US trade negotiations with key partners including Canada. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also struck an optimistic tone over the potential for "a flurry" of trade deals ahead of a July 9 deadline, after which 10 per cent US tariff rates on imports from many countries are set to snap back to Trump's April 2 announced rates of 11 per cent to 50 per cent. But Bessent, speaking on Bloomberg Television, warned that countries may not get extensions from that deadline even if they are negotiating in good faith as he suggested previously. Any extensions would be up to Trump himself, Bessent said. Leavitt said Trump was meeting his trade team this week to set tariff rates for those countries that were not negotiating. "He is going to set the rates for many of these countries if they don't come to the table to negotiate in good faith, and he is meeting with his trade team this week to do that," she said. with AP
