logo
Albanese has put the Australia-US alliance ‘on the back burner': Michaelia Cash

Albanese has put the Australia-US alliance ‘on the back burner': Michaelia Cash

Sky News AU5 days ago
Shadow Foreign Minister Michaelia Cash has 'blamed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for the uncertain relationship Australia has with the US.
'It has been over 260 days, Andrew, since the election of President Trump, and we still have not had a face-to-face meeting,' Ms Cash told Sky News Australia.
'Under Mr Albanese, I don't think there is any doubt now that the Australia-US alliance has been put on the back burner.
'Our influence in Washington, it should be greater than ever.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Trump ramps up trade war with Canada over Palestine as deadline looms
Trump ramps up trade war with Canada over Palestine as deadline looms

7NEWS

timean hour ago

  • 7NEWS

Trump ramps up trade war with Canada over Palestine as deadline looms

US President Donald Trump intensified his trade war with Canada a day before his August 1 deadline for a tariff agreement, saying it will be 'very hard' to make a deal with Canada after it gave its support to Palestinian statehood. Trump is set to impose a 35 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement if the two countries do not reach an agreement by the deadline. 'Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them,' Trump said on Truth Social. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney previously said tariff negotiations with Washington had been constructive, but the talks may not conclude by the deadline. Talks between the two countries were at an intense phase, he added, but a deal that would remove all US tariffs was unlikely. Meanwhile, the global tariff regime is facing a crucial court challenge. From 2am Friday (AEST), eleven judges in Washington DC will hear arguments from the Trump administration and two small businesses who say that many of his import duties are illegal. The businesses sued the president over his enacting the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. All of the White House's tariffs on major trading partners have been enacted under that law. Canada is the second-largest US trading partner after Mexico, and the largest buyer of US exports. It bought $US350 billion ($540b) of US goods last year and exported $US413b to the US, according to US Census Bureau data. Canada is also the top supplier of steel and aluminium to the United States, and faces tariffs on both metals as well as on vehicle exports. In June, Carney's government scrapped a planned digital services tax targeting US technology firms after Trump abruptly called off trade talks saying the tax was a 'blatant attack'. Carney followed France and Britain as he said on Wednesday that his country was planning to recognise the State of Palestine at a meeting of the United Nations in September. In announcing the decision, Carney spoke of the reality on the ground, including starvation in Gaza. 'Canada condemns the fact that the Israeli government has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza,' he said. Israel and the United States, Israel's closest ally, both rejected Carney's comments.

Productivity Commission calls for company tax rate to be slashed to 20pc, create a 5pc net cashflow tax
Productivity Commission calls for company tax rate to be slashed to 20pc, create a 5pc net cashflow tax

News.com.au

time3 hours ago

  • News.com.au

Productivity Commission calls for company tax rate to be slashed to 20pc, create a 5pc net cashflow tax

Slashing Australia's company tax rate to 20 per cent for the 'vast majority' of businesses would boost GDP by $14bn, the Productivity Commission says, in a major call ahead of the Albanese government's economic reform roundtable. It comes after Treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed the intensive talks would take place between August 18 to August 21 and look at ways of improve Australia's tax system. One of the key recommendations made by the PC's interim report released on Thursday was for the company tax rate to be dropped to 20 per cent for the majority of businesses with an annual turnover below $1bn, while companies with a turnover above $1bn would remain at 30 per cent. The budget neutral move has been modelled to increase Australia's GDP by $14bn. Currently Australia has a two-tier system where business with a turnover of less than $50m are hit with a 25 per cent tax rate, while companies above that threshold are taxed at 30 per cent. The cut to the company tax rate would be combined with a new 5 per cent net cashflow tax, which would target a business' profits instead of its total income, and effectively allows businesses to immediately deduct the full value of their investments. This in turn boosts capital expenditure and is tipped to increase investment in the economy by $8bn. PC deputy chair Alex Robson said the changes would support investment and productivity growth, warning that changes were needed urgently to ensure quality of life doesn't go backwards. 'If we don't get our economy moving again, today's children could be the first generation to not be better off than their parents,' he said. 'We need to spark growth through investment and competition – the best way to do that is to reform our company tax system.' Jim Chalmers welcomed the report and said it would be 'important input' for the roundtable in August. 'This whole process is about building consensus to build a better future for Australians,' stating the government was 'ambitious to do more where we can'. The Treasurer also noted the PC's three recommendations to 'prompt business dynamism,' which included setting a 'clear agenda' to slash red tape, and implement formal expectations for bureaucrats to deliver growth, competition and innovation through regulatory systems. It also called for more oversight to scrutinise new regulations, including creating an independent statutory commissioner and expanding the remit of the Commonwealth parliamentary scrutiny committees. 'Reducing regulatory burden is an important part of our productivity effort and we're working with regulators on potential reforms to be considered as part of the roundtable process,' Mr Chalmers said. 'We recognise that the best way to strengthen our economy and make it more productive is to work through these issues in a methodical and considered way in collaboration with business, unions and the broader community.' The PC's recommendations comes as Labor has released the three-day agenda of its Economic Roundtable which features sessions on combating international risks, boosting business investment and cutting red tap. A specific section will also be dedicated to AI and innovation, while the third day will focus on budget sustainability and tax reform. Attendees will include Shadow treasurer Ted O'Brien, Wentworth MP Allegra Spender, former Treasury secretary and Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation chair Ken Henry and current secretary Kenny Wilkinson. The ACTU's top brass including secretary Sally McManus and president Michele O'Neil, and business group leaders including Business Council of Australia boss Bran Black and Australian Industry Group head Innes Willox will also attend. Mr Chalmers said he hoped the 'targeted agenda' would give the group the 'best possible chance of building consensus on the direction of economic reform'.

Trump ramps up trade war with Canada over Palestine
Trump ramps up trade war with Canada over Palestine

The Advertiser

time4 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Trump ramps up trade war with Canada over Palestine

US President Donald Trump has intensified his trade war with Canada a day before his August 1 deadline for a tariff agreement, saying it will be "very hard" to make a deal with Canada after it gave its support to Palestinian statehood. Trump is set to impose a 35 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement if the two countries do not reach an agreement by the deadline. "Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them," Trump said on Truth Social. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney previously said tariff negotiations with Washington had been constructive, but the talks may not conclude by the deadline. Talks between the two countries were at an intense phase, he added, but a deal that would remove all US tariffs was unlikely. Canada is the second-largest US trading partner after Mexico, and the largest buyer of US exports. It bought $US349.4 billion ($A542.8 billion) of US goods last year and exported $US412.7 billion to the US, according to US Census Bureau data. Canada is also the top supplier of steel and aluminium to the United States, and faces tariffs on both metals as well as on vehicle exports. In June, Carney's government scrapped a planned digital services tax targeting US technology firms after Trump abruptly called off trade talks saying the tax was a "blatant attack". Carney followed France and Britain as he said on Wednesday that his country was planning to recognise the State of Palestine at a meeting of the United Nations in September. In announcing the decision, Carney spoke of the reality on the ground, including starvation in Gaza. "Canada condemns the fact that the Israeli government has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza," he said. Israel and the United States, Israel's closest ally, both rejected Carney's comments. Carney's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's post. US President Donald Trump has intensified his trade war with Canada a day before his August 1 deadline for a tariff agreement, saying it will be "very hard" to make a deal with Canada after it gave its support to Palestinian statehood. Trump is set to impose a 35 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement if the two countries do not reach an agreement by the deadline. "Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them," Trump said on Truth Social. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney previously said tariff negotiations with Washington had been constructive, but the talks may not conclude by the deadline. Talks between the two countries were at an intense phase, he added, but a deal that would remove all US tariffs was unlikely. Canada is the second-largest US trading partner after Mexico, and the largest buyer of US exports. It bought $US349.4 billion ($A542.8 billion) of US goods last year and exported $US412.7 billion to the US, according to US Census Bureau data. Canada is also the top supplier of steel and aluminium to the United States, and faces tariffs on both metals as well as on vehicle exports. In June, Carney's government scrapped a planned digital services tax targeting US technology firms after Trump abruptly called off trade talks saying the tax was a "blatant attack". Carney followed France and Britain as he said on Wednesday that his country was planning to recognise the State of Palestine at a meeting of the United Nations in September. In announcing the decision, Carney spoke of the reality on the ground, including starvation in Gaza. "Canada condemns the fact that the Israeli government has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza," he said. Israel and the United States, Israel's closest ally, both rejected Carney's comments. Carney's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's post. US President Donald Trump has intensified his trade war with Canada a day before his August 1 deadline for a tariff agreement, saying it will be "very hard" to make a deal with Canada after it gave its support to Palestinian statehood. Trump is set to impose a 35 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement if the two countries do not reach an agreement by the deadline. "Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them," Trump said on Truth Social. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney previously said tariff negotiations with Washington had been constructive, but the talks may not conclude by the deadline. Talks between the two countries were at an intense phase, he added, but a deal that would remove all US tariffs was unlikely. Canada is the second-largest US trading partner after Mexico, and the largest buyer of US exports. It bought $US349.4 billion ($A542.8 billion) of US goods last year and exported $US412.7 billion to the US, according to US Census Bureau data. Canada is also the top supplier of steel and aluminium to the United States, and faces tariffs on both metals as well as on vehicle exports. In June, Carney's government scrapped a planned digital services tax targeting US technology firms after Trump abruptly called off trade talks saying the tax was a "blatant attack". Carney followed France and Britain as he said on Wednesday that his country was planning to recognise the State of Palestine at a meeting of the United Nations in September. In announcing the decision, Carney spoke of the reality on the ground, including starvation in Gaza. "Canada condemns the fact that the Israeli government has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza," he said. Israel and the United States, Israel's closest ally, both rejected Carney's comments. Carney's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's post. US President Donald Trump has intensified his trade war with Canada a day before his August 1 deadline for a tariff agreement, saying it will be "very hard" to make a deal with Canada after it gave its support to Palestinian statehood. Trump is set to impose a 35 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods not covered by the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement if the two countries do not reach an agreement by the deadline. "Wow! Canada has just announced that it is backing statehood for Palestine. That will make it very hard for us to make a Trade Deal with them," Trump said on Truth Social. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney previously said tariff negotiations with Washington had been constructive, but the talks may not conclude by the deadline. Talks between the two countries were at an intense phase, he added, but a deal that would remove all US tariffs was unlikely. Canada is the second-largest US trading partner after Mexico, and the largest buyer of US exports. It bought $US349.4 billion ($A542.8 billion) of US goods last year and exported $US412.7 billion to the US, according to US Census Bureau data. Canada is also the top supplier of steel and aluminium to the United States, and faces tariffs on both metals as well as on vehicle exports. In June, Carney's government scrapped a planned digital services tax targeting US technology firms after Trump abruptly called off trade talks saying the tax was a "blatant attack". Carney followed France and Britain as he said on Wednesday that his country was planning to recognise the State of Palestine at a meeting of the United Nations in September. In announcing the decision, Carney spoke of the reality on the ground, including starvation in Gaza. "Canada condemns the fact that the Israeli government has allowed a catastrophe to unfold in Gaza," he said. Israel and the United States, Israel's closest ally, both rejected Carney's comments. Carney's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump's post.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store