Latest news with #SkyNewsAustralia
Sky News AU
27 minutes ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Disruptive protest ‘clowns' need to be stopped
Victorian Shadow Energy and Resources Minister David Davis shared his views on the growing disruption of protesters, particularly across Victoria, urging for stronger laws to be set in place. 'We need a permit system, we need move on laws, we need a suite of laws that actually helps regulate and control a lot of these clowns,' Mr Davis told Sky News Australia. 'I say this as the fault, especially in Victoria of the Allen labor government, they have been very weak, they have been tardy, they have not been prepared to stand up to send clear messages. 'Victorians are tiring of this, they don't want our reputation damaged in this way, and I think Victorians actually want action … in Victoria it's been a free-for-all and it's quite wrong.'
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Health
- Sky News AU
Calls to halt Daniel Andrews' statue over ‘unresolved allegations'
Victorian Shadow Energy and Resources Minister David Davis commented on plans for a statue of former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, arguing the move is premature due to unresolved allegations stemming from his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. 'A lot of it was based on a lie, it was just a lie, the problem is he claimed it was health advice and it wasn't,' Mr Davis told Sky News Australia. 'We would all say if you actually followed the health advice, we would have had a different outcome.'
Sky News AU
6 hours ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Australia ‘looking good' after tariffs held at 10 per cent
Former Trump trade adviser Kelly Ann Shaw shared her views on how Australia has lucked out in remaining at a 10 per cent tariff rate. 'Australia is looking pretty good right now compared to other governments, and I think you should be feeling very good about where you landed in terms of this new us tariff structure,' Ms Ann Shaw told Sky News Australia. 'This is one of the most interesting dynamics in the world, you have two of the world's largest economies, both nuclear powers, both who have expressed an interest in not decoupling but also de-risking from one another from strategic supply chains. 'I do think that where the US-China relationship is right now is somewhere between a 30-55 per cent average tariff rate is likely where it's going to stay for the foreseeable future."
Sky News AU
8 hours ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Mike Pezzullo warns AUKUS will demand an ‘all-consuming' national effort and raises questions over Australia's readiness
Former Home Affairs Secretary Mike Pezzullo has issued a blunt warning about the scale and urgency of Australia's AUKUS commitments, saying the nuclear submarine programme will demand a national effort on par with Medicare. Speaking to Sky News Australia following revelations that the Department of Defence has extended its timeline for a key AUKUS review, Mr Pezzullo said the initiative must become a whole-of-society undertaking as he raises concerns about whether Australia, and its US partner, can deliver. 'In military terms, AUKUS is as big a programme relative to our military capability as Medicare is to health,' he said. 'It's like having the military version of Medicare. It's something that's got to become an all-consuming, focused effort that transcends Commonwealth, state, territory governments into industry, academia, the training pipeline through both universities and vocational educational training institutions.' The extended review is now expected to include wider consultations with the UK Government, US Congress, and other stakeholders, including industry. Pezzullo said the review would likely centre on three key concerns: Australia's readiness, US industrial capacity, and the long-term strategic implications of Australia acquiring eight nuclear-powered submarines. 'The Americans will want to assess that because if we're not ready, then they'll put an X against that or a question mark at least,' he said. He pointed to recent comments by Admiral Caudle, the incoming head of the US Navy, who told the Senate Armed Services Committee that America's submarine output must double to meet both domestic and allied needs. 'He said a 10 or 20 per cent lift in productivity will not cut it. We have to double the productivity,' Pezzullo said. 'If he's saying that, we should be concerned because it then becomes a question mark as to whether there's any available for us.' Even if production and training targets are met, Pezzullo believes the US still harbours concerns about the strategic direction of the partnership. 'The fundamental concern I think Americans really have is, are we putting all this investment in to create an autonomous, independent Australian capability that we'll never be able to jointly use, or are they willing to talk to us about that joint use?' Turning to Australia's short-term naval posture, Pezzullo flagged a critical capability gap between 2025 and 2032, when the first Virginia-class submarine is expected to arrive, arguing the government must act urgently to extend the life of the existing Collins-class fleet. 'If we can't extend Collins to get us through that seven-year gap, we've got a real problem,' he said. While some have suggested a leasing arrangement or interim acquisition, Pezzullo said a more radical solution could also be on the table. 'The more radical innovative approach is to go full Ukrainian and go for a very large fleet of uncrewed long-range, medium-range and short-range vessels to undertake missions,' he said. 'They're not as capable as a submarine but if you have lots of them, you might be able to fill the gap.'
Sky News AU
10 hours ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Trump holds tariff rate on Australia at 10 per cent
The Trump administration is to hold the tariff rate at 10 per cent on all Australian goods. Productivity Commission Chair Alex Robson joined Sky News Australia to discuss the announcement.
