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Sky News AU
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Australia must send 'clear message' to China and 'stand' with United States on Taiwan position, claims Pauline Hanson
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has said Australia must be on the same page as the United States in the event of an invasion of Taiwan by China. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday wrapped up his second diplomatic trip to China where he held talks with President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and other senior leaders. The Prime Minister's visit comes as Taiwan conducts its largest ever defence drills and live-fire exercises, which the island holds annually in preparation of a possible Chinese invasion. One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Bronwyn Bishop joined Rowan Dean on Friday night for Sky News Australia's program The World According to Rowan Dean. The latest episode is available to watch now, and new episodes are out every Friday, for subscribers. During his China visit, Mr Albanese reiterated Australia's support for "the status quo" as he was was quizzed by reporters on the government's position regarding Taiwanese independence. However, the Coalition fears Labor has shown weakness on the matter as the Opposition claimed "peace through deterrence is incredibly important" regarding Taiwan. In an interview on The World According to Rowan Dean on Friday night, Ms Hanson said Australia must "stand by America" in the scenario of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan. "We have the AUKUS agreement ... We need to be seen that we are supporting Taiwan, which is a democratic country, and should not be taken over by China," Ms Hanson said. "I think a clear message should be sent to China (that) we're not going to stand for it, and we will stand united with the United States, and hopefully they'll defend Taiwan being taken over from China." Ms Hanson's comments come after Shadow Defence Minister Angus Taylor denied a shift in the Coalition's stance on Australia's potential response to an invasion of Taiwan, pushing back on claims his recent comments represented a departure from long-held principles. Joining the panel debate on Friday night, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Bronwyn Bishop said Australia's statement on Taiwan should be "aligned with the United States". "I think the United States policy will probably remain pretty much the way it is, but that doesn't mean to say that there won't be ships, aircraft, all sorts of things put in to make sure that people know that there's an intent," she told host Rowan Dean. Earlier this week, Mr Albanese expressed support for the One China policy as he was asked about a local media report following his closed-door meeting with President Xi. "I agreed that Australia has had a long-standing bipartisan position that has supported the One China policy. That is our position," Mr Albanese said on Wednesday. "That's been the position of governments for a long period of time in Australia and is still the bipartisan position in Australia. "By definition, we don't support any unilateral action on Taiwan." Australia's interpretation of the One China policy - which recognises Beijing as the sole legal government of China - does not include acknowledging sovereignty over Taiwan, nor does it oppose Taiwanese independence. Mr Albanese's China trip comes amid heightened scrutiny over move to prioritise a second official visit to Beijing before he locks in a meeting with President Donald Trump in the US.
Sky News AU
11-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Former Labor MP 'surprised Kevin Rudd even got into' Donald Trump's golf course for talks as PM yet to meet President
Former Labor MP Michael Danby has declared he is "surprised" Australia's ambassador to the US Kevin Rudd managed to secure a meeting with Donald Trump given Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to see the President face-to-face. Mr Rudd and President met earlier this year at the Trump International Golf Course in Florida on January 11, days before the Presidential Inauguration. While it was reported in January that Mr Rudd and President Trump had a "brief" face-to-face encounter, key details of the meeting - including the date and location - were not known until now. The Prime Minister has since been heavily quizzed about the meeting and why further details have only just started to emerge months later. Former Labor politicians Michael Danby and Graham Richardson joined Rowan Dean on Friday night for Sky News Australia's program The World According to Rowan Dean. The latest episode is available to watch now, and new episodes are out every Friday, for subscribers. Weighing into the development during a panel on The World According to Rowan Dean on Friday night, Mr Danby claimed the Rudd-Trump meeting has not appeared to have any "beneficial effects" on the issues impacting Australia. "If you're counting the number of trips that the Prime Minister makes to Beijing versus the number of trips he makes to Washington, which is zero, I'm surprised Kevin even got into the golf club," Mr Danby said. "I suppose we can say that he's trying. But it doesn't seem to have led to any beneficial effects on the pharmaceutical prices, or the tariff that we're going to face, or (Under Secretary of Defence for Policy) Eldridge Colby's cautioning that we may not get the (submarines) after all because the Americans don't have enough Virginia-class subs for themselves." Fellow former Labor minister Graham Richardson voiced a similar sentiment, speculating tarrifs and defence would have been key points of discussion for Mr Rudd and the President. His comments come amid reports suggesting the US may demand Australia pay more under the AUKUS pact to obtain the new nuclear-powered submarines. "There are so many things to discuss, but one would imagine that the 10 per cent tariffs would get a run. I can't imagine them not discussing that," Mr Richardson said. "They'd have to discuss defence and the arrival of submarines. "These are the normal things that leaders are going to discuss, even if the leader is right." The AUKUS deal, which was signed under former US president Joe Biden, is currently being reviewed by the Trump administration. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed Mr Rudd and the President met "in the dining room of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, on January 11, 2025". The confirmation came in a response following a question on notice from shadow finance minister James Paterson, who had asked for more details on the Rudd-Trump meeting. Speaking at a media conference on Friday, Mr Albanese fired back at reporters after he was pressed on new details about the encounter. Asked why Australians were "only now" getting more details about the meeting, the Prime Minister took a terse approach to the question, delivering a two-word answer. "They're not," Mr Albanese said. Asked if it was a "secret meeting", the Prime Minister hit back saying he had "spoken publicly" about the topic during a television interview at the time. Mr Albanese then took aim at the opposition for pressing the matter. "The Opposition need to decide whether they're going to continue to undermine Australia's nation interest or whether they'll join team Australia. What we need from them is less hyperventilation," Mr Albanese said. Mr Albanese is set to jet off to China from Saturday for a six-day trip at the invitation of Premier Li Qiang, with talks expected to focus on trade, tourism, and global and regional issues. The Prime Minister has come under fire for his move to visit Chinese President Xi Jinping for the fourth time before he secures his first meeting with President Trump, particularly amid the ongoing tariff saga. While Mr Albanese and President Trump have spoken over the phone in the past, the pair are yet to meet face-to-face since President Trump returned to the White House earlier this year.
Sky News AU
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
'I'm dead against them': Former Liberal titan Bronwyn Bishop expresses strong opposition to gender quotas amid party division
Bronwyn Bishop has backed Sussan Ley to be "given a go", but declared her opposition to gender quotas after the new Liberal leader indicated an openness to implementing them within the party. The topic of gender quotas made centre stage this week within the Liberal Party, after Ms Ley's address to the National Press Club on Wednesday where she said she was "agnostic" towards tackling the matter of trying to increase female representation in the party. "If some state divisions choose to implement quotas, that is fine. If others don't, that is also fine," she said. "What is not fine is not having enough women. As the first woman leader of our federal party, let me send the clearest possible message: We need to do better, recruit better, retain better, and support better." One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and former speaker of the house Bronwyn Bishop joined Rowan Dean for Sky News Australia's program The World According to Rowan Dean. The latest episode is available to watch now, and new episodes are out every Friday, for subscribers. Shadow Defence Minister Angus Taylor, who competed against Ms Ley for leadership of the party following Peter Dutton's defeat in the federal election, asserted he was "not a supporter of gender quotas" in a suggestion there was some division between the two senior Liberal figures. During a panel on The World According to Rowan Dean, former speaker of the house Ms Bishop sided with Mr Taylor's view. "I'm dead against them, always have been, will remain so. And as the person who's been the first to do things, particularly from New South Wales, whether it's the (NSW Liberals state) president, senator, member of the House, minister or speaker of the House, I think I'm entitled to have a view," she said. "But if we come back to Sussan Ley's position, she's acquiesced if a state wants to do it. But the bottom line is this. The left wing of the party wants to pick who the women are so they can own them. They will have their pre-selection, and they'll select the one who they can own and put them in to have their policies in place." Fellow panellist Pauline Hanson was even harsher, as she declared she would never introduce gender quotas to One Nation. "They're trying to piece the minority out there and push for this gender equality rubbish that's going on all the time. I don't have gender quotas in my party, and I will not have it. It's the best person that applies for the position to be a candidate, and then I judge them also, especially the Senate positions, and see if their quality and what they can bring to the parliament and if they are actually up to the job," she said. "Sussan Ley is heading down this part of actual gender quotas or more women in parliament. I encourage women, if you feel it's a profession for you, go for it, try it and have a go. But don't think that you should get there purely because you're a female." Senator Hanson also questioned Ms Ley's leadership credentials, and whether she was even in the right political party as she accused her of lacking conservative views. "She should be for the Teals. She is not a conservative. Her way of thinking, her policies ... I'd like to see [her] enthusiasm [on what] to do with immigration, cost of living, this net zero needs to be thrown out," she said. "The Libs are not ... representing the conservative side of politics. They've got no opposition, no pushback to the government. They're too aligned with them. And they've lost this election." Ms Bishop pushed back on Senator Hanson's response, arguing Ms Ley should be given a fair chance to lead, and defended her place in the Liberal Party, describing it as an "insult" to suggest she would be better suited to the Teals. "My first thing to say is give her a go. She's got there and she should be given a go," she said.
