Australian news and politics recap: Peter Dutton says Donald Trump got it wrong on Ukraine and Zelensky
Two men have been charged over anti-Semitic attacks, which involved cars and property being set on fire and graffitied.
The Australian Defence Force is keeping “close watch” on three Chinese navy ships sailing east of Sydney, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said on Thursday.
After reporting bumper profits and saying the company was in good shape, one of Australia’s Big Four banks has confirmed it is sending Australian jobs offshore.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton weighs in on the nasty stoush between Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Scroll down for the latest news and updates.
Key Events
Major bank confirms mass offshoring of jobs
After reporting bumper profits and saying the company was in good shape, one of Australia’s Big Four banks has confirmed it is sending Australian jobs offshore.
Westpac on Thursday confirmed that 190 jobs from New South Wales and South Australia will sent overseas, staffed by teams in the Philippines.
The 190 Australians who filled those roles now face the risk of unemployment if they can’t be retrained or redeployed into other roles within Westpac Group’s business.
The bank, which made $7b in profit last financial year and just days ago announced a $1.7b quarterly profit, said operation changes happen “from time to time” and that it hopes to assist with “career transition”.
Albanese says Australia continues to stand with Ukraine
Anthony Albanese says Australia continues to stand with Ukraine after US President Donald Trump labelled the country’s President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator”.
Taking to Truth Social, Mr Trump declared Mr Zelensky was a “modestly successful comedian” who had “talked the USA into spending $250 Billion Dollars, to go into a War that couldn’t be won”.
Asked what he made of that language, the Prime Minister said he would only speak for Australia’s interests.
“And Australia stands with Ukraine in their struggle, which is a struggle not just for our own national sovereignty, but it is a struggle to stand up for the international rule of law,” he said.
Trump floats 20 per cent DOGE dividend for US taxpayers
Donald Trump says he’s considering returning 20 per cent of the savings made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency directly to taxpayers.
“There’s even under consideration a new concept where we give 20 per cent of the DOGE savings to American citizens and 20 per cent goes to paying down debt,” he told a conference.
“The numbers are incredible, Elon, so many billions — hundreds of billions — and we’re thinking about giving 20 per cent back to the American citizens.”
The idea came after investor James Fishback raised the idea on X and Elon Musk said he’d “ask the president”.
Mr Fishback has calculated $2 trillion in savings over two years would amount to roughly $25,000 per taxpayer.
A 20 per cent “dividend” would represent a return to each taxpayer or around $5000.
Peter Malinauskas praises PM
The SA Premier said he could not have placed the steelworks into administration - which he did yesterday - unless he knew the support package was coming today.
He said the package is “absolutely critical to allow us to make the intervention”.
“No amount of gratitude I express really does justice to how important this was to our state and the people that that work here,” he said.
PM: ‘We will win the next election’
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, asked what happens to the Whyalla announcement if he loses the next election, says that won’t happen.
“We will win the next election, and we’re confident we’re going to do that,” he said.
“My Government has policies that support blue-collar workers, that supports jobs and Australia’s national interests.”
PM: ‘No industry more important for Australia than steel’
Addressing the media after making that $2.4b announcement, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia needs to back in its industry.
“We need to learn the lessons of COVID-19, which is that we cannot just be at the end of the supply chains. we cannot just dig thins up, export them, wait for value to be added and for jobs to be created and then import the manufactured goods here,” he said.
“And there is no industry that is more important for our nation than steel making.”
The Whyalla steelworks is where about 75 per cent of the country’s structural steel is made, he says.
PM announces $2.4bn for Whyalla steelworks
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas have pledged $2.4b to upgrade and ensure the viability of the Whyalla Steelworks.
Speaking to workers, Mr Albanese acknowledged it had been “a difficult time”.
“Our greatest resource is the people I see before me today – it is our workforce, our skilled workforce with the capacity that we have,” he said.
“And that’s why, when the Premier of South Australia and I have been discussing this for a while – together with our respective cabinets of how we make sure that we give you certainty – that we say, not only will you have a job, your kids will have a job in the future.”
Attorney General: Threats ‘not insurmountable’ after dire ASIO security assessment
The Government has sought to reassure the public after a dire warning by ASIO chief Mike Burgess that 2030 will be more volatile and dangerous than the first half the decade.
In an annual assessment on Wednesday, Mr Burgess offered a grim outlook of wide-ranging and serious national security threats, potential sabotage and an uptick of surveillance tactics as dictatorships like Russia and Iran become more aggressive.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, who was present at his address, stressed on Thursday the Government was “very confident” in ASIO’s ability to respond.
“Australia has never faced so many different threats at once, but the threats are not insurmountable,” he told ABC Radio National Breakfast.
Among Mr Burgess’ most alarming revelations was numerous attempts by hostile nations to kill or harm critics on Australian soil, including one thwarted plot to lure a human rights activists overseas to target them in an “accident.”
“I want to make this clear, we will not tolerate the surveillance, harassment or intimidation of anyone anywhere in Australia. We will protect our democracy. Our agencies will protect from harm anyone who seeks to do them harm,” said Mr Dreyfuss.
PM heads to Whyalla in multibillion dollar rescue bid
Anthony Albanese says it is in the “national interest” to save the Whyalla steelworks as he heads there to announce a multibillion rescue package to save 1000s of jobs.
The Prime Minister will visit the steelworks with South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas this morning, one day after the crisis-hit GFG Alliance was ousted.
The state government rushed legislation through the parliament on Wednesday, giving it authority to act on debts owed by GFG to secure the steelwork’s future operations.
Mr Albanese said Whyalla was critical to sovereign steel, while pitching the lifeline as a potential driver of green production.
North Korea issues veiled threat over AUKUS
North Korean state media has criticised the United States for a nuclear submarine deal with Australia under the AUKUS partnership signed in 2021, calling it a “threat to regional peace”.
Comments made on KCNA said Washington should be wary of consequences for what it said were nuclear alliances, naming AUKUS and the trilateral co-operation with South Korea and Japan.
Australia just made its first $US500 million ($A788 million) payment to the US under the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal.
