Australian news and politics recap March 11: Peter Dutton slams ‘crass’ Tony Burke over caravan plot comments

“When a desperate government can’t tell you about their achievements over the course of the last three years, they go on a personal attack and that is exactly what they are doing here,” he said.

“I promise you I will never be intimidated by Tony Burke or by Chris Bowen or Jim Chalmers or Anthony Albanese. My job is to hold the Government to account and make sure we can get our country back on track after the next election, which is exactly what we will do.”

“I know that NSW Police advised that one point that the caravan and the explosives that were found in the caravan had the potential to make a 40 metre blast designer so I think Tony Burke is trying to find political opportunity out of a national security issue and should stand condemned,” Mr Dutton said.

“This is a complete red herring by Tony Burke. He is desperate to put his name up in lights because he is in a competition with Jim Chalmers at the moment.

“That is what is happening here, crass politics being played out by cheap politicians like Tony Burke.

“He is the Home Affairs minister who allowed 3000 people into our country on tourist visas without the requisite security checks because he saw political advantage in that in Western Sydney.”

“We requested a briefing on the 22nd of January. We requested everything about a week later.

“At no time during those briefings on my discussions with the director-general of ASIO including on February 18, was there any mention of a hoax. The thought that we didn’t request a briefing is a complete and utter nonsense and is an (own) goal by Tony Burke.”

Mr Dutton has been asked to respond to Tony Burke’s attack on the opposition leader yesterday in the wake of the alleged anti-Semitic caravan turning out to be “fake terrorism”.

“What is obvious is that the Home Affairs minister has been caught out lying today,” he said.

“I think what is happening today is this beauty parade between Jim Chalmers and Tony Burke because they anticipate Anthony Albanese will not be the leader of the Labor Party for much longer at all and I think what they are both doing at this moment is trying to parade in front of their colleagues and frankly, I think it is an appalling show by Tony Burke.

“Don’t forget, he is a minister who allowed 3000 people into our country from Gaza, part of the world that is controlled by a listed terrorist organisation. This is a government that allowed over 200 hardened criminals out of immigration detention when it turns out they didn’t need to do so. Australians are less safe as a result of Tony Burke‘s time as Minister.”

Mr Dutton is talking from the Gold Coast, where he is at pains to emphasise that the tourism hotspot is “open for business” over the Easter holidays.

“One of the most important messages out of today is if you think about booking a holiday for Easter, then look to one of these regions including the Gold Coast that’s been affected by the cyclone and make sure you book the holiday today,” he said.

“For a tourism city like the Gold Coast it’s important people hear the message that the Gold Coast is really open forbusiness again and to talk about bookings and have that discussion with your family.”

Mr Dutton praised the work of SES volunteers and emergency workers in the State.

We’ll bring you all the latest as it comes to hand.

Rodrigo Duterte, the former Philippine president, has been arrested by the International Criminal Court on a charge of crime against humanity.

AP reports Duterte was arrested on Tuesday at Manila’s international airport after arriving from Hong Kong and police took him into custody on orders of the ICC.

The ICC has been investigating the massive killings that happened under the former president’s deadly crackdown against illegal drugs, President Ferdinand Marcos’ office said in a statement.

The ICC launched an investigation into drug killings under Duterte from November 1, 2011, when he was still mayor of the southern city of Davao, to March 16, 2019, as possible crimes against humanity.

Duterte withdrew the Philippines in 2019 from the Rome Statute in a move human rights activists say was aimed at escaping accountability over the killings.

Full story here.

Things on the Australian stockmarket are looking slightly better after the opening bell, with eToro anaylst Josh Gilbert’s comments below seeming to be on the money at the moment.

The losses are now tracking at closer to $45b, instread of the earlier figure of $56b.

Here’s the latest from the ASX.

As the ASX and global markets react to a Wall Street bloodbath, one analyst has shared his view that “we’re still completely in the realm of normal”, adding “investors shouldn’t panic”.

“Markets are in reverse and it’s a tough time for investors, especially after a few golden years for the S&P500,” Josh Gilbert, a market analyst at eToro, told The Nightly.

“Markets hate uncertainty, and that’s exactly what we’re getting. But, we’re still completely in the realm of normal.

“The S&P500 is down just 8.6% from its all-time high. It’s important to remember that pullbacks are normal, and volatility is standard, this isn’t new for markets.

“Volatility might increase further, and the sell-off may deepen, but it’s still not a reason to run for the hills. If you’re a long-term investor, you may find opportunities to own quality companies at far more attractive prices, but it’s about being astute.

“Further escalation of trade tensions – such as new tariffs or breakdowns in talks – could spur more market volatility and downside for trade-sensitive stocks.

“Sectors like autos, aerospace, technology hardware, apparel, and agriculture are especially sensitive: tariffs can either raise their costs or make their products less competitive abroad.

“By contrast, more insulated sectors (utilities, finance, healthcare, real estate) might see less direct impact.”

Asian stocks have taken their cue from the Wall Street and fallen sharply as worries mount that a wide-ranging trade war could dent US economic growth and result in a recession, leading skittish investors to the safe-haven Japanese yen.

Investor concerns about the potential economic slowdown were exacerbated on Tuesday after President Donald Trump in a Fox News interview talked about a “period of transition” while declining to predict whether his tariffs would result in a US recession.

Those comments and worries sapped risk sentiment, sending stocks sliding and weighing on the US dollar and Treasury yields.

In Asia, it was a sea of red with Japan’s Nikkei and Taiwan stocks sliding about three per cent, hitting their lowest level since September. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell more than one per cent.

Even Chinese stocks, which have been on a tear this year, were not immune to the downbeat mood. The blue-chip index fell about one per cent, while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index was 1.5 per cent lower.

European futures also pointed to a lower open, with DAX futures down 0.8 per cent and Eurostoxx futures 0.9 per cent lower, suggesting the selloff had more room to go.