Australian news and politics recap April 30: Albo deflects campaign lying claims by targeting Dutton’s record

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the comments by US President Donald Trump about returning phone calls were a “light-hearted, throwaway” remark.

“What the President of the United States would be aware of is the discussions that took place between our officials and his officials and that have continued,” Mr Albanese told ABC Melbourne.

“But I’m sure if we are successful, we will have a discussion after Saturday.”

Pushed on whether any phone call has been locked in, Mr Albanese said the election campaign is front and centre of his mind, but we would anticipate that if he’s successful on Saturday, he would receive calls from leaders around the world, the same as happened in 2022.

Penny Wong has drawn parallels between the Voice to Parliament and marriage equality, predicting the public will look back on the Indigenous recognition debate and wonder, “did we even have a debate about that?”

In an interview with the Betoota Talks podcast, the foreign minister reflected on the failed 2023 referendum, where 60 per cent of voters rejected constitutional recognition, and defended Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s decision to proceed despite warnings: “He thought it was the right thing to do.”

Wong, a key figure in the marriage equality fight, added: “I think we’ll look back on it in 10 years’ time, and it’ll be a bit like marriage equality, don’t you reckon?”

“Like I always used to say, marriage equality took us such a bloody big fight to get that done. And I thought all this fuss, it will become something like, people go, did we even have an argument about that? Kids today, or even adults today, barely kind of clock that it used to be an issue.”

Mr Albanese ruled out reviving the Voice in Sunday’s election leaders’ debate “It is gone,” he said.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has taken fresh aim at the ABC during a Melbourne radio interview on Wednesday morning.

When asked for election night party tips, the Liberal leader said: “I think alcohol is the first essential ingredient, I’m sure of that, responsible drinking as well, but not watching the ABC would be a good start,” he said on Fox FM during an interview.

“For the young ones, listening at home, forget the ABC. And if you do that, you can probably start with a good night.”

He added: “People obviously are over the ads and just want election day out of the way and get on with their lives… But you know, we live in the greatest country in the world. It’s worth fighting for and protecting and defending and that’s what the debate is about.”

Senator Jacqui Lambie has declared salmon farming a critical issue for Tasmania, citing widespread public opposition and environmental damage linked to pollution and threats to marine ecosystems like Macquarie Harbour.

The industry faces intense scrutiny over fish waste, habitat destruction, and risks to endangered species, with recent mass salmon deaths and legal battles amplifying calls for reform.

She has pledged to pressure major parties to relocate fish farms from sensitive areas, stating: “I can tell you that salmon farming is a huge issue down here, 65% of Tasmanians are against both of them... All people are asking is to push your nets out further in the sea and get them out of Macquarie Harbour,” she said on ABC News Beakfast on wednesday morning.

“They’re making profits on brand Tasmania. It’s not good enough... I’ve seen that sludge on our beaches. I’m seeing it in Macquarie Harbour and so are the tourists.”

“It’s time for the multinationals to make less profits and get those god damn stinky fish out in deeper waters.”

When quizzed about a major ratings agency potentially downgrading Australia’s AAA credit rating, Jim Chalmers says Labor won the AAA rating and will fight hard to maintain it.

The AAA rating, the highest possible credit grade, signifies exceptional financial stability and minimal default risk, ensuring low borrowing costs and investor confidence.

“I take their views seriously, as I said yesterday. We won the stable AAA from all three ratings agencies the last time Labor was in Government and we’re proud of that.”

“We take our responsibilities very seriously when it comes to managing the budget in a considered and methodical way and that’s why we delivered two surpluses in our first two years.

“Our predecessors never delivered one. We’ve halved the deficit. We’ve made good progress.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says many people have told him they don’t like Clive Palmer’s Trumpet of Patriots party hammering them with text messages ahead of the Federal election.

When asked about the Spam act and whether it should be looked at, Mr Chalmers said he has not given it much thought.

“I’m not sure about that. It might be counter-productive. A lot of people have raised with me that they don’t like those Trumpet of Patriots messages.”

“I think political parties use all kinds of different means to try and communicate with voters.

“It remains to be seen whether the text messages people are getting from the Trumpet of Patriots crowd is helpful or harmful to their prospects.

“A lot of people are raising it. I’d be lying to you if I said I think deeply about this part of the electoral law. My job is to focus on the economy.

“We have inflation figures out later today and I’m more focused on those sorts of numbers.”

US President Donald Trump has confirmed Australia has been calling the White House and that he will be speaking with leaders to make a deal.

“They are calling, and I’ll be talking to him, yes,” Mr Trump said when asked if he would speak to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about trade.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has remained steadfast about the need for a “considered” approach to managing negotiations with Mr Trump.

“The US administration changes its position on a regular basis,” Mr Albanese said after Mr Trump announced his global tariffs.

“We need to make sure that Australia is considered in the way that we go forward.

“You have to be an adult. You do not dial it up to 11 at every opportunity, which is what Peter Dutton’s plan is on everything, just to say the first thing that comes into your head.

“What you need to do in dealing with the United States, in dealing with other diplomatic relations as well, is to be consistent and considered.”

He said Australia would “continue to advocate that Australia’s tariff rates should be zero”.

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Treasurer Jim Chalmers has addressed Donald Trump’s declaration that he will be speaking to the Prime Minister of Australia on tariffs.

President Trump told reporters overnight that “they are calling, I will be talking to them, yes”.

Mr Chalmers responded on the ABC on Wednesday morning: “We’ve made it really clear for some time now, that we’re engaging with our counterparts in the US as the Australian people would expect us to.

“We’re speaking up for and standing up for our national economic interest. That’s been the case for some months.”

Shadow Finance Minister Jane Hume has defended Peter Dutton’s remarks on youth voting patterns after the Opposition Leader said “a lot of young people, it’s probably not until they buy a home and have a mortgage that they start to worry about economic management and job security once they have kids.”

He added: “People are renters for longer and generally that means they’re more inclined to support the Labor Party and then as their views mature politically, they come across to the Liberal Party.”

Ms Hume responded on Sunrise on Wednesday morning, emphasising Coalition policies to address housing affordability, stating: “Our concern is that younger people are not just renting while they’re young, they’re renting as they get older too... allowing young people to access their own superannuation savings, to make that deposit on their first home, and having tax deductible interest repayments for the first five years of owning their own home.”

On voter sentiment, she added: “There is no doubt that as you get older and have a family... you start looking forward to what’s better economic management opportunities, what’s the future going to hold for the prosperity of our nation.”

Housing Minister Clare O’Neil has denied involvement in a campaign controversy after reports emerged about Chinese-linked volunteers offering electoral assistance.

It comes after 10 people linked to an organisation ­associated with Beijing’s foreign influencer were recruited to work at Ms O’Neil’s polling booths on May 3 for election day.

“I can be really clear with you there, Nat. My staff and my office did not make any requests for assistance from this organisation. The organisation offered assistance to the office, and my team did exactly the right thing, which is politely decline that offer of support,” she told Sunrise.

When pressed on potential infiltration O’Neil reiterated: “All I can say is my staff did exactly the right thing here. As I say again, I didn’t make any requests for assistance from this organisation. The support was offered to my team. My team declined that support. And that was the end of the matter.”