Australian news and politics recap: NATO boss Mark Rutte says Donald Trump is ‘totally committed’ to alliance

Opposition leader Sussan Ley says after taking on the new leadership role of the Liberal Party, she’s informed and in contact with former Liberal PMs.

“One of my great mentors, former prime minister John Howard, often said about elections that the Australian people always get it right. I agree with him,” she told the National Press Club on Wednesday.

Despite Malcolm Turnbull being a vocal critic of the party since he left Parliament, Ms Ley said she also engages with him.

“I’m in touch with previous prime ministers. I actually exchanged texts with Malcolm while he was overseas. I have sat down with John Howard, Tony Abbott. I should add Scott Morrison to that list.

“I’m always interested in their instructions (and) advice.

“‘Instructions’ being a little cheeky, because they’re always willing to share their experience. “That’s a good thing.”

Anthony Albanese has confirmed he will be travelling to China on invitation from President Xi Jinping, but has left the door open to a possible meeting with US President Donald Trump before the trip.

Asked on Wednesday during a press conference in Tasmania, Mr Albanese said it’s “not true that I’m going to China before the United States”.

“It’s true that I will be travelling to China later this year,” Mr Albanese said. We are waiting for… confirmation of a visit to the United States as well,” he added.

“I was in the United States last week, so it’s not true that I’m going to China before the United States.”

It comes as Mr Albanese’s scheduled meeting with Mr Trump on the sidelines of the G7 was cancelled after the US President left early due to conflict in the Middle East.

He is due to speak at the UN General Assembly in New York in September and it’s understood Mr Albanese could travel to China in August.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley declares the Liberal leader “must learn” from the diabolical election loss on May 3.

“We respect the election outcome with humility. We accept it with contrition. And we must learn from it with conviction,” she told the National Press Club.

“Our first step is to listen, so we properly understand how we can improve. Last week, we appointed Pru Goward and Nick Minchin to conduct a root-and-branch review of the election result.

“Never has a review been so important to the Federal Liberal Party.

“Their review will be frank and fearless, ensuring a thorough and honest assessment of what went wrong and how we can fix it.”

The review will be finished by the end of 2025 and will be published publicly.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has rejected calls for Australia to sharply increase defence spending, despite pressure from NATO allies.

“We are actually already very substantially increasing our investment in defence,” Dr Chalmers said.

“We’ve found room in tight budgets for an extra $11 billion over the forward estimates and around 57 and a half billion dollars over the course of the next decade. So to take defence spending from around 2 per cent of our economy to 2.3 per cent by the start of the next decade, represents a very substantial increase in our own defence spending.

“We understand the challenges in the global national security environment. That’s why we’re increasing our spending now.

“Obviously we’ve seen the announcements out of Europe. We’re obviously tracking those developments very closely.”

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has met with Ukraine’s defence minister Rustem Umerov on the sideline of the NATO summit in The Netherlands.

In a statement, Mr Marles expressed Australia’s ongoing support for the embattled nation after the illegal Russian invasion.

“Australia remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine. Pleased to reaffirm our commitment with Rusem Umerov,” he posted to X on Wednesday.

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There are no official meetings planned with Donald Trump on the sidelines of NATO, despite Mr Marles and the US president appearing in the same group photo.

Mr Marles has also commented during the visit that he has a “sense of confidence” in America’s support for the AUKUS submarine deal after the Pentagon launched a review into it.

Mr Albanese had decided not to attend the summit.

Sussan Ley claims the Liberal party will “always be the party of lower, simpler, fairer taxes” and declared she’ll seek to restore its “reputation” as the better budget managers.

The Opposition leader slammed the Albanese Government for their budget management and accused Treasurer Jim Chalmers of being out of his depth on spending.

“I want to restore our reputation as being the party of lower taxes,” she said.

“Every time I hear Jim Chalmers talk about productivity, I think ‘it took him three years to even mention productivity’,” she said.

“He doesn’t talk about the other side of the balance sheet… spending.

“The government is completely silent on that.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley says she won’t be judged by opinion polls or by the press gallery but by the people the Liberals represent in Australia.

“As important as the Press Club is, and it is, rebuilding the Liberal Party will not happen in here,” she said.

“It will happen in communities across Australia.

“We have to reconnect with nurses, with teachers, with tradies, and shopkeepers.

“With young professionals, with multicultural communities, with renters, and people with mortgages.

“I’m clear-eyed about the task before me and my team. My leadership will not be measured by headlines or the polling of the day. It will be by the Australian people.”

Opposition leader Sussan Ley says she wants to see stronger government intervention in protecting children online.

She said parents need the government to help them “fight this fight” as young Australians are increasingly at risk in digital spaces.

“The rise of digital technology and social media has changed the world and unlocked so much potential. But, in opening those doors, strangers have unfortunately been let into the lives of our children,” she said.

“Parents need government in their corner to help fight this fight.”

Her National Press Club address on Wednesday comes after eSafety Commissioner Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant addressed the National Press Club on Tuesday.

Ms Inman Grant warned that no social media platform should be exempted from an under-16s ban as avenues to harm young people were becoming increasingly “dynamic”.

Opposition leader Sussan Ley has opened up in raw honesty about her experience facing domestic violence and coercive control, declaring the Coalition will be a strong advocate for women.

“One in two women has experienced sexual harassment in their lifetime.

“From the age of 15, one in three women has experienced violence and one in six have experienced physical or sexual abuse.

“These women are not just statistics. They are mothers, daughters, friends.

“I want the women of Australia to hear me when I say to them, as a national leader, I understand the fear you feel when you go for a walk alone. Because I have felt that fear too.

“I understand the pain that comes with coercion and control because I have felt that pain too.

“I understand what it’s like when you blame yourself for the actions of others. Because I have blamed myself too.

“I will take this perspective to every decision that I make... I will never let domestic and family violence fall down the list of priorities.”

New Liberal leader Sussan Ley has revealed she was briefed by Australia’s national security officials on conflict in the Middle East after the US struck nuclear facilities in Iran at the weekend.

“Last night I was briefed by national security officials on the unfolding situation in the Middle East,” she told the National Press Club.

“These developments underscore the need for Australia to step up our commitment to defence.

“Across the world, autocratic countries are spending more on military capabilities.

“Many of our trusted allies are responding by matching urgent rhetoric with urgent action.

“Now is the time for Australia to step up. Not step back. We have to build on alliances like AUKUS, the Quad, and our Five Eyes partnership.”

“The first step must be an increase in defence spending with a focus on key capabilities, including space, drones, and missiles.”