Australian news and politics recap June 10: Albo reveals agenda for Parliament in National Press Club address

Anthony Albanese has said an Australian reporter shot with a rubber bullet while covering a protest in the US appeared deliberate and labelled the action “not acceptable”.

The PM revealed he had spoken with US correspondent Lauren Tomasi over the phone on Tuesday.

“She’s going okay. She’s pretty resilient, I’ve got to say. But that footage was horrific,” he told the National Press Club.

“She was clearly identified. Clearly identified. There was no ambiguity.

“It is not acceptable. I respect the role that the media play. And people should respect the role that the media play in our modern society.”

Anthony Albanese has been asked if his Government and previous Governments have “dropped the ball” on issues facing remote Aboriginal communities after 24-year-old Northern Territory man Kumanjayi White died in custody.

The Warlpiri man from Yuendumu died after being restrained by police in the confectionery aisle of a Coles supermarket. The incident has sent shockwaves across the Territory and the nation.

“Can I say that... And I’ve said before, all Governments have not done well enough in any of these areas,” the PM admitted at the National Press Club.

“We attempted during our last term to break with business-as-usual. We attempted to do that.”

Anthony Albanese has been asked if he’ll lift defence spending to follow suit of allies around the world.

It’s been a big point of discussion since before the federal election but has ramped up after the Trump Administration has put pressure on allies to further fund their forces.

The Prime Minister has said time and time again he doesn’t want to set an arbitrary target but rather be more considered.

The Labor leader backed his government’s commitment to defence so far, saying “well, we have $57 billion over ten years, $10 billion over the forward of additional investment”.

“I think that Australia should decide what we spend on Australia’s defence. Simple as that. That’s my view,” he said.

“I’ve made it very clear - we will support the capability that Australia needs.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has declared his planned productivity roundtable won’t just be a talk fest.

The PM referred to the previously held Jobs and Skills Summit, saying that it made waves in fixing the workforce issues and he had faith that a productivity roundtable could do the same.

“What we want is a focused dialogue and constructive debate that leads to concrete and tangible actions,” he told the National Press Club.

“This will be a more streamlined dialogue than the Jobs and Skills Summit, dealing with a more targeted set of issues the we want to build the broadest possible base of support for further economic reform to drive growth, boost productivity, strengthen the budget and secure the resilience of our economy in a time of global uncertainty.

“Early in a term, the Jobs and Skills Summit led to... I’ll tell you what, without it, we would have greater skills shortages in this country. We wouldn’t have those issues being addressed and a more rational discussion. So we will be respectful. We want them to participate in the spirit of goodwill in which we’re making this suggestion.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has used his National Press Club address to declare his intention for Australia to play a “positive and stabilising global role” in the region during “a time of global uncertainty”.

“Where our international relationships in the fastest growing region of the world in human history benefit us, but also provide a platform for us to play a positive and stabilising global role in,” he said.

He declared a second-term Labor Government would engage with the region “in the Australian way” and was prepared to face global challenges and shape economic change.

“We are living in a time of significant global uncertainty - and that reaches beyond just economic instability,” he said.

“What we want is a focused dialogue and constructive debate.”

Anthony Albanese has revealed two new appointments during his National Press Club address.

The PM said after Labor’s election win Dr Steven Kennedy had accepted the offer to become the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and Jenny Wilkinson as Secretary to the Treasury.

He said Ms Wilkinson’s appointment makes her the first woman to be appointed to the role.

“These outstanding public servants will continue to excel in their service to our nation,” the PM said.

“I am delighted that Dr Kennedy and Ms Wilkinson accepted my invitations.”

Anthony Albanese has revealed for the first time that his Government will host a roundtable in August to target better productivity.

Boosting productivity was one of the key declarations his Treasurer Jim Chalmers made post-election.

Now, a new roundtable will put the issue front and centre in the second term Albanese Government.

“I have asked the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, to convene a roundtable to support and shape our government’s growth and productivity agenda,” the PM told the National Press Club.

“At Parliament House in August, we will bring together a group of leaders from the business community, the union movement and civil society.

“This will be a more streamlined dialogue than the Jobs and Skills Summit, dealing with a more targeted set of issues.

“We want to build the broadest possible base of support for further economic reform.”

Housing is among many of the policies the Prime Minister has declared his government won’t “take a backwards step” on in their second term.

Housing policy was a key pillar of Labor’s offering at the 2025 election. So much so that Anthony Albanese left the unveiling of his housing policy to his official election launch in Perth.

“Our $43 billion Homes for Australia plan sets the goal of building 1.2 million new homes before the end of the decade,” he told the National Press Club on Tuesday.

“Because we know that boosting supply is the key.

“And we also understand that for the aspiration of home ownership to remain the great Australian dream, it must be achievable for this generation of Australians.”

Anthony Albanese has pulled out his favourite prop - a Medicare card.

Bolstering Medicare had been at the heart of Labor’s pitch to voters at the federal election. The PM had used the card throughout his campaign and held many press conferences at Urgent Care Clinics.

“Australians voted to strengthen Medicare and protect our world-leading Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme,” he told the National Press Club.

He said Labor’s thumping win demanded “we aim high and requires us to build big”.

“That’s why the very heart of our campaign was the biggest-ever investment in Medicare,” he said.

“Driving to a target of 9 out of every 10 visits to the GP being fully bulk-billed by 2030.

“Because we understand that for Medicare to remain a profound expression of the fair go. Our Government is focused on delivery.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said his thumping election win on May 3 has given Labor “a mandate to act”.

His election win defined all expectations and delivered Labor 94 House of Representatives and 29 Senate spots.

He declared helping students with their debts would be his first action when Parliament resumes on July 22.

“When the new Parliament sits next month, the first piece of legislation we will introduce will cut student debt by 20 per cent,” he said.

“This will save around 3 million Australians an average of $5,500 each.

“And as promised, it will be backdated, so that it applies from the 1st of June this year, before indexation.”