Australian news and politics recap June 2: Greens Senator Dorinda Cox leaves party to join Labor

Labor MP Patrick Gorman has slammed Donald Trump’s doubling of steel tariffs, saying it “wasn’t consistent” with the Australian-American “deep enduring friendship”.

Mr Gorman’s condemnation of the 50 per cent tariff on steel and aluminium comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese yesterday labelled them as “inappropriate” “economic self-harm”.

“There’s a deep, enduring friendship between Australia and the United States - this is not consistent with that,” Mr Gorman told Sky on Monday.

“Australia does not apply these sorts of tariffs to the United States because we recognise it’s not in the interests of our people, it’s not in the interests of our economy. I say exactly the same thing to the United States, it’s not in their interest.”

He said the Albanese Government would continue to put forward Australia’s case and commended US ambassador Kevin Rudd and Trade Minister Don Farrell for their continued efforts.

Perth MP Patrick Gorman said he looked forward to welcoming his Federal colleagues to WA on Tuesday for the second official Cabinet meeting of the re-elected Albanese government.

Speaking to Sky News on Monday, Mr Gorman said the PM’s 35th visit west showed the Labor government valued the State and its strong resource-backed economy.

“It’ll be great to have the Prime Minister and his senior ministers here, talking not just about what’s important for Western Australia, but continuing the work of implementing the agenda we took to the election,” he said.

“It’s also good to say Western Australia on the national stage.”

He said reforming Australia’s 1999 environmental protection laws was expected to be on the table among expected discussions with the WA Premier.

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Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie said Australia should be looking to cut “waste” in the Australian Defence Force before looking to pump more cash into it in reaction to the Trump Administration calling on Canberra to boost the defence budget.

“Just ask Donald Trump to give us our money back for our submarines, mate,” Senator Lambie told Sky News.

“But look, now it’d be nice to lift our defence spending, there is no doubt about that, things are pretty tough out there at the moment, but … we waste so much money in defence procurement and that’s where we should be looking.

“You’ve only got to see those submarines, mate. Four billion dollars so far, and we haven’t got one scrap of bloody steel sitting in a harbour yet ready to go. I mean, that is just disgusting waste at its best.”

Senator Lambie has warned of a “personnel crisis” within the ADF, calling recruitment and retention issues the “biggest problem” facing Australia’s national security.

Asked about US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth’s call for Australia to raise defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP, Mr Albanese said Australia would forge its own path to meet its defence needs.

“What you should do in defence is decide what you need, your capability, and then provide for it,” Mr Albanese said.

“That’s what my Government is doing. Investing in our capability and investing in our relationships.

“That’s what we’ll continue to do. We have provided an additional $10 billion of investment into defence over the forward estimates.

“That adds up to 2.3 per cent of GDP as where defence spending will rise.

“What we need is things that defend us in real terms, and that’s what we’ll provide.”

As extreme weather increases, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for the climate wars to end.

“I said when I was elected Prime Minister that I wanted the climate wars to end. They’re pretty pointless, frankly, and getting into a debate whether any specific event is because of climate change is, in my view, a cul-de-sac that deals you back to the same place,” he said.

“The thing is that climate change is real and we need to respond to it,” he said, pointing to the Government’s comprehensive plan to deal with climate change and lead the world in a shift to renewable energy.

“Australia needs to adjust to the impact of extreme weather events triggered by climate change,” he said.

“Australia has always had droughts. We’ve always had flooding, rains.

“That has occurred throughout our history on this great continent that we’re privileged to live on. But the truth is that there are more extreme weather events, and they’re more intense now,” he said.

“Science told us that that was the case. The science has been proven, unfortunately, to be playing out. So, we need to adjust to that.”

He said resilience programs, mitigation and preparation would all play an important role.

New Greens leader Larissa Waters has slammed the Albanese Government for their poor climate record in the first few weeks of their second term.

She pointed to the wave of major resources approvals which have progressed in recent weeks, including the expansion of Woodside’s North West Shelf gas project to 2070.

“In the past week alone, Labor has approved the NWS extension, the expansion of one of Australia’s largest coal mines Ulan Coal Mine, the extension of another coal mine Tahmoor Colliery, and the floating Viva gas terminal near Geelong,” she said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.

“In the midst of a climate crisis. Strong climate action means no new coal and gas.

“With sole balance-of-power in the new Senate, the Greens will fight to stop new fossil fuel projects and transition to clean energy. The question is whether Labor will work with us, or with the Coalition.”

The Coalition has accused Labor of delaying big approval decisions, including the North West Shelf, to keep environmentally-minded voters on side at the last election.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas reveals the state is “seeing some of the driest conditions we’ve ever known.”

The current drought has followed a very dry year last year.

“This is a culmination of a bad run for a couple of years in a row,” he said, praising the hard work of men and women working on the land.

“Our primary production sector is made up of some extraordinary men and women who have made sure they’ve invested in the most advanced technologies and apply the best practices for the environment more broadly,” he said.

“But they can’t help it when it doesn’t rain, which is why the Government does have a role to play.”

The Prime Minister is in Fischer, South Australia, with South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas and Agriculture Minister Julie Collins, to speak to communities impacted by the recent drought.

Mr Albanese announced additional $2m funding to boost the Rural Financial Counselling Service, on top of the $36 million of additional support announced last week by the Minister.

“We know that at times like this that has a real impact on mental health, and that is understandable.

“People put their heart and soul into their farms, not just a business, it’s a way of life, and they’re very passionate about making a difference,” he said.

“They care about their properties, they care about what they do, and it can be devastating to have this long term impact that we’re seeing from this drought.”

The Prime Minister said the extra funding will deliver more support to people on the ground.

Shadow Finance Minister James Paterson has urged the Albanese Government to increase defence spending, not due to US demands to do so but because the nation needs it.

His comments on Sky on Monday came after US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth conveyed a spending increase request to Defence Minister Richard Marles on the sidelines of the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore across the weekend.

“We should increase our defence spending not because the American friends have asked her to do so, but because it’s in our national interest to do so,” he said.

He said Mr Marles had consistently acknowledged that it was the most dangerous time since the end of World War II but didn’t take action to match it.

Defence spending sits at about two per cent of GDP. At the election the Coalition promised an extra $21 billion over five years, with a goal to reach 3.5 per cent of GDP being spent on defence over time.

Mr Paterson said Labor needed to seriously consider its defence spending commitments.

“I think it’s very clear that labor is cannibalising capability in Army, Navy and Air to pay for AUKUS. It shouldn’t come at the expense of current and near future capability, which we need to help deter and hopefully, prevent conflict in our region.

“We’re very proud of the commitment we took to the last election.”

New Shadow Defence Minister Angus Taylor is expected to talk about defence spending later on Monday.

Shadow Finance Minister James Paterson has questioned if Jim Chalmers has gone into hiding.

He accused the Treasurer of avoiding the press on Labor’s “dodgy” super tax policy and said taxing unrealised capital gains is wrong.

“Where is Jim Chalmers? He’s barely been seen or heard from since the election,” Mr Paterson told Sky on Monday.

“He’s letting other ministers like Amanda Rishworth front the Sunday shows to try to explain his complicated and confused, and contradictory policy.

“He’s in hiding. I think he should front up today and explain the rationale for this dodgy exemption.”