Australian news and politics recap June 2: Greens Senator Dorinda Cox leaves party to join Labor
Scroll down for the latest news news and updates.
Key events
02 Jun 2025 - 04:22 PM
Waters wishes Senator Dorinda Cox well on move to Labor but says she’s ‘disappointed’
02 Jun 2025 - 03:48 PM
Albanese shuts down his Perth press conference after North West Shelf questions
02 Jun 2025 - 03:47 PM
Dorinda Cox says she told Larissa Waters 30 minutes before press conference
02 Jun 2025 - 03:33 PM
PM said the party’s National Executive Committee will admit Cox to the party tomorrow
02 Jun 2025 - 03:32 PM
Cox says ‘deep reflection’ led her to the decision to walk away from the Greens
02 Jun 2025 - 03:32 PM
Dorinda Cox has announced she is leaving the Greens and joining the Labor party
02 Jun 2025 - 02:48 PM
‘The Government is spending a lot more money,’ says Fitzgibbons
02 Jun 2025 - 02:43 PM
Former defence minister wants spending increases but ‘in a sustainable way’
02 Jun 2025 - 02:41 PM
Federal Resources Minister says UNESCO rejection of WA rock art ‘disappointing’
02 Jun 2025 - 02:34 PM
Trial adjourns for day, Patterson to continue giving evidence on Tuesday
02 Jun 2025 - 02:17 PM
Paterson’s ‘very traumatic’ first birth in Perth
02 Jun 2025 - 02:07 PM
Patterson describes engagement, wedding and honeymoon
02 Jun 2025 - 02:00 PM
Patterson describes ‘spiritual experience’ that changed her religious views
02 Jun 2025 - 01:54 PM
Patterson reveals ‘low self-esteem’ struggles
02 Jun 2025 - 01:50 PM
Patterson describes ‘distance or space’ between family
02 Jun 2025 - 01:45 PM
‘I saw it as the final house’: Patterson gives evidence
02 Jun 2025 - 01:37 PM
Patterson takes seat to tell ‘whole truth’ at triple murder trial
02 Jun 2025 - 01:29 PM
Erin Patterson to give evidence in triple murder trial
02 Jun 2025 - 01:11 PM
Gorman slams Trump’s tariffs as ‘not consistent’ with AU-US ‘friendship’
02 Jun 2025 - 01:09 PM
Environmental protection laws to be discussed in WA
02 Jun 2025 - 11:52 AM
‘Give us our money back’: Lambie slams defence blowouts and Trump pressure
02 Jun 2025 - 10:37 AM
Albo slaps down Hegseth defence spending call
02 Jun 2025 - 10:23 AM
PM calls for an end to ‘climate wars’ as extreme weather events rise
02 Jun 2025 - 10:06 AM
Greens leader slams Labor for flurry of coal and gas approvals after delaying decisions
02 Jun 2025 - 10:03 AM
Malinauskas: South Australia seeing ‘some of driest conditions ever known’
02 Jun 2025 - 09:56 AM
PM announces additional mental health support for farmers impacted by SA drought
02 Jun 2025 - 09:05 AM
James Paterson accuses Jim Chalmers of hiding from super tax questions
02 Jun 2025 - 08:32 AM
Joyce says Rudd is ‘not suited’ for Washington Ambassador role
02 Jun 2025 - 08:23 AM
NSW unveils $500m plan as domestic violence cases surge
02 Jun 2025 - 08:17 AM
Tanya Plibersek has defended Labor’s military spending
02 Jun 2025 - 07:59 AM
Lambie backs higher defence spend, slams ‘disgusting waste’
02 Jun 2025 - 07:43 AM
Huge cost of NSW floods and Cyclone Alfred revealed
02 Jun 2025 - 07:11 AM
Resources Minister ‘confident’ about PM talks with Trump at G7
02 Jun 2025 - 06:12 AM
Sydney ferries cancelled due to thick fog
02 Jun 2025 - 05:58 AM
Thistlethwaite defends defence budget amid US pressure
02 Jun 2025 - 05:43 AM
Home values hit record high as buyers return on lower rates
02 Jun 2025 - 05:32 AM
Joyce calls for Rudd to be replaced as US ambassador
02 Jun 2025 - 05:29 AM
Australia may take Trump tariff fight to global trade body
02 Jun 2025 - 05:22 AM
US presses Australia to lift defence budget after talks
Australia may take Trump tariff fight to global trade body
Australia is keeping its options open in the face of Donald Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminium and goods imports, and could take its case to the global trade umpire.
The US president has announced a plan to double levies on foreign steel from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, which is due to come into effect this week.
Australian goods exports to the US are already subject to a 10 per cent baseline tariff.
The move has been branded an act of “economic self-harm” by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who is expected to sit down with the American leader on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada later in June.
Mr Trump’s deepening trade war is considered destabilising to the framework that has benefited middle powers such as Australia.
Asked if Australia might challenge the tariffs before the World Trade Organisation, cabinet minister Chris Bowen told the ABC on Sunday: “I’m sure we will consider all options available to defend the best interests of Australian industry.”
US presses Australia to lift defence budget after talks
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth asked Australia to increase its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of gross domestic product during a meeting with Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles, the Pentagon said.
The defence chiefs also discussed security issues on Sunday, including accelerating US defence capabilities in Australia, advancing defence industrial base cooperation and creating supply chain resilience, the defence department said in a statement.
“On defence spending, Secretary Hegseth conveyed that Australia should increase its defence spending to 3.5 per cent of its GDP as soon as possible,” the statement said.
