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Australian news and politics live: Albanese defends call not to convene national cabinet on anti-Semitic hate

Kimberley Braddish
The Nightly
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Credit: Martin Ollman NewsWire/NCA NewsWire

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Caitlyn Rintoul

Albanese’s snappy response to Jewish leader questions

Anthony Albanese has been snappy with reporters in Tasmania on Tuesday, hitting back at questions about what the Jewish community has called for after a spate of attacks in Melbourne on Friday.

A reporter asked about whether the Federal government would provide more funding for the safety of places of worship, citing that “Jewish community leaders” say the previous commitment was “insufficient”.

“Who is saying that?” the PM quizzed the journalist.

“I spoke with Jewish community leaders on Saturday.

“Every time there has been a request, it has been met, expeditiously.

“On Saturday, one of the reasons why this gentleman has been caught so quickly is because the CCTV that was in place there was as a direct result of Commonwealth Government funding.”

Caitlyn Rintoul

‘People don’t want a meeting, they want action’: Albanese

Anthony Albanese was asked about the Opposition’s call for a dedicated National Cabinet on antisemitism. The PM has said he’s focused instead on action.

“Every time an issue comes up, people say, ‘Let’s have a National Cabinet’,” he told reporters in Tasmania.

“Let’s be clear. People don’t want a meeting. They want action. Action is what they want.”

Albo condemns anti-Semitic attack, but doesn’t convene national cabinet

Mr Albanese has defended his decision not to convene a national cabinet on anti-semitism, declaring people “don’t want a meeting, they want action”.

The attacks in Melbourne over the weekend were “reprehensible”, the PM said, and “deserve condemnation”.

“The gentleman concerned at the synagogue deserves the full force of the law,” he said.

He said his Government had already responded substantially with increasing security for synagogues, Jewish schools and community organisations.

“We’ll continue to engage constructively with the community to make sure they get the support they need,” he said.

“Anti-Semitism is a scourge. It has no place in Australia.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaking from Hobart

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Hobart this morning, hitting the hustings with state Labor leader Dean Winter in the lead-up to this month’s state election.

It’s the second visit to the Apple Isle since the election was called, and today the pair are visiting an urgent care clinic.

Kimberley Braddish

Mulino asked if cost of living crisis is over as rate cut decision looms

Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino has been asked if the cost of living crisis is over as inflation falls and rate cuts are expected. He welcomed recent improvements but stressed that many households are still under pressure.

“Households around Australia, and certainly households in my own electorate, will welcome any rate cuts. I would certainly say that. And you know, I talk to people constantly about the fact that they’re looking forward to relief when it comes,” Mr Mulino responded to the question on Sky News.

He continued: “I think that it’s important to note that inflation has come down significantly. It was at a monthly rate as high as 8 per cent at one point. It’s now on both the headline figure and also the core measure, the trim mean measure, on both of those it’s well within the band, so that’s really welcome.”

“And also that’s been achieved with unemployment not having risen as much as most would have forecast. So unemployment is in the low fours, so that’s all good. But of course, what people will welcome is the relief that they see if rate cuts do come through the pipeline.”

Kimberley Braddish

Mulino sees opportunities in 10 per cent US tariffs on Australia

Australia remains subject to the US’s 10 percent baseline tariff on exports, currently the lowest rate available to any country, but debate continues over whether more direct engagement with Washington could have secured a better deal.

Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino has told Sky News, ““Where Australia is at at the moment is that we are clearly continuing to argue for the best possible deal. My understanding is that we are still at the position of having a 10 per cent tariff imposed, but the good news is that that is the lowest rate that any country has been able to secure.”

“As the Productivity Commission argued in analysis recently put out, if we do manage to secure a deal that is better than other countries in relative terms, that may actually present some opportunities, but as I said, we’ll continue to push for it to be even lower.

When asked about what opportunities a 10 per cent tariff give Australia: “The potential opportunities for Australia would be that, if we’re lower than other countries, that might present opportunities for us to increase our trade with the US.”

“In some situations, the tariffs the US imposing might also offer opportunities for us to secure goods from other countries that might be redirecting their trade to other parts of the world.”

Kimberley Braddish

Paterson says Albanese missed chance on US tariffs

Shadow Finance Minister James Paterson has criticised Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for not meeting with US President Donald Trump to push for a tariff exemption, arguing Australia hasn’t put itself in the best position.

“I really hope the Prime Minister doesn’t leave it any longer before he forms that relationship and argues for the best case possible for our country,” Mr Paterson told Nine on Tuesday morning.

“The only fair tariff on Australia would be 0 per cent and I hope that’s what we get.

“But we haven’t given ourselves the best chance of securing that from the Trump administration, because the Prime Minister has not even met President Trump.

“Now, seven months after he was elected. In stark contrast to other world leaders like the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who did secure an exemption from steel and aluminium tariffs for the UK because of the personal relationship that he formed with President Trump.”

Kimberley Braddish

Government: Australia not targeted in Trump tariff hike

Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth says Australia’s tariff rate remains unchanged despite US President Donald Trump’s new trade moves, noting the country is already at the baseline 10 per cent.

Australia wasn’t sent a letter to negotiate because it was not hit with the higher rates like Japan and South Korea.

“Nothing has changed for Australia,” Ms Rishworth told Nine on Tuesday morning.

“Some of the letters that you’ve seen overnight are suggesting reciprocal tariffs of 25 per cent. We are already at the lowest level. But of course we will keep putting forward the case to say that we don’t think any tariffs are justified. And we’ll take every opportunity to do that.”

Kimberley Braddish

Trump announces tariffs on social media

US President Donald Trump has announced a 25 per cent tariff on all imports from Japan and South Korea, set to take effect from August 1.

Mr Trump revealed the move on his social media platform, Truth Social, posting images of letters sent to the leaders of both countries to notify them of the new tariffs.

White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said that a further 12 letters would be sent to other countries today, each outlining new levy rates and to be posted online.

She added that more notifications from Mr Trump are expected in the coming days as the administration rolls out its latest round of trade measures

The tariff move is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to pressure trading partners into new deals, with the deadline for negotiations extended to August 1.

Read more.

Kimberley Braddish

Jewish leaders demand national action after attacks

Australia’s Jewish community is pushing the federal government to set up a national task force to curb anti-Semitism.

A Victorian task force will examine police powers after a spate of anti-Semitic incidents in Melbourne in recent days, including an alleged arson on the East Melbourne Synagogue that forced 20 worshippers inside to flee.

Sydney man Angelo Loras, 34, has been charged over the fire, which occurred seven months after the city’s Adass Israel Synagogue was damaged in what authorities have alleged was arson.

The Executive Council of Australian Jewry, an umbrella group for the nation’s Jews, feared further anti-Semitic attacks and said more than state-based action was needed.

It urged the federal government to adopt a 15-point action plan including the establishment of a national task force to clamp down on anti-Semitism.

“I don’t know where the next attack will be or when or how, all I can say is that it is statistically likely that it will occur,” the council’s president Daniel Aghion said.

“So far, we have been lucky in that no one has died.”

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