China Victory Day Parade live: Daniel Andrews seen with Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un in Beijing

Anthony Albanese has remained tight-lipped again on the deal Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke struck in Nauru at the weekend to offload Australia’s NZYQ cohort to the Micronesian nation.

Asked at a Canberra press conference for further details on the MoU, which is costing taxpayers more than $400 million, he gave a vague response — similar to his remarks in Question Time yesterday.

“We have arrangements with governments. We have arrangements between governments and those arrangements are ones we enter into across-the-board,” the PM said.

The NZYQ cohort, made up of about 280 non-citizens, was saved from indefinite detention in a 2023 High Court ruling, which said that would be unlawful.

The Coalition this week launched a snap inquiry into Labor’s secretive Nauru deal, with a hearing on the bill that allows their deportation to Nauru expected between 5-7pm on Wednesday evening.

Anthony Albanese was asked by a journalist whether changes in the Freedom of Information bill — which make it harder to access FOI documents — contradict the Government’s promise of transparency and accountability.

The Prime Minister responded by rejecting that suggestion. Instead, he argued the changes actually increase security rather than reduce transparency.

“Not at all, it’s the opposite,” the PM said.

“I stood here last week and spoke about a national security issue, including the expulsion of an ambassador - the first since the Second World War.

“I think most people, and people that I’ve had discussions with, would find it surprising that people can put in anonymous FOI requests.

“What that means is that there’s no way to determine whether a foreign agent or actor is putting in requests about information that is sensitive. And no way of ascertaining that. Obvious implications of security, for example, are there for all to see.”

Earlier, while the Chinese military parade was underway, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that while he would like a four-year fixed term, he won’t hold a referendum on it.

“I support fixed 4-year terms - always have,” he told reporters in Canberra.

“Referendums are pretty hard to carry in this country. Unless you have bipartisan support, then it’s not going to be supported.

“I have no intention of any referendums this term. Peter Dutton raised that last term. I made clear my government’s position, but we support it if people want to go out there and advocate and build support for it - that would be a sensible thing.”

Former NSW Premier and former Foreign Minister Bob Carr has revealed he did not attend the China Victory Day Parade in Beijing in person.

The former Labor politician said he could hear the sound of the military parade in Beijing as he spent the morning enjoying tea with diplomats instead of attending the parade.

“The sounds of marching bands from over the walls as I’m enjoying tea with Southeast Asian and Beijing-based European diplomats exploring impact of Trump policy erraticism on the region and ideas on Australia’s role,” he wrote on X.

Former Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has been seen shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping before the China Victory Day Parade in Beijing.

The former Labor State leader attended the occasion as a special guest, which marked the 80th anniversary of Japan’s WWII surrender.

Today’s economic figures were “encouraging”, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says.

Annual growth of 1.8 per cent from June 2024 to June 2025 was “a really good outcome in the context of what’s happening around the world”, he said in Canberra.

“But over time we’ll need to do better than that and that’s what we’re working on,” he said.

Dr Chalmers said inflation and debt were down under the Albanese government while real wages were growing and unemployment low.

Speeding up approvals for renewable energy, housing, critical minerals and data centre projects will help boost business investment, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says.

“We’ve already identified this as a big priority,” he said in Canberra after fresh figures showed economic growth had lifted in June.

“Business investment will be the key going forward.

“If we can get more investment and make our economy more productive, we can make it grow quicker, lifting real wages and living standards over time.”

Cutting red tape and improving approvals were among the key recommendations of the Treasurer’s productivity summit in Canberra last month.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un arrived in Beijing on Tuesday on his signature green armoured train, relying on a slow but specialised form of transport that the reclusive country’s leaders have used for decades.

Compared with North Korea’s ageing fleet of passenger aircraft, the bulletproof trains offer a safer and more comfortable space for a large entourage, security guards, food and amenities, and a place to discuss agendas ahead of meetings, experts say.

Since becoming the North Korean leader in late 2011, Kim has used a train to visit China, Vietnam and Russia.

See what is inside Kim Jong Un’s train.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his government’s immigration record after a sting of rallies against mass migration on Sunday.

Asked about immigration numbers at a press conference in Canberra on Wednesday, he said that migrant communities have played an important role in shaping Australia’s identity.

“Immigration has played a role in this country over a long period of time,” the PM said.

“And with the exception of First Nations people, we are… all either migrants or descendants of migrants in this country.”

Back at home, the Albanese Government announced it will invest $9 million to establish the Richard Scolyer Chair in Brain Cancer Research at Chris O’Brien Lifehouse.

Speaking in Canberra on Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the funding will support multiple research positions, including the Chair, postdoctoral fellows, research assistants, PhD scholarships, and associated research costs.

“Professor Richard Scolyer is an extraordinary Australian. It has been an honour for me to get to know Richard over the past couple of years,” he said, labelling him a “very fine choice” as Australian of the Year in 2024.

“Today’s announcement means that Australia can continue to stay at the forefront of the fight against cancer. We can continue to train the world’s best researchers and we can continue this important work.”

It will be done in partnership with the University of Sydney and the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.