Australian news and politics live updates: AFP shut out of Laos methanol deaths probe, Trump on Gaza

Former defence force chief Angus Campbell has been described as a “traitor to this country”.

Appearing before the Senate inquiry probing the defence honours and awards system, veteran Scott Seccombe has taken aim at the former CDF over his decision to revoke the Meritorious Unit Citation from up to 3000 Afghanistan veterans - which was later overturned by the former Government.

“Angus Taylor is a traitor to his country and he should be dismissed,” he told the Senate.

“The way he has treated those 3000 soldiers is absolutely traitoerous.”

In wrapping up the response to the Brereton Review, which probed allegations of war crimes by ADF personnel in Afghanistan, Defence Minister Richard Marles wrote to up to nine veterans advising them their honours would be revoked.

Veterans are demanding an apology for the “disgraceful smearing” of the meritorious unit citation, and have called for a significant overhaul to the defence honours and awards system.

Appearing before a Senate inquiry, Dan Fortune DSC and Bar pleaded for “redemption and a future-fit” awards and honour system that people can believe in.

He also called for an apology from the highest echelons of defence over the controversial decision from former defence chief Angus Campbell to revoke the MUC from 3000 Aghanistan veterans.

While the decision was overruled, the subsequent decisions from Governments in handling the landmark Brereton review have led to up to nine veterans having their awards revoked.

Veterans are furious that Mr Campbell, who was the commander of the Middle East taskforce at the time, has escaped unharmed – despite having earned a Distinguished Service Cross for his leadership.

Fellow panel mate Andrew White said the value of medals had been diminished because the system had become akin to a participation medal.

“The system has been corrupted by self-serving individuals,” he said.

Anthony Albanese is insisting he can still win a second-term with a majority government despite polls show the race is job neck-and-neck.

Half of voters in WA said it was “time to give someone else a go” when asked if the Albanese Government deserved to be re-elected in a Newspoll published in The Australian on Friday.

A second term was backed in by 35 per cent while 156 per cent said they didn’t know.

The youngest and oldest cohorts of voters, women and those without a university education were most likely to say it was time for change.

The poll did not ask who people intended to vote for federally.

Asked on ABC Alice Springs whether he accepted underdog status, Mr Albanese said: “I’m confident that we will form a majority government.”

“If you look at any opposition that was about to form government at this stage in the (electoral) cycle, then they were way ahead of the government of the day (in polling),” he said.

The Federal Government has pledged a $842.6 million package over six years for remote Aboriginal Communities.

Announcing the package in Alice Springs, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it would create certainty for many community-based organisations, whose agreements were set to end.

The funding will deliver essential services for remote communities including policing, women’s safety, education and alcohol harm reduction.

The Government says the commitment will offer certainty for over 570 jobs, including more than 278 jobs for First Nations Territorians, and ensure remote First Nations communities can access the services needed to Close the Gap.

“Australians want to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. Australians believe in the fair go,” said Mr Albanese.

“The task before us is to build a future in which all Australians have access to the same opportunities.”

As foreshadowed, US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court.

It allows for financial and visa sanctions to be imposed on ICC officials and their families who are found to have assisted in investigations of US citizens or its allies.

The move comes after the ICC sparked backlash when it issued arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, claiming there was reason to believe they had used “starvation as a method of warfare”.

The claims were furiously denied by the Israelis.

The Trump executive order claims this created a “shameful moral equivalency”, according to a copy of a fact sheet supporting the order obtained by ​NBC News​.

During his first term, Mr Trump argued the ICC has “no jurisdiction, no legitimacy and no authority” in the US.

The US president has announced the creation of a task force “to eradicate anti-Christian bias”.

“It’s about time, isn’t it?” he said at a prayer breakfast.

Newly appointed Attorney General Pam Bondi is set to head up the taskforce which will look to immediately halt “all forms of anti-Christian targeting and discrimination within the federal government”.

Mr Trump said the Justice Department, the IRS and the FBI would be among the agencies to be scrutinised.

It’s been an emotional day in the trial of soccer star Sam Kerr after her partner, West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis, broke down on the stand.

Mewis accused police of “gaslighting” after a “very scary” incident in which the pair claim they were taken “hostage” by a taxi driver.

She made the claim during the trial of her partner Sam Kerr, who is facing a charge of causing racially aggravated harassment to a London policeman in the early hours of January 30, 2023.

When asked by Kerr’s defence counsel about how police treated the pair after the incident, Mewis said: “PC Lovell was immediately dismissive. He wasn’t believing what we were saying.

“We were saying we had been taken against our will, we couldn’t get out and (the driver) was driving like crazy ... he was dismissive in a way in which he didn’t want it to be true.

“In my opinion, (the police) were trying to change the story and make it into something it wasn’t.”

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The Government is pressing Laos to accept assistance from the Australian Federal Police in the investigation into the methanol poisoning deaths of two teenage Melbourne backpackers, Education Minister Jason Clare confirmed on Friday.

Bianca Jones, Holly Bowles and four other foreign nationals died after drinking alcoholic drinks containing methanol at the Nana Backpackers Hostel in the popular resort town of Vang Vieng last year.

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told parliament that Laos had not yet taken up the invitation of help from the AFP with its inquiries.

The Nightly’s Nicola Smith reports the government of Laos had promised to “bring the perpetrators to justice” but two months after the tragedy, families are still waiting for answers.

Laos’ decision not to work more closely with the AFP to track down the perpetrators was “really disappointing”, Mr Clare told Sunrise.

“Two young Australian women died here. We need to know why, how this happened. Their mums and dads deserve to know how they died,” he said.

“The important point to make here, is that the Laos authorities haven’t rejected the request by the AFP to support, they just haven’t taken up the offer yet,” he said, confirming the Government was still in talks with the Laotian authorities.

“The AFP are really good at the work that they do. They can help here to track down the criminals, work out what happened. And I would just encourage, we would just encourage, the Laos authorities to take up this offer because we can help.”

Deputy opposition leader Sussan Ley drew a link between Australia’s aid to Laos and its lack of cooperation, although she did not suggest it be withdrawn.

“$53 million of foreign aid is going to the country in this financial year, and we’re helping them a lot, and they need to help us. They need to help us. And we need justice for Holly and Bianca,” she said.

White House officials have confirmed Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order imposing sanctions on the International Criminal Court.

The order will encompass both financial and visa restrictions on ICC officials and their families if they target the US or its allies.

The move was triggered after what the White House described as the targeting of the US and its allies.

The Laotian government has not taken up an offer from the Australian Federal Police to help investigate the deaths of two Melbourne teenagers from methanol poisoning.

Holly Bowles and Bianca Jones, both 19, died after consuming tainted alcohol in the tourist town of Vang Vieng last year.

Defence Minister Richard Marles told federal parliament on Thursday that he was sad to report the response from authorities in Laos.

“I would want to assure the families of Bianca and Holly that we remain in contact with the Laos authorities and that the offer of assistance is consistently being offered and raised.”