Australian news and politics recap: Albanese appoints Nationals MP Keith Pitt as Holy See ambassador
RECAP: Catch up on what has been happening in politics in Australia and abroad and on all the biggest breaking news stories from the day.
Key Events
Trump administration sued by workers over cuts to USAID
The largest US government workers’ union and an association of foreign service workers have sued the Trump administration in an effort to reverse its aggressive dismantling of the US Agency for International Development.
The lawsuit, filed in Washington, D.C. federal court by the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Foreign Service Association, seeks an order blocking what it says are “unconstitutional and illegal actions” that have created a “global humanitarian crisis.”
Those actions include President Donald Trump’s order on January 20, the day he was inaugurated, pausing all US foreign aid.
That was followed by orders from the State Department halting USAID projects around the world, agency computer systems going offline and staff abruptly laid off or placed on leave.
The gutting of the agency has largely been overseen by businessman Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a close Trump ally spearheading the president’s effort to shrink the federal bureaucracy.
-- Brendan Pierson, Reuters
Read the full story here
Man charged with making ‘death threats, anti-Semitic comments’ to MPs
A Victorian man has been charged with making death threats and anti-Semitic comments to Federal and State MPs.
The Australian Federal Police allege he used social media and email to contact a NSW-based Federal MP, and a Victorian State MP in January.
Officers from Special Operation Avalite and Victoria Police raided the 33-year-old Reservoir man’s home on Thursday, seizing electronic devices.
The man has since been charged with four counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence and one count of using a carriage service to threaten to kill.
Both charges carry a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.
He has been released on conditional bail and is due to reappear in Melbourne Magistrates Court on April 8.
Israel hails Australia’s move on hate crime legislation
Israel has welcomed new laws that would see mandatory minimum sentencing for hate crimes amid a wave of anti-Semitic attacks in Australia.
In a post on X, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the rise in anti-Semitism was alarming.
“No Jew in Australia—or anywhere in the world—should have to live in fear.”
Trump says he ‘saved’ women’s sport with trans ban
Donald Trump has hailed a decision by the US national athletics association to ban transgender athletes from women’s competitions.
In a social media post, the US President said it was a”great day for women and girls across our country”.
“Men should have NEVER been allowed to compete against women in the first place but I am proud to be the President who SAVED Women’s Sports”.
He said he now hopes the Olympic Committeee will follow suit.
Project 2025 co-author confirmed as US budget chief
Trump nomineee Russell Vought, who co-authored Project 2025, has been confirmed as the US government’s budget director.
Mr Vought, denounced by Democrats as a dangerous far-right idealogue, assumes his position after a 53-47 vote.
Angus Campbell a ‘traitor to this country’: Senate told
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 plead for overhaul of Australia’s awards system
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.
Albanese insists he can still win second term
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.
Government pledges $842m package for Aboriginal communities
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.”
SIGNED: Trump issues executive order on ICC sanctions
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.
