Australian news and politics live: Albanese addresses Rudd-Trump meet, rejects Coalition secrecy claims

The Coalition is intensifying its calls for transparency after revelations that Australia’s Ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, held a private meeting with US President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course in January - just days before Trump’s inauguration as President.

Shadow Finance Minister James Paterson says the government has been secretive about the encounter, providing only minimal details despite repeated questions in Senate Estimates.

“In February, in Senate Estimates, I asked a series of questions to officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, like where was the meeting, when was the meeting, how long did it go for, what were the out comes, and what was discussed, and over 17 excruciating minutes, they skirmed and obfuscated and refused to give us any information at all,” Mr Paterson told Sunrise on Friday.

“In a written question on notice, they provided three sentences, just that the meeting took place at Trump’s golf course and what took place.

“We need to know was AUKUS discussed, trading relationships discussed, a meeting with the Prime Minister planned. None of that was provided.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has raised concerns about China’s growing military strength and strategic ambitions, just days before Anthony Albanese embarks on a closely watched six-day visit to China.

Senator Wong has emphasised that while Australia does not agree with all of Donald Trump’s policies,it firmly backs a continued US presence in the Indo-Pacific as a crucial balance to China’s attempts to reshape the regional order.

While speaking in Malaysia: “China continues to assert its strategic influence and project its military power further into our region,” Senator Wong said at the Institute for Strategic and International Studies.

“We have seen the worrying pace of China’s nuclear and conventional military build-up, without the transparency that the region expects.”

Mr Albanese is set to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for the fourth time during the trip, but has yet to secure a face-to-face meeting with the US President, amid ongoing Pentagon reviews of the AUKUS submarine deal and disagreements over defence spending increases.