Australian politics and news recap April 11: Albanese labels WA’s resources sector as ‘wealth creator’
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Key Events
Albo, Madeleine King take swipe at Dutton’s critical minerals stance
Anthony Albanese has appeared in high vis from the northern WA town of Karratha backed by Madeleine King.
He labelled the region a “wealth creator” for the Australian economy as he stood in front of a shiploader destined for China.
“Rio Tinto, its operations here, throughout the Pilbara and the Kimberley, mean that about a million tons a day go out of these four ports that operate in this region… This region is a wealth creator for our country, and the resources sector plays such an important role,” he said.
Madeleine King spruiked criticial minerals and lamented Peter Dutton’s approach.
“They are an integral part of what the world needs to reach net zero, but also defence materials. And what we see is Peter Dutton ripping $17b out of the critical minerals industry by promising to repeal the production tax credits that the Albanese Labor government has introduced,” she said.
“Moreover, they are going to destroy the critical minerals fund by making that accessible to gas.”
King added, “Australians deserve better than Peter Dutton who is going to destroy a critical minerals industry before it’s even got off the ground.”
“Peter Dutton does not take the critical mineral resources industry seriously.”
Government may use ‘acquisition powers’ to regain Darwin Port
The Prime Minister has refused to give further details about the Government’s plans to return the port of Darwin to Australian hands.
Labor and the Coalition have been sparring over the future of the strategic port which is currently operated by the Beijing-controlled company Landbridge Group, with both sides saying they will ensure it returns to Australian ownership.
Landbridge at the time was awarded a 99-year lease by the Northern Territory’s Country Liberal Party Government in 2015 in what is now seen as a strategic mistake.
The PM repeated the Government’s plan to find a private buyer but added that he would not publicly announce commercial negotiations and the interested parties.
“There are interested parties here in the port of Darwin,” Mr Albanese said.
“If we can secure an arrangement and transfer of ownership back to Australian control in an orderly way, without Commonwealth intervention and compulsory acquisition we will do so, but we are prepared also to use compulsory acquisition powers.”
The West Australian’s Editor in Chief introduces event
The West Australian’s Editor in Chief Chris Dore has introduced the Leadership Matters event recapping the Federal election campaign so far.
He said despite the campaign being two weeks in, most voters are still switched off.
“We are 14 days into this election campaign, another three weeks to go and right now too many Australians couldn’t give two stuffs who runs the country after May 3,” he said.
“They may not know what they like, but they know what they don’t like.”
Mr Dore said Western Australia was crucial for Mr Dutton’s election efforts.
“Today and this weekend, this election campaign is all about WA, Mr Dutton here this morning and Mr Albanese launching his campaign in Perth on Sunday,” he said.
“We are sceptical at the best of times about east coast imposters, any love in this State for Mr. Albanese is tepid, but Peter Dutton has so far failed to inspire enough of this State to turn against the first-term Prime Minister.
“Maybe we will, maybe we won’t, if he (Peter Dutton) is to become PM, he must turn this State back to blue.”
Anthony Albanese denies Australia ‘sell arms to Israel’
Australia does “not sell arms to Israel,” confirmed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese after reports emerged that an Australian-designed weapon system has been trialled by Israel’s defence force.
The Federal government has previously insisted no defence exports have been sent to Israel since the Gaza War began.
However, the ABC reported that Israel’s military has completed trials of an advanced weapon made by a Canberra-based defence supplier which boasts its “high precision” and “lethal” product can strike targets up to two kilometres away.
“I’m aware of the report that you referred to. We looked in this matter…The particular system was not exported from Australia. Australia does not export arms to Israel,” Mr Albanese said in Darwin this morning.
Dutton speaking at industry leaders breakfast in Perth
Opposition leader Peter Dutton is in Perth’s Crown Towers this morning and is about to speak to a room of business and industry leaders at The West Australian’s Leadership Matters event.
He is set to confirm his election pitch to scrap the Labor’s New Vehicle Efficiency Standard which he has described as a “car tax”.
Mr Dutton is also expected to officially announce his latest pitch to WA’s mining industry, pledging an investment of $3.4 billion for a 35 year exploration program to map all of Australia.
PM reached out to Peter Dutton over alleged terror plot
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he reached out to Opposition Leader Peter Dutton after reports he had been targeted last year by an alleged terror plot.
“It is a fact that the number of threats that have been made to parliamentarians has increased in recent times, and that has been reported on by the appropriate authorities” he says.
“I myself have been the subject of a range of issues, at least one of which is before legal processes,” confirmed the PM.
The Australian reported on Thursday that a teenager, who attended a prestigious Brisbane private school, was charged with buying ingredients for bombs and testing homemade explosives in preparation for an attack on Mr Dutton last year.
Mr Albanese says he has confidence in the Australian Federal Police and the authorities to “do what they can to keep us safe.”
The PM also gave a nod to the increased security measures around the election campaign.
“We do live in times that unfortunately we’ve seen around the world as well, but here as well, these threats are being made.
“They shouldn’t be. There’s no place whatsoever in politics for any of this, and I have ensured that any time any member of parliament, regardless of who they are, have asked for support. They have received it.”
Peter Dutton set to address The West Australian Leadership Matters breakfast
Opposition leader Peter Dutton has marked a fortnight of the Federal election campaign in Perth today.
The Liberal leader is about to deliver a keynote address at The West Australian Leadership Matters breakfast conference this morning.
After his speech Mr Dutton will take part in an on stage Q and A session and is expected to hold further appearances in WA throughout the day.
His visit to Perth comes ahead of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who will host his Federal Election campaign launch in WA.
Albanese ‘confident’ in future of Aukus and rules out nuclear weapons
The Prime Minister has confirmed he is “confident” about the future of Aukus after reports that tech tycoon Elon Musk could become more involved in the nuclear submarine program.
“I’m confident about Aukus because I’ve had those first hand discussions with the president the United States and also with more than 100 members of Congress and the Senate during my state visit to the United States,” Mr Albanese said in Darwin.
“I’m also confident that people, when they make an assessment, know that this is in Australia’s national interest, but it’s also in the national interest of the United States”.
Former Ambassador to the US Arthur Sinodinos said that Mr Musk could take up a bigger role to streamline the program’s spending.
Asked if the nuclear-powered submarines could be used in a conflict with China, Mr Albanese stressed that “we don’t want to use weapons against any country. We want peace.”
“We are going to have nuclear powered, conventionally armed submarines … We want peace and security. We don’t have, Australia does not have, nor are we accessing nuclear weapons.”
Katy Gallagher takes aim at Coalition over public service cuts
On the back of the new injection of funds for NT aged care facilities, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher has taken aim at the Coalition’s plans to trim the public service at the PM’s press conference in Darwin.
She has stressed the importance of public services in the Northern Territory, where well over 2,000 officials are in service.
“If Peter Dutton has his way with his 20 per cent cut to the public service, that will mean around 500 jobs will go from the Northern Territory,” she said.
“This morning on radio, Senator [James] Paterson has said there will be redundancies in the public service.
“Then the real kicker is they’re not going to tell you when those cuts are going and where they’re going from until after the election.”
PM announces new NT health package
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Darwin in Palmerston in the outskirts of Darwin in the Labor-held seat of Solomon, visiting another urgent care clinic.
Katina Curtis, who is on the ground, reports he’s announcing an NT health package including $60 million to build a new residential aged care home in Darwin, $10.1 million for a new CareFlight medical evacuation plane (funding that was announced the other day and matched by the Liberals) and upgrades to specialist mental health centres.
In a show of force, he has multiple ministers in the Top End. Health Minister Mark Butler, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, Aged Care Minister Anika Wells and Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy are all on hand.
The Urgent Care Clinic in Palmerston opened in 2023 and has seen more than 20,000 patients.
Ley says Trump needs to ‘back off’ Aussie pharmaceutical companies
Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has lauded Australia’s pharmaceutical benefits scheme as the best in the world on Sunrise and said a Dutton government will fight to protect it against foreign intervention.
“We say back off,” Ms Ley told Nat Barr this morning.
“Our PBS, our health care system is the best in the world. It’s the envy of the world.
“I’m not surprised that multi-national big pharma is coming after our PBS.
“As a former Health Minister I know how vital it is. People would otherwise have to pay sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars to life-saving drugs.
“Under Peter Dutton government, the PBS will always be protected and the cost of medicines will always come down.”
