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.”
‘Pharmaceutical scheme not for sale’: Clare’s plan to hit back against Trump tariffs
Jason Clare has told Sunrise that Australia needs to fight back if Donald Trump apllies tariffs to the sale of locally produced pharmaceuticals.
“CSL - I think 50 per cent of their sales go to the US and they would be concerned that they employ a lot of of people, a lot of Australians in the biotech industry,” Mr Clare said.
“What we would do is to increase the cost of life-saving medicines that we make here for American patients.
“We’ll just jack up the costs for Americans.
“Our pharmaceutical benefit scheme is not for sale. We have to make it very, very clear we’re not going to be bullied by American pharmaceutical companies into increasing the cost of medicines for Aussies here in Australia.”
Dutton promises major change to new car purchasing
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has taken to social media to promise a huge change to the purchasing of new cars in Australia.
“We will abolish Labor’s tax on family cars and utes,” Mr Dutton wrote, using the hashtag “BREAKING”.
“Saving you thousands when buying a new car.”
It comes as the Opposition Leader prepares to address WA voters at The West Australian’s Leadership Matters forum on Friday morning, having vowed to “make WA boom”.
Ley thanks security services after revelations of Dutton bomb threat
Sussan Ley thanked Australian security services on Sunrise this morning, as threats against politicians become more prevalent in the wake of a teenager being arrested for planning a drone bomb attack on Peter Dutton’s house.
“I love the fact that in Australia I can walk into a supermarket. I can walk down the street. I can stop and chat to people. I treasure that,” Ms Ley said.
“Politicians and their families are probably never been under more scrutiny and more threat than they are right now.
“I always want to say thank you to the people that in the background protect Jason and protect me and our colleagues.
“It allows us this to be the very best country in the world to be able to do what we need to do, which is to be with the people that we care about out in public and talking about the things that matter to them.”
Clare condemns alleged terror plot against Dutton and family
Natalie Barr has been joined on Sunrise by Education Minister Jason Clare and Deputy Leader of the Liberals Sussan Ley to discuss the worrying situation surrounding an alleged terror plot against Peter Dutton and his family.
“This is incredibly concerning. I can only wonder as I’m sure Jason would, how Peter’s family is feeling with difficult personal news this week about his dad and now this,” Barr said.
Mr Clare confirmed that there had been warnings of potential terror threats, adding security may be increased as situations have the potential to mirror overseas incidents as the Federal election campaign ramps up.
“This is before the courts so I won’t comment specifically on this case other than to say this person was arrested last year, detained, and is now before the courts,” Mr Clare said.
“In Australia, in a democracy, you make your arguments with words, not weapons. We’re lucky we haven’t seen in Australia what has happened in the UK or in the US.
“In an election campaign, as politicians we’re out there talking to people, you want to hope, if people want to come up to us and have a chat they can. If they don’t like us, then they might mumble something under their breath or cross the road.
“You never want to see the threats of physical violence or real physical violence happen like we’ve seen overseas,” Mr Clare added..
Trouble for Australian economy if US traders get spooked again
Donald Trump’s dramatic tariff backflip has soothed turbulent bond markets, but not all is “beautiful”, as the US president declared.
Amid soaring uncertainty, traders remain on edge - with the volatility index at a five-year high - and Australia is not immune to financial shocks from the US.
While Mr Trump was prepared to ride out falls on equity markets, he couldn’t afford to look through what was happening in the fixed income market, as bond yields surged when they should have been going lower, IG markets analyst Tony Sycamore said.
As the risk of an economic downturn rose and hedge funds got squeezed, investors bailed from US government debt, sending bond yields skyward - something Mr Trump couldn’t ignore.
“The bond market is hugely, hugely important. It governs all the other markets,” Mr Sycamore said.
Government urged to spend up big on defence amid Trump uncertainty
Australia needs to “double down” on getting as much combat capability into military service quickly, an expert says, as concerns are raised over the future of the alliance with the United States.
According to a report in Nine newspapers, a US lawmaker on a Senate armed services sub-committee said more than a third of the steel and aluminium that went into ships and submarines came from partners including the UK and Canada.
Both countries have been whacked by tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, prompting concern the cost of nuclear-powered submarines promised to Australia under AUKUS could be made more expensive.
Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Euan Graham said while the US-Australia military alliance was getting closer, there was more doubt and uncertainty politically.
“What it requires is a hard swallow in Canberra and a willingness to double down,” he said.
Dutton family home the target of teenager’s alleged drone bomb threat
A 16-year-old boy could face life in prison after being committed to stand trial on a terror charge.
The Australian reports the teenager, who attended a prestigious Brisbane private school before his arrest in August, was charged with buying ingredients for bombs and testing homemade explosives in preparation for an attack.
While no details were given regarding the plot’s target in Brisbane’s Childrens Court on Thursday, the newspaper cited sources saying the teenager allegedly planned to attack Peter Dutton on his property north of Brisbane, potentially using a drone to do so.
He has been charged with the Commonwealth offence of committing acts “in preparation for, or planning, a terrorist act”.
The teen will stand trial in Queensland’s Supreme Court.
