'Horrific footage': Albanese raises shot Australian journalist with US
Australia has raised an incident involving a Nine TV reporter with US officials after she was shot by police with a rubber bullet while covering protests in Los Angeles.
But the prime minister remains tight-lipped on whether he will discuss the shooting during an expected meeting with President Donald Trump, despite describing footage of the event as horrific.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. (Source: Getty)
Nine Network's US correspondent Lauren Tomasi was reporting on clashes between protests and police in response to immigration raids, when she was struck in the leg by a rubber bullet.
Footage of the incident appears to show an officer taking aim in her direction before firing.
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Anthony Albanese said he had spoken with Tomasi on Tuesday morning, and that the incident had been raised with US authorities.
"She's going OK, she's pretty resilient, I've got to say, but that footage was horrific," he told the National Press Club.
"That was the footage of an Australian journalist doing what journalists do at their very best, which is to go into an environment that's not comfortable.
"We have already raised these issues with the US administration. We don't find it acceptable that it occurred, and we think that the role of the media is particularly important."
Albanese said Tomasi was clearly identified as a reporter and was doing her job before being fired upon.
The Nine reporter said she was alright after the incident and was still reporting on the ground.
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"I have a bit of a bloody big old bruise and it's a little bit sore, but I am all OK," Tomasi told the Today programme.
"It's a really crappy thing that's happened, but I really don't want to be the story ... it's a really chaotic situation that's unfolding in Los Angeles."
The Greens have urged Albanese to highlight the issue with Trump during an anticipated meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada.
But the prime minister would not confirm if he planned to raise the shooting, adding: "Discussions I have with the president are discussions between myself and the president."
Albanese is preparing to make the case for why Australia should be exempted from tariffs, including a levy of 50% on steel and aluminium exports.
He said there were areas in which Australia and the US could both secure wins, but any agreements would have to be in the national interest.
That meant potential sticking points, like pricing for US products on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and the treatment of tech companies under the media bargaining code, would not be on the table.
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"I will engage in those discussions respectfully as we have over recent months," Albanese said.
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