Australia news live: Anthony Albanese dives into high-level talks at G7; majority of voters back super tax changes
Update:
Date: 2025-06-16T20:21:53.000Z
Title: Welcome
Content: Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I'm Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it'll be Nick Visser to guide you through what may well be another very busy news day.
Our chief political correspondent, Tom McIlroy, is in Canada at the G7 summit in Canada, where Anthony Albanese is lining up meetings with leaders and trying to navigate the currents of geopolitical crisis. We'll have blow-by-blow coverage and analysis for you here soon.
On the domestic political front it's a big day with the fate of the New South Wales Liberal party to be decided. The party's federal executive will weigh up whether to end or extend its control over the division at a crunch meeting. The Victorian Liberals may also cast off the party elders conducting a review of that state divison. We'll have the news as it happens.
A poll by YouGov has found that more than half of voters support or strongly support reducing tax concessions for super balances over $3m. The survey, commissioned by the Australia Institute, found 26% of people oppose or strongly oppose the changes and 22% are undecided. More coming up.
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The Independent
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The Herald Scotland
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'I think the president is doing a review, we did a review when we came into government, and that makes good sense to me.' Later on Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on X that Mr Trump would be leaving the summit early due to the situation in the Middle East, following a dinner with heads of state. 'Much was accomplished, but because of what's going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State,' she said. President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what's going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State. — Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) June 16, 2025 Meanwhile, Sir Keir and his fellow world leaders are locked in a week of intense diplomacy amid the spiralling conflict in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine. 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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (left) during a bilateral meeting with the President of France Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit (Stefan Rousseau/PA) Standing alongside Sir Keir, who had earlier said G7 allies would seek to ratchet up measures against the Kremlin, Mr Trump said sanctions were 'not that easy' and would cost Washington 'a tremendous amount of money'. Asked whether Washington supported European efforts to impose further measures, he told reporters ahead of a bilateral meeting with the UK Prime Minister: 'Well Europe is saying that, but they haven't done it yet. 'Let's see them do it first.' Asked why he wanted to wait to impose sanctions, Mr Trump said: 'Because I'm waiting to see whether or not a deal is done… and don't forget, you know, sanctions cost us a lot of money.'
