'Crumbs off the table': Why some students say they feel left behind this election
A Coalition government would scrap Labor's promise to cut student loans by 20 per cent. Source: AAP / Jono Searle This federal election, millennial and gen Z voters will be the biggest voting bloc, outnumbering their older counterparts. But despite , some think not enough is being done for students in this election. Earlier this week, the Coalition said it would not back a Labor promise to cut university debt by 20 per cent if elected. "I think the major parties have very little to offer students, with the exception of students who happen to run private childcare companies or fossil fuel projects," National Union of Students education officer James McVicar told SBS News. "For the rest of us, it's a few crumbs off the table." So, where do the major parties stand on students? Here's what they've promised.
The Coalition says it won't back Labor's promise to write off a portion of student debt if it's re-elected, calling the HELP cut "elitist" and "profoundly unfair". On Wednesday night, the Coalition released a statement saying it would not proceed with Labor's plan to cut 20 per cent from all student loans, which Labor says would save the average graduate about $5,520. "It's not fair that they [university students] should get thousands of dollars from taxpayers, but the young tradies who had to borrow to pay for their ute or their tools, or the uni students who diligently paid off their student debt, get nothing," the statement said. More broadly, the Coalition's policies on education focus primarily on tradespeople. They've promised to build 12 new technical colleges in areas with skill shortages and youth unemployment. This will allow senior high school students to enrol in school-based apprenticeships and traineeships while still earning a Year 12 certificate. They've also promised to return the number of apprentices and trainees in training to over 400,000 and have vowed to provide small and medium businesses with $12,000 to support the wages of new apprentices.
International students are also in their sights, with plans to cap international student numbers to 240,000 — 30,000 fewer than what Labor proposed last year. They say the move will help free up housing for young people. Universities Australia, a peak body for the sector, has pushed back against the "scapegoating" of international students, warning the move would harm the economy and damage Australia's reputation as a study destination.
Labor's pitch towards students has focused on its promise to wipe 20 per cent of student debt if re-elected, which they say will save about $5,520 for the average graduate. The policy, which would cost about $16 billion, would apply to around three million Australians. The government says it's aimed at relieving cost of living pressures on young people. The Albanese government has also pledged to lift the income threshold for student loan repayments from $54,000 to $67,000.
If re-elected, Labor has promised to introduce a $10,000 incentive payment for Australians in construction apprenticeships and to fast-track the qualifications of 6,000 tradies to help build more homes across Australia, as part of its 'Advanced Entry Trades Training program'. Labor will also make free TAFE permanent, and provide a payment to support nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work students to complete their unpaid prac requirements.
Education Minister Jason Clare said in November he intended to set up an Australian Tertiary Education Commission to provide non-binding advice on university course fees. But Labor is yet to announce plans to reform the scheme. "The Jobs-Ready Graduate scheme was and is a Liberal Party scheme to make students pay more for their education overall and channel them into degrees that they considered to be priorities," McVicar said. "I don't think the priorities of the party of Peter Dutton should dictate what's on offer to students in the higher education sector. I'm for a fully-funded and free higher education system without 'price signals' and soaring student debt."
They estimate this would cost $46.5 billion, which would be paid for by taxing big corporations. They also want all university debt abolished. "I think at a bare minimum, we should have free education again," McVicar said. "It could be easily covered with the money the government instead wants to spend on nuclear-fuelled submarines." Visit the to access articles, podcasts and videos from SBS News, NITV and our teams covering more than 60 languages.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
14 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Aussie forces might be requested in Iran-Israel fight
Australia's military could be asked to play a role in the Middle East as regional tensions escalate. Iran and Israel have targeted each other with missile and air strikes after the latter launched its biggest-ever air offensive against its long-time foe. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was continuing to monitor the situation and urged Australians in the region to leave. Australia has not been drawn into the conflict, but Mr Albanese said the nation could be asked to participate in the future. "It's obviously a very volatile situation," he told reporters in Seattle on Saturday, local time. "We expect there could be a request for Australia to play a military role." The US was notified about the Israeli strikes in advance but Washington officials have been quick to point out it played no part in the attacks, warning Iran not to target its personnel or interests. Mr Albanese landed in the US on his way to the G7 summit in Canada on Sunday. He is expected to meet with a range of global leaders, including US president Donald Trump, who has been working with Iran on a nuclear deal. Tariff discussions are expected to take the spotlight but defence talks could also feature after the US urged Australia to increase defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP. Australia is already forecast to grow military spending to 2.3 per cent of GDP and Mr Albanese insisted his government would give "whatever capability Australia needs to defend our national interest". Australia's military could be asked to play a role in the Middle East as regional tensions escalate. Iran and Israel have targeted each other with missile and air strikes after the latter launched its biggest-ever air offensive against its long-time foe. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was continuing to monitor the situation and urged Australians in the region to leave. Australia has not been drawn into the conflict, but Mr Albanese said the nation could be asked to participate in the future. "It's obviously a very volatile situation," he told reporters in Seattle on Saturday, local time. "We expect there could be a request for Australia to play a military role." The US was notified about the Israeli strikes in advance but Washington officials have been quick to point out it played no part in the attacks, warning Iran not to target its personnel or interests. Mr Albanese landed in the US on his way to the G7 summit in Canada on Sunday. He is expected to meet with a range of global leaders, including US president Donald Trump, who has been working with Iran on a nuclear deal. Tariff discussions are expected to take the spotlight but defence talks could also feature after the US urged Australia to increase defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP. Australia is already forecast to grow military spending to 2.3 per cent of GDP and Mr Albanese insisted his government would give "whatever capability Australia needs to defend our national interest". Australia's military could be asked to play a role in the Middle East as regional tensions escalate. Iran and Israel have targeted each other with missile and air strikes after the latter launched its biggest-ever air offensive against its long-time foe. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was continuing to monitor the situation and urged Australians in the region to leave. Australia has not been drawn into the conflict, but Mr Albanese said the nation could be asked to participate in the future. "It's obviously a very volatile situation," he told reporters in Seattle on Saturday, local time. "We expect there could be a request for Australia to play a military role." The US was notified about the Israeli strikes in advance but Washington officials have been quick to point out it played no part in the attacks, warning Iran not to target its personnel or interests. Mr Albanese landed in the US on his way to the G7 summit in Canada on Sunday. He is expected to meet with a range of global leaders, including US president Donald Trump, who has been working with Iran on a nuclear deal. Tariff discussions are expected to take the spotlight but defence talks could also feature after the US urged Australia to increase defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP. Australia is already forecast to grow military spending to 2.3 per cent of GDP and Mr Albanese insisted his government would give "whatever capability Australia needs to defend our national interest". Australia's military could be asked to play a role in the Middle East as regional tensions escalate. Iran and Israel have targeted each other with missile and air strikes after the latter launched its biggest-ever air offensive against its long-time foe. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said his government was continuing to monitor the situation and urged Australians in the region to leave. Australia has not been drawn into the conflict, but Mr Albanese said the nation could be asked to participate in the future. "It's obviously a very volatile situation," he told reporters in Seattle on Saturday, local time. "We expect there could be a request for Australia to play a military role." The US was notified about the Israeli strikes in advance but Washington officials have been quick to point out it played no part in the attacks, warning Iran not to target its personnel or interests. Mr Albanese landed in the US on his way to the G7 summit in Canada on Sunday. He is expected to meet with a range of global leaders, including US president Donald Trump, who has been working with Iran on a nuclear deal. Tariff discussions are expected to take the spotlight but defence talks could also feature after the US urged Australia to increase defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP. Australia is already forecast to grow military spending to 2.3 per cent of GDP and Mr Albanese insisted his government would give "whatever capability Australia needs to defend our national interest".
The Advertiser
14 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
In the dark: Australia ill-prepared for climate punch
Floods, fires, heatwaves, drought, cyclones. Australia's weather extremes have been coming thick and fast. While it's broadly accepted that climate change is ramping the frequency and potency of these hazards, communities everywhere still know little about their unique vulnerabilities to increasingly fierce emergency scenarios. Although unlikely saviours, bureaucrats are on the job. The federal government has been systematically and behind closed doors, working through how to deal with food security concerns, heat-vulnerable species, disaster-prone powerlines networks and myriad other issues as part of a full national climate risk assessment. Yet this homework has not yet been turned in, despite a December 2024 deadline having come and gone. The delay has former Defence chief Chris Barrie worried, especially in the wake of another round of destructive flooding on the NSW mid north coast that claimed five lives and left hundreds of homes uninhabitable. The longer the wait, the higher the chance of an out-of-date report that fails to embed the latest science on warming, the retired admiral fears. Last year was the first that exceeded pre-industrial temperatures by more than 1.5C, and while the Paris agreement threshold refers to long-term trends and has not yet been breached, the World Meteorological Organization estimates there's a 70 per cent chance average temperatures over the next five years will exceed 1.5C. "The science is now lifting its eyes and saying 'we can forget 2C, that's almost yesterday's story'," Admiral Barrie tells AAP. "Warming is accelerating and climate impacts are hitting faster than forecast." The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water assures that the findings of the risk assessment will be released as "a matter of priority" under the returned Labor government. Yet after the first half of this year dominated by the federal election, it will be late July before parliament resumes. As a member of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group, Admiral Barrie is determined to keep the pressure on to prevent further delays or a buried report. He has reason to be wary. Recalling a briefing with a former treasurer about the domestic security implications of climate change, Admiral Barrie says the senior politician left the room upon hearing about the scale of projected uncontrolled migrations as sea level rises claim low-lying settlements. "He didn't want to hear it." In the absence of a national risk assessment or public release of a classified version produced by the Office of National Intelligence back in 2023, the retired admiral worries that climate-vulnerable regions can only guess how best to allocate limited funds and resources to adapt. Rebecca McNaught is a climate change and disaster researcher at the University Centre for Rural Health and on the frontline of climate impacts through her involvement in regional community resilience groups. Dozens cropped up following the 2022 NSW Northern Rivers floods, a response she says was borne of practicality and an understanding that emergency services "can't be everywhere at once". During and after disasters, community groups spring into action, ferrying food to households cut off by road, helping elderly residents and offering extra pairs of hands during the clean-up. The heavy rain brought by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred put the community resilience model through its paces, with smooth communication between authorities and the public among the benefits highlighted by Dr McNaught. So far, disaster response has been the main game but communities are starting to think proactively about measures like dune restoration to protect from coastal inundation. However Dr McNaught says overall investment in preventing damage inflicted by looming climate threats is falling short. "In Australia, in general, we spend about 97 per cent of our disaster-related funding on response and recovery and only about three per cent on preparedness and resilience building," she says. According to Simon Bradshaw, research director at Climate-KIC Australia and the University of Technology's Institute for Sustainable Futures, Australia is well into its decarbonisation journey but only now preparing for the warming baked into the system from burning fossil fuels. "We've been painfully slow to really invest in community resilience," he says. "It means we're unprepared to deal with the challenges of today, let alone those that we know are going to be there in the future." Unlike investing in clean energy, which generates a healthy return and clear revenue stream, spending on sea walls and the like warrants a shift in attitude to value avoided losses and non-monetary gains, such as happier and healthier communities. "It does require us to think longer term," Dr Bradshaw says. Spending on prevention pays off. For every dollar spent on disaster risk reduction, a roughly 10 per cent return on investment is anticipated. The lack of clear profit incentive means most essential adaptation work is likely to rely on public grants and funding, Dr Bradshaw explains. Climate adaptation isn't just a government responsibility, he says, with a role for communities and the private sector as well. But governments of all levels could be doing more. The Commonwealth's core adaptation mechanism, the Disaster Ready Fund, invests about $200 million a year, a figure dwarfed by the $13.5 billion spent on disaster response payments in recent years. Top of Dr Bradshaw's federal wishlist is delivering on the climate risk assessment and adaption plan as the government bids to co-host the COP31 summit alongside Pacific nations. Floods, fires, heatwaves, drought, cyclones. Australia's weather extremes have been coming thick and fast. While it's broadly accepted that climate change is ramping the frequency and potency of these hazards, communities everywhere still know little about their unique vulnerabilities to increasingly fierce emergency scenarios. Although unlikely saviours, bureaucrats are on the job. The federal government has been systematically and behind closed doors, working through how to deal with food security concerns, heat-vulnerable species, disaster-prone powerlines networks and myriad other issues as part of a full national climate risk assessment. Yet this homework has not yet been turned in, despite a December 2024 deadline having come and gone. The delay has former Defence chief Chris Barrie worried, especially in the wake of another round of destructive flooding on the NSW mid north coast that claimed five lives and left hundreds of homes uninhabitable. The longer the wait, the higher the chance of an out-of-date report that fails to embed the latest science on warming, the retired admiral fears. Last year was the first that exceeded pre-industrial temperatures by more than 1.5C, and while the Paris agreement threshold refers to long-term trends and has not yet been breached, the World Meteorological Organization estimates there's a 70 per cent chance average temperatures over the next five years will exceed 1.5C. "The science is now lifting its eyes and saying 'we can forget 2C, that's almost yesterday's story'," Admiral Barrie tells AAP. "Warming is accelerating and climate impacts are hitting faster than forecast." The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water assures that the findings of the risk assessment will be released as "a matter of priority" under the returned Labor government. Yet after the first half of this year dominated by the federal election, it will be late July before parliament resumes. As a member of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group, Admiral Barrie is determined to keep the pressure on to prevent further delays or a buried report. He has reason to be wary. Recalling a briefing with a former treasurer about the domestic security implications of climate change, Admiral Barrie says the senior politician left the room upon hearing about the scale of projected uncontrolled migrations as sea level rises claim low-lying settlements. "He didn't want to hear it." In the absence of a national risk assessment or public release of a classified version produced by the Office of National Intelligence back in 2023, the retired admiral worries that climate-vulnerable regions can only guess how best to allocate limited funds and resources to adapt. Rebecca McNaught is a climate change and disaster researcher at the University Centre for Rural Health and on the frontline of climate impacts through her involvement in regional community resilience groups. Dozens cropped up following the 2022 NSW Northern Rivers floods, a response she says was borne of practicality and an understanding that emergency services "can't be everywhere at once". During and after disasters, community groups spring into action, ferrying food to households cut off by road, helping elderly residents and offering extra pairs of hands during the clean-up. The heavy rain brought by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred put the community resilience model through its paces, with smooth communication between authorities and the public among the benefits highlighted by Dr McNaught. So far, disaster response has been the main game but communities are starting to think proactively about measures like dune restoration to protect from coastal inundation. However Dr McNaught says overall investment in preventing damage inflicted by looming climate threats is falling short. "In Australia, in general, we spend about 97 per cent of our disaster-related funding on response and recovery and only about three per cent on preparedness and resilience building," she says. According to Simon Bradshaw, research director at Climate-KIC Australia and the University of Technology's Institute for Sustainable Futures, Australia is well into its decarbonisation journey but only now preparing for the warming baked into the system from burning fossil fuels. "We've been painfully slow to really invest in community resilience," he says. "It means we're unprepared to deal with the challenges of today, let alone those that we know are going to be there in the future." Unlike investing in clean energy, which generates a healthy return and clear revenue stream, spending on sea walls and the like warrants a shift in attitude to value avoided losses and non-monetary gains, such as happier and healthier communities. "It does require us to think longer term," Dr Bradshaw says. Spending on prevention pays off. For every dollar spent on disaster risk reduction, a roughly 10 per cent return on investment is anticipated. The lack of clear profit incentive means most essential adaptation work is likely to rely on public grants and funding, Dr Bradshaw explains. Climate adaptation isn't just a government responsibility, he says, with a role for communities and the private sector as well. But governments of all levels could be doing more. The Commonwealth's core adaptation mechanism, the Disaster Ready Fund, invests about $200 million a year, a figure dwarfed by the $13.5 billion spent on disaster response payments in recent years. Top of Dr Bradshaw's federal wishlist is delivering on the climate risk assessment and adaption plan as the government bids to co-host the COP31 summit alongside Pacific nations. Floods, fires, heatwaves, drought, cyclones. Australia's weather extremes have been coming thick and fast. While it's broadly accepted that climate change is ramping the frequency and potency of these hazards, communities everywhere still know little about their unique vulnerabilities to increasingly fierce emergency scenarios. Although unlikely saviours, bureaucrats are on the job. The federal government has been systematically and behind closed doors, working through how to deal with food security concerns, heat-vulnerable species, disaster-prone powerlines networks and myriad other issues as part of a full national climate risk assessment. Yet this homework has not yet been turned in, despite a December 2024 deadline having come and gone. The delay has former Defence chief Chris Barrie worried, especially in the wake of another round of destructive flooding on the NSW mid north coast that claimed five lives and left hundreds of homes uninhabitable. The longer the wait, the higher the chance of an out-of-date report that fails to embed the latest science on warming, the retired admiral fears. Last year was the first that exceeded pre-industrial temperatures by more than 1.5C, and while the Paris agreement threshold refers to long-term trends and has not yet been breached, the World Meteorological Organization estimates there's a 70 per cent chance average temperatures over the next five years will exceed 1.5C. "The science is now lifting its eyes and saying 'we can forget 2C, that's almost yesterday's story'," Admiral Barrie tells AAP. "Warming is accelerating and climate impacts are hitting faster than forecast." The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water assures that the findings of the risk assessment will be released as "a matter of priority" under the returned Labor government. Yet after the first half of this year dominated by the federal election, it will be late July before parliament resumes. As a member of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group, Admiral Barrie is determined to keep the pressure on to prevent further delays or a buried report. He has reason to be wary. Recalling a briefing with a former treasurer about the domestic security implications of climate change, Admiral Barrie says the senior politician left the room upon hearing about the scale of projected uncontrolled migrations as sea level rises claim low-lying settlements. "He didn't want to hear it." In the absence of a national risk assessment or public release of a classified version produced by the Office of National Intelligence back in 2023, the retired admiral worries that climate-vulnerable regions can only guess how best to allocate limited funds and resources to adapt. Rebecca McNaught is a climate change and disaster researcher at the University Centre for Rural Health and on the frontline of climate impacts through her involvement in regional community resilience groups. Dozens cropped up following the 2022 NSW Northern Rivers floods, a response she says was borne of practicality and an understanding that emergency services "can't be everywhere at once". During and after disasters, community groups spring into action, ferrying food to households cut off by road, helping elderly residents and offering extra pairs of hands during the clean-up. The heavy rain brought by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred put the community resilience model through its paces, with smooth communication between authorities and the public among the benefits highlighted by Dr McNaught. So far, disaster response has been the main game but communities are starting to think proactively about measures like dune restoration to protect from coastal inundation. However Dr McNaught says overall investment in preventing damage inflicted by looming climate threats is falling short. "In Australia, in general, we spend about 97 per cent of our disaster-related funding on response and recovery and only about three per cent on preparedness and resilience building," she says. According to Simon Bradshaw, research director at Climate-KIC Australia and the University of Technology's Institute for Sustainable Futures, Australia is well into its decarbonisation journey but only now preparing for the warming baked into the system from burning fossil fuels. "We've been painfully slow to really invest in community resilience," he says. "It means we're unprepared to deal with the challenges of today, let alone those that we know are going to be there in the future." Unlike investing in clean energy, which generates a healthy return and clear revenue stream, spending on sea walls and the like warrants a shift in attitude to value avoided losses and non-monetary gains, such as happier and healthier communities. "It does require us to think longer term," Dr Bradshaw says. Spending on prevention pays off. For every dollar spent on disaster risk reduction, a roughly 10 per cent return on investment is anticipated. The lack of clear profit incentive means most essential adaptation work is likely to rely on public grants and funding, Dr Bradshaw explains. Climate adaptation isn't just a government responsibility, he says, with a role for communities and the private sector as well. But governments of all levels could be doing more. The Commonwealth's core adaptation mechanism, the Disaster Ready Fund, invests about $200 million a year, a figure dwarfed by the $13.5 billion spent on disaster response payments in recent years. Top of Dr Bradshaw's federal wishlist is delivering on the climate risk assessment and adaption plan as the government bids to co-host the COP31 summit alongside Pacific nations. Floods, fires, heatwaves, drought, cyclones. Australia's weather extremes have been coming thick and fast. While it's broadly accepted that climate change is ramping the frequency and potency of these hazards, communities everywhere still know little about their unique vulnerabilities to increasingly fierce emergency scenarios. Although unlikely saviours, bureaucrats are on the job. The federal government has been systematically and behind closed doors, working through how to deal with food security concerns, heat-vulnerable species, disaster-prone powerlines networks and myriad other issues as part of a full national climate risk assessment. Yet this homework has not yet been turned in, despite a December 2024 deadline having come and gone. The delay has former Defence chief Chris Barrie worried, especially in the wake of another round of destructive flooding on the NSW mid north coast that claimed five lives and left hundreds of homes uninhabitable. The longer the wait, the higher the chance of an out-of-date report that fails to embed the latest science on warming, the retired admiral fears. Last year was the first that exceeded pre-industrial temperatures by more than 1.5C, and while the Paris agreement threshold refers to long-term trends and has not yet been breached, the World Meteorological Organization estimates there's a 70 per cent chance average temperatures over the next five years will exceed 1.5C. "The science is now lifting its eyes and saying 'we can forget 2C, that's almost yesterday's story'," Admiral Barrie tells AAP. "Warming is accelerating and climate impacts are hitting faster than forecast." The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water assures that the findings of the risk assessment will be released as "a matter of priority" under the returned Labor government. Yet after the first half of this year dominated by the federal election, it will be late July before parliament resumes. As a member of the Australian Security Leaders Climate Group, Admiral Barrie is determined to keep the pressure on to prevent further delays or a buried report. He has reason to be wary. Recalling a briefing with a former treasurer about the domestic security implications of climate change, Admiral Barrie says the senior politician left the room upon hearing about the scale of projected uncontrolled migrations as sea level rises claim low-lying settlements. "He didn't want to hear it." In the absence of a national risk assessment or public release of a classified version produced by the Office of National Intelligence back in 2023, the retired admiral worries that climate-vulnerable regions can only guess how best to allocate limited funds and resources to adapt. Rebecca McNaught is a climate change and disaster researcher at the University Centre for Rural Health and on the frontline of climate impacts through her involvement in regional community resilience groups. Dozens cropped up following the 2022 NSW Northern Rivers floods, a response she says was borne of practicality and an understanding that emergency services "can't be everywhere at once". During and after disasters, community groups spring into action, ferrying food to households cut off by road, helping elderly residents and offering extra pairs of hands during the clean-up. The heavy rain brought by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred put the community resilience model through its paces, with smooth communication between authorities and the public among the benefits highlighted by Dr McNaught. So far, disaster response has been the main game but communities are starting to think proactively about measures like dune restoration to protect from coastal inundation. However Dr McNaught says overall investment in preventing damage inflicted by looming climate threats is falling short. "In Australia, in general, we spend about 97 per cent of our disaster-related funding on response and recovery and only about three per cent on preparedness and resilience building," she says. According to Simon Bradshaw, research director at Climate-KIC Australia and the University of Technology's Institute for Sustainable Futures, Australia is well into its decarbonisation journey but only now preparing for the warming baked into the system from burning fossil fuels. "We've been painfully slow to really invest in community resilience," he says. "It means we're unprepared to deal with the challenges of today, let alone those that we know are going to be there in the future." Unlike investing in clean energy, which generates a healthy return and clear revenue stream, spending on sea walls and the like warrants a shift in attitude to value avoided losses and non-monetary gains, such as happier and healthier communities. "It does require us to think longer term," Dr Bradshaw says. Spending on prevention pays off. For every dollar spent on disaster risk reduction, a roughly 10 per cent return on investment is anticipated. The lack of clear profit incentive means most essential adaptation work is likely to rely on public grants and funding, Dr Bradshaw explains. Climate adaptation isn't just a government responsibility, he says, with a role for communities and the private sector as well. But governments of all levels could be doing more. The Commonwealth's core adaptation mechanism, the Disaster Ready Fund, invests about $200 million a year, a figure dwarfed by the $13.5 billion spent on disaster response payments in recent years. Top of Dr Bradshaw's federal wishlist is delivering on the climate risk assessment and adaption plan as the government bids to co-host the COP31 summit alongside Pacific nations.
West Australian
24 minutes ago
- West Australian
Albanese to spruik AUKUS benefits in high-stakes G7 talks with Trump
Anthony Albanese is expected to spruik the benefits of the AUKUS pact and 'put forward Australia's interests respectfully' in high-stakes talks with Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 meeting in Canada. The PM confirmed he and the US President had a 'scheduled' meeting on Tuesday local time, adding he hoped it would be a 'constructive discussion'. The face-to-face comes after fear over the future of the $370bn defence pact following the Pentagon launched a review into the tri-lateral agreement formed in 2021. After touching down in Seattle on Sunday morning, Mr Albanese said he looked forward to meeting Mr Trump for the first time as PM after only phone conversations during his first term. 'Obviously, there are issues that the US President is dealing with at the moment, but I expect that we will be able to have a constructive engagement,' he said, speaking from The Spheres, Amazon's Seattle headquarters. 'I look forward to building on the very constructive phone conversations that we've had on the three occasions that we've had the opportunity to talk. 'I obviously will raise tariffs. We'll raise, as well, AUKUS, and we will have a discussion, as two friends should.' While he wouldn't 'make declarations' on negotiations, Mr Albanese said he would 'put forward Australia's interests respectfully'. Although Mr Albanese has previously said he was 'very confident' the AUKUS pact would continue following the Pentagon review, he added that he would spruik its 'range of benefits' to the US when he meets with Mr Trump. These included allowing the US to access fuel reserves in the Northern Territory, and the Henderson Defence Precinct in Perth, which will also allow US and UK submarines to be in the water for longer and support maintenance stops. Mr Albanese also noted that Australia had already invested $500m in the first phase of AUKUS Pillar One, which will allow us to acquire a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. The United States' ongoing push for Australia to substantially increase its defence spending is likely to be a central topic discussed. Pressure mounted at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore late last month when US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Defence Minister Richard Marles to lift spending from 2 per cent to 3.5 per cent of GDP. 'There are a range of ways in which Australia's contribution to the United States … particularly in AUKUS Pillar One, is very much in Australia's national interest,' he said. Speaking to the greater economic relationship between Australia and the US, Mr Albanese said it was 'important to recognise' that Australia has a trade surplus with the US both in terms of goods and services. As it stands, Australia has been slugged with a baseline tariff of 10 per cent, plus a 25 per cent levy on aluminium and 50 per cent tariff on steel imports. 'It is also in the interests of the United States for Australia to be treated appropriately. Tariffs across the board, of course, impose an increased cost on the purchases of those goods and services,' Mr Albanese said. 'I will enter into those discussions constructively - the discussions that I've previously had with President Trump were constructive, but those 10 per cent tariff supports have been the minimum … that have been applied across the board.' Mr Albanese is also set to speak to business leaders from BHP Ventures, quantum computing leader Diraq, Trellis Health, Airwallex and Anthropic, where he will highlight the importance of 'free and fair trade' arrangements between the two countries. 'We want to grow the economic relationship between our two countries, and I'm sure that when I have the opportunity to have discussions with President Trump, we will speak about the important economic relationship between our two countries, which is in the interests of both Australia and the United States,' he said on Saturday morning, local time.' The demonstrations coincided with the military parade in Washington DC which will mark the 250th anniversary of the US Army.
