Australia news LIVE: Labor to introduce student debt cuts and childcare reform; Albanese urged to go greener; Ozzy Osbourne dead at 76
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6.50am
Ghislaine Maxwell to meet justice officials to discuss potential new evidence in Epstein saga
By Michael Koziol
Ghislaine Maxwell, the former socialite who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for conspiring with her friend Jeffrey Epstein to sexually exploit girls, is set to meet with the US Justice Department to discuss potential new evidence in the sex-trafficking saga.
Deputy Attorney-General Todd Blanche – formerly President Donald Trump's lawyer – said he had approached Maxwell's counsel to see if she would speak with prosecutors, and anticipated meeting her 'in the coming days'. Maxwell's lawyer David Oscar Markus confirmed the discussions.
The development instantly sparked speculation Trump could pardon Maxwell if she were to provide evidence that did not implicate the president, who is a former friend of Epstein, and whose presence in the so-called Epstein files has long been rumoured.
Trump has come under intense pressure over the Epstein case in the past fortnight, especially from his Make America Great Again base, after the Justice Department and FBI said they would not release any more records from the investigation and the case was effectively closed.
Trump's new submarine chief a critic of Australia
By Michael Koziol
The man leading Donald Trump's push to build more ships and submarines is a critic of Australia who has questioned whether Canberra can be trusted to stick with the AUKUS agreement, and whether it is ready to help the United States take on China.
Jerry Hendrix, a retired navy captain who holds a senior role in the president's Office of Management and Budget, said last year that 'the Australians have been noticeably fickle' about AUKUS and queried if the deal had true bipartisan support.
Meanwhile, with AUKUS under review by the Pentagon, the heads of a US congressional committee on China have written to the Trump administration to defend the agreement, arguing it would 'dramatically enhance' collective efforts to defend against Beijing's aggression.
The letter to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth is the second time in as many months that members of the US Congress from both sides of politics have written to the former Fox News host to defend AUKUS, underlining fears a US review of the pact will recommend major changes.
6.41am
What's making news today
By Daniel Lo Surdo
Hello and welcome to the national news live blog. My name is Daniel Lo Surdo, and I'll be helming our live coverage this morning.
Here's what is making news today:
The Albanese government will set forth on executing the legislative agenda promised to voters when it introduces draft laws to reduce student debt and reform childcare on Wednesday. It follows a day of first speeches and ceremonial pomp in Parliament House as federal politicians convened in Canberra for the first time since Labor's crushing election victory in May.
Albanese is facing one of his first major policy tests after his historic re-election as a business group led by Andrew Forrest's Fortescue has demanded a 75 per cent cut to Australia's emissions, and Labor's hand-picked climate adviser prepares to tell the government what its 2035 target should be.
Ozzy Osbourne has died just weeks after his farewell show, aged 76. The death of the Black Sabbath lead singer has prompted an outpouring of grief from the music industry's biggest names, with Osbourne's family saying the musician was 'surrounded by love' at the time of his passing.
The Australian sharemarket is set to rise again after Wall Street was on track to edge to another all-time high in late trading. It comes as US President Donald Trump extended his verbal attack on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, who Trump thinks has kept interest rates too high, labelling Powell a 'numbskull' who will be 'out pretty soon'.
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The Age
6 minutes ago
- The Age
Trump will be furious as China gatecrashes $35 billion party
On Monday, after the period of exclusive negotiations for the consortium ended, Hutchison announced it remained in discussions with the consortium 'with a view to inviting (a) major strategic investor from the PRC to join as a significant member of the consortium.' 'Changes to the membership of the consortium and the structure of the transaction … will be needed for the transaction to be capable of being approved by all relevant authorities,' it said. It also reiterated previous statements that it wouldn't proceed with any transaction that didn't have those approvals. The key approval needed is, of course, China's. Hutchison is a Cayman Island-registered, Hong Kong-listed private business founded by Li via the acquisition of control of the venerable Hong Kong trading house, Hutchison Whampoa, in 1979. It has reduced its exposure to China and Hong Kong over the years and now generates only about 12 per cent of its revenues from Greater China. It has substantial infrastructure and telecommunications interests in Europe, North America and Australia, where it owns the container terminals in Sydney and Brisbane, a 25 per cent interest in TPG Telecom and a significant portfolio of energy and transport infrastructure assets. Loading At face value, it shouldn't have been particularly vulnerable to pressure from Beijing, but it has obviously bowed to that pressure, which has reportedly included a directive from Beijing to its state-owned firms not to deal with any businesses linked to the Li family. Li Ka-shing's son Richard's ambitions of expanding his insurance business into the mainland have apparently been stalled, if not blocked. The 'major strategic investor from the PRC' that Hutchison referred to in its stock exchange release is almost certainly the state-owned Cosco, one of the world's largest shipping and marine logistics companies. The buying consortium was told that if Cosco wasn't included in the deal the sale of the ports would be blocked. There have also been reports that Cosco is seeking rights that would enable it to veto any decisions by the consortium considered inimical to China's interests. Including Cosco in consortium will create another point of tension between the US and China. Not only does Trump have a fixation with the Panamanian ports, to the point that he has threatened an invasion of Panama to gain control of them, but his administration has taken aim at China's global leadership in shipbuilding and container shipping. The US is proceeding with plans to charge punitive fees on Chinese-built ships entering US ports; fees that start at $US18 per net tonne of cargo, or $US120 per container, that would increase incrementally over time. Trump's ambition is to rebuild the US ship building and shipping industries. The US builds only a fraction of a per cent of the world's large commercial ships and has no meaningful presence in the global cargo shipping market. The collision of interests between the two major powers over the ports sale was regarded as important enough for it to be raised at the trade negotiations the US and China held in Switzerland in May. When the deal, and BlackRock's involvement in the acquiring consortium, was announced, Trump hailed it as both a victory for America and a personal triumph. Trump isn't going to willingly allow a Chinese state-owned company to have a substantial interest and say in the operation of the ports in Panama. China, which sees influence over the ownership of ports and shipping logistics around the world as a critical component of its geopolitical strategies, isn't going to readily relinquish either its influence over Hutchison or, if Cosco is successful, an opportunity to gain a more direct stake in the ports. One possible solution raised is the carving out of the Panamanian ports from the larger deal, allowing US interests to control those ports while clearing the way for Cosco's involvement with the rest. That would, however, mean China would be relinquishing whatever influence it has today over the fastest shipping route between Asia and the east coast of America. The other would be that the deal falls over and the status quo prevails, although Hutchison, which stands to clear $US19 billion of cash from a sale, would see that as a major lost opportunity. Trump's trade wars and his new port charges for Chinese-built or operated ships will have massively disruptive effects on global supply chains and global port activity and container shipping volumes. Indeed, they are already having an impact, with container volumes at America's west coast ports falling away as his tariffs take effect. Loading The planned sale and exit from the ports was therefore well-timed and an example, if one were needed, of Li Ka Shing's business acumen. Now he and his family find themselves caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place, trying to sell highly strategic global infrastructure assets in the middle of a global trade war and a geopolitical struggle between the world's two major powers.
Sydney Morning Herald
6 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trump's trade war: China muscles into Panama Canal ports deal
On Monday, after the period of exclusive negotiations for the consortium ended, Hutchison announced it remained in discussions with the consortium 'with a view to inviting (a) major strategic investor from the PRC to join as a significant member of the consortium.' 'Changes to the membership of the consortium and the structure of the transaction … will be needed for the transaction to be capable of being approved by all relevant authorities,' it said. It also reiterated previous statements that it wouldn't proceed with any transaction that didn't have those approvals. Trump isn't going to willingly allow a Chinese state-owned company to have a substantial interest and say in the operation of the ports in Panama. Credit: Getty Images The key approval needed is, of course, China's. Hutchison is a Cayman Island-registered, Hong Kong-listed private business founded by Li via the acquisition of control of the venerable Hong Kong trading house, Hutchison Whampoa, in 1979. It has reduced its exposure to China and Hong Kong over the years and now generates only about 12 per cent of its revenues from Greater China. It has substantial infrastructure and telecommunications interests in Europe, North America and Australia, where it owns the container terminals in Sydney and Brisbane, a 25 per cent interest in TPG Telecom and a significant portfolio of energy and transport infrastructure assets. Loading At face value, it shouldn't have been particularly vulnerable to pressure from Beijing, but it has obviously bowed to that pressure, which has reportedly included a directive from Beijing to its state-owned firms not to deal with any businesses linked to the Li family. Li Ka-shing's son Richard's ambitions of expanding his insurance business into the mainland have apparently been stalled, if not blocked. The 'major strategic investor from the PRC' that Hutchison referred to in its stock exchange release is almost certainly the state-owned Cosco, one of the world's largest shipping and marine logistics companies. The buying consortium was told that if Cosco wasn't included in the deal the sale of the ports would be blocked. There have also been reports that Cosco is seeking rights that would enable it to veto any decisions by the consortium considered inimical to China's interests. Including Cosco in consortium will create another point of tension between the US and China. Hutchison's ports sale includes assets located in the Panama Canal. Credit: Bloomberg Not only does Trump have a fixation with the Panamanian ports, to the point that he has threatened an invasion of Panama to gain control of them, but his administration has taken aim at China's global leadership in shipbuilding and container shipping. The US is proceeding with plans to charge punitive fees on Chinese-built ships entering US ports; fees that start at $US18 per net tonne of cargo, or $US120 per container, that would increase incrementally over time. Trump's ambition is to rebuild the US ship building and shipping industries. The US builds only a fraction of a per cent of the world's large commercial ships and has no meaningful presence in the global cargo shipping market. The collision of interests between the two major powers over the ports sale was regarded as important enough for it to be raised at the trade negotiations the US and China held in Switzerland in May. When the deal, and BlackRock's involvement in the acquiring consortium, was announced, Trump hailed it as both a victory for America and a personal triumph. Trump isn't going to willingly allow a Chinese state-owned company to have a substantial interest and say in the operation of the ports in Panama. China, which sees influence over the ownership of ports and shipping logistics around the world as a critical component of its geopolitical strategies, isn't going to readily relinquish either its influence over Hutchison or, if Cosco is successful, an opportunity to gain a more direct stake in the ports. One possible solution raised is the carving out of the Panamanian ports from the larger deal, allowing US interests to control those ports while clearing the way for Cosco's involvement with the rest. That would, however, mean China would be relinquishing whatever influence it has today over the fastest shipping route between Asia and the east coast of America. The other would be that the deal falls over and the status quo prevails, although Hutchison, which stands to clear $US19 billion of cash from a sale, would see that as a major lost opportunity. Trump's trade wars and his new port charges for Chinese-built or operated ships will have massively disruptive effects on global supply chains and global port activity and container shipping volumes. Indeed, they are already having an impact, with container volumes at America's west coast ports falling away as his tariffs take effect. Loading The planned sale and exit from the ports was therefore well-timed and an example, if one were needed, of Li Ka Shing's business acumen. Now he and his family find themselves caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place, trying to sell highly strategic global infrastructure assets in the middle of a global trade war and a geopolitical struggle between the world's two major powers. The Business Briefing newsletter delivers major stories, exclusive coverage and expert opinion. Sign up to get it every weekday morning.
West Australian
6 minutes ago
- West Australian
Anthony Albanese responds to ‘no starvation' in Gaza claim: ‘Beyond comprehension' says PM
Anthony Albanese says it's 'beyond comprehension' for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his representative in Australia to claim that there is no starvation happening in Gaza. The Prime Minister told his caucus colleagues at a meeting in Canberra on Tuesday he was firmly committed to a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine, saying that was what Australia had always envisaged for the Middle East. Mr Albanese was prompted in part by photos of starving children in Gaza to issue a strong personal statement on Friday that said the situation had gone beyond the world's worst fears and called on Israel to comply with international law, including allowing the UN and aid organisations to carry out their work. Over the weekend, Israel has allowed more aid into Gaza, including via air drops. Mr Netanyahu denied claims Palestinians were starving, saying in a video posted to social media, 'There is no starvation in Gaza, no policy of starvation in Gaza.' The message was echoed by Israel's deputy ambassador to Australia, Amir Meron, who told media on Monday the claims were based on 'false pictures'. Mr Albanese referred to both sets of comments when asked about the pathway to Palestinian statehood during a meeting of Labor MPs. 'These claims that there is no starvation in Gaza are beyond comprehension,' he said. 'While there is a caveat on any health information which is provided by Hamas, it is Israel that has prevented journalists from getting in.' He also referred to the Nelson Mandela quote that things 'always seem impossible until it's done', in speaking about a peace deal and the reforms needed in Palestine. 'We're arising out of a crisis,' Mr Albanese said, also referring to the 'abominable actions' by Hamas that sparked the current conflict. US President Donald Trump also disagreed with Mr Netanyahu's denial there was starvation in Gaza, telling reporters in Scotland overnight that 'those children looked very hungry'. 'You have a lot of starving people,' Mr Trump said. 'We're going to set up food centres and we're going to do it in conjunction with some very good people and we're going to supply funds. 'We can save a lot of people, some of those kids — that's real starvation.'
