Albanese to the White House: ‘We aren't subservient'
In remarks from a private question-and-answer session after a speech on Saturday, where the prime minister was emphasising Australian sovereignty, Albanese said the US alliance was crucial before going further than his prepared remarks.
'In the strategic competition that's there in the world, we're with the United States,' Albanese said at the John Curtin Research Centre. 'We're with democratic countries. We don't shy away from that at all, of where our alliances are.'
'I'm a supporter of AUKUS, that's important,' Albanese said in a recording obtained by this masthead. 'But that doesn't mean that we are subservient to any other country.'
Albanese's talk was delivered as the government encounters pressure from the US on tariffs, defence spending and the AUKUS pact that is under review from senior Pentagon official, and noted China hawk, Elbridge Colby.
This masthead reported on Thursday that Colby, the under-secretary of defence for policy, had told Australian sources that the nation should give a public declaration or private guarantee that US-made nuclear submarines it receives from the AUKUS pact would be used in a possible conflict with China.
The demand is contentious as it would limit Australia's sovereignty. It is not yet clear if such a demand would form part of the review's recommendations, with foreign policy chaos a feature of the Trump administration.
A spokesman for the Australian Defence Department said the government had 'made clear [that] Australia will always make sovereign, independent decisions based on Australia's national interest, including what capabilities Australia acquires and how they are employed.'
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Elbridge Colby trying to ‘embarrass' the Australian government
Political analyst Joe Siracusa says Elbridge Colby is trying to "embarrass" the Australian government through his AUKUS review. US Undersecretary of Defence Elbridge Colby, who's leading the AUKUS review, wants to know if the nuclear submarines Australia purchases will then be used to help the US in any invasion by China of Taiwan. Mr Siracusa said Australia's government is "too smart" to let the US humiliate them.
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Legal action in play after protester 'punched' in eye
Lawyers for a one-time Greens candidate who suffered a serious eye injury while being arrested at an anti-Israel protest say they are ready to sue the state of NSW. Hannah Thomas was allegedly punched in the face by a male NSW Police officer in an act of "gratuitous police brutality and excessive use of force", her lawyer Peter O'Brien says. Ms Thomas, an activist and lawyer, was among five people arrested in Sydney on June 27 outside an Australian firm reportedly linked to the manufacture of components for US fighter jets used by the Israeli Defence Force. The arrests are being investigated by police officers from another command, with an internal review by professional standards and external oversight by the police watchdog, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr O'Brien has written to NSW Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions demanding the charges against Ms Thomas, 35, be dropped. He also has instructions to proceed on a civil claim seeking compensation for the actions that led to her injury. "Torts likely to be pursued against the state include assault and battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office, and collateral abuse of process," he said in a statement on Monday. "I am satisfied that Ms Thomas was punched in the face by a male police officer, causing extensive and serious injury to her eye ... We are further satisfied that Ms Thomas was an innocent victim of gratuitous police brutality and excessive use of force, actions that were completely and entirely unjustifiable." Her legal team say they have watched all available footage of the incident and object to claims made by senior police officers, which they argue downplay its gravity. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden has previously said he did not observe any misconduct in the body-worn camera footage of the incident. All officers involved remained on duty. Mr O'Brien noted the incident occurred at the same time state laws strengthening police powers to crack down on protests had been increased. Pro-democracy groups have, in the wake of the violent arrest, argued that the controversial laws granting police powers to move protesters on from places of worship have emboldened the force to "act with impunity". "It cannot be known what goes through the mind of a police officer who uses gratuitous violence like this, but the context and timing appear unavoidably revealing," Mr O'Brien said. A NSW Police spokeswoman said the force cannot comment on ongoing investigations. "As for any critical incident investigation, the circumstances of any serious injury and the conduct of police is incorporated into that investigation, and that investigation is ongoing," she said. Protestors returned to SEC Plating in Sydney's west on Friday evening for another rally, where a statement from Ms Thomas, who remains in hospital, was read out. "We owe it to Palestinians to escalate, to keep targeting companies like SEC Plating, which play a role in the F-35 global supply chain and enable genocide against the Palestinian people," she said. "This company does not deserve to profit from the genocide." Ms Thomas, who ran second to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the inner-west Sydney seat of Grayndler in the federal election in May, was charged with hindering or resisting police and not following a move-on direction. Lawyers for a one-time Greens candidate who suffered a serious eye injury while being arrested at an anti-Israel protest say they are ready to sue the state of NSW. Hannah Thomas was allegedly punched in the face by a male NSW Police officer in an act of "gratuitous police brutality and excessive use of force", her lawyer Peter O'Brien says. Ms Thomas, an activist and lawyer, was among five people arrested in Sydney on June 27 outside an Australian firm reportedly linked to the manufacture of components for US fighter jets used by the Israeli Defence Force. The arrests are being investigated by police officers from another command, with an internal review by professional standards and external oversight by the police watchdog, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr O'Brien has written to NSW Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions demanding the charges against Ms Thomas, 35, be dropped. He also has instructions to proceed on a civil claim seeking compensation for the actions that led to her injury. "Torts likely to be pursued against the state include assault and battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office, and collateral abuse of process," he said in a statement on Monday. "I am satisfied that Ms Thomas was punched in the face by a male police officer, causing extensive and serious injury to her eye ... We are further satisfied that Ms Thomas was an innocent victim of gratuitous police brutality and excessive use of force, actions that were completely and entirely unjustifiable." Her legal team say they have watched all available footage of the incident and object to claims made by senior police officers, which they argue downplay its gravity. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden has previously said he did not observe any misconduct in the body-worn camera footage of the incident. All officers involved remained on duty. Mr O'Brien noted the incident occurred at the same time state laws strengthening police powers to crack down on protests had been increased. Pro-democracy groups have, in the wake of the violent arrest, argued that the controversial laws granting police powers to move protesters on from places of worship have emboldened the force to "act with impunity". "It cannot be known what goes through the mind of a police officer who uses gratuitous violence like this, but the context and timing appear unavoidably revealing," Mr O'Brien said. A NSW Police spokeswoman said the force cannot comment on ongoing investigations. "As for any critical incident investigation, the circumstances of any serious injury and the conduct of police is incorporated into that investigation, and that investigation is ongoing," she said. Protestors returned to SEC Plating in Sydney's west on Friday evening for another rally, where a statement from Ms Thomas, who remains in hospital, was read out. "We owe it to Palestinians to escalate, to keep targeting companies like SEC Plating, which play a role in the F-35 global supply chain and enable genocide against the Palestinian people," she said. "This company does not deserve to profit from the genocide." Ms Thomas, who ran second to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the inner-west Sydney seat of Grayndler in the federal election in May, was charged with hindering or resisting police and not following a move-on direction. Lawyers for a one-time Greens candidate who suffered a serious eye injury while being arrested at an anti-Israel protest say they are ready to sue the state of NSW. Hannah Thomas was allegedly punched in the face by a male NSW Police officer in an act of "gratuitous police brutality and excessive use of force", her lawyer Peter O'Brien says. Ms Thomas, an activist and lawyer, was among five people arrested in Sydney on June 27 outside an Australian firm reportedly linked to the manufacture of components for US fighter jets used by the Israeli Defence Force. The arrests are being investigated by police officers from another command, with an internal review by professional standards and external oversight by the police watchdog, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr O'Brien has written to NSW Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions demanding the charges against Ms Thomas, 35, be dropped. He also has instructions to proceed on a civil claim seeking compensation for the actions that led to her injury. "Torts likely to be pursued against the state include assault and battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office, and collateral abuse of process," he said in a statement on Monday. "I am satisfied that Ms Thomas was punched in the face by a male police officer, causing extensive and serious injury to her eye ... We are further satisfied that Ms Thomas was an innocent victim of gratuitous police brutality and excessive use of force, actions that were completely and entirely unjustifiable." Her legal team say they have watched all available footage of the incident and object to claims made by senior police officers, which they argue downplay its gravity. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden has previously said he did not observe any misconduct in the body-worn camera footage of the incident. All officers involved remained on duty. Mr O'Brien noted the incident occurred at the same time state laws strengthening police powers to crack down on protests had been increased. Pro-democracy groups have, in the wake of the violent arrest, argued that the controversial laws granting police powers to move protesters on from places of worship have emboldened the force to "act with impunity". "It cannot be known what goes through the mind of a police officer who uses gratuitous violence like this, but the context and timing appear unavoidably revealing," Mr O'Brien said. A NSW Police spokeswoman said the force cannot comment on ongoing investigations. "As for any critical incident investigation, the circumstances of any serious injury and the conduct of police is incorporated into that investigation, and that investigation is ongoing," she said. Protestors returned to SEC Plating in Sydney's west on Friday evening for another rally, where a statement from Ms Thomas, who remains in hospital, was read out. "We owe it to Palestinians to escalate, to keep targeting companies like SEC Plating, which play a role in the F-35 global supply chain and enable genocide against the Palestinian people," she said. "This company does not deserve to profit from the genocide." Ms Thomas, who ran second to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the inner-west Sydney seat of Grayndler in the federal election in May, was charged with hindering or resisting police and not following a move-on direction. Lawyers for a one-time Greens candidate who suffered a serious eye injury while being arrested at an anti-Israel protest say they are ready to sue the state of NSW. Hannah Thomas was allegedly punched in the face by a male NSW Police officer in an act of "gratuitous police brutality and excessive use of force", her lawyer Peter O'Brien says. Ms Thomas, an activist and lawyer, was among five people arrested in Sydney on June 27 outside an Australian firm reportedly linked to the manufacture of components for US fighter jets used by the Israeli Defence Force. The arrests are being investigated by police officers from another command, with an internal review by professional standards and external oversight by the police watchdog, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission. Mr O'Brien has written to NSW Police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions demanding the charges against Ms Thomas, 35, be dropped. He also has instructions to proceed on a civil claim seeking compensation for the actions that led to her injury. "Torts likely to be pursued against the state include assault and battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, misfeasance in public office, and collateral abuse of process," he said in a statement on Monday. "I am satisfied that Ms Thomas was punched in the face by a male police officer, causing extensive and serious injury to her eye ... We are further satisfied that Ms Thomas was an innocent victim of gratuitous police brutality and excessive use of force, actions that were completely and entirely unjustifiable." Her legal team say they have watched all available footage of the incident and object to claims made by senior police officers, which they argue downplay its gravity. NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Brett McFadden has previously said he did not observe any misconduct in the body-worn camera footage of the incident. All officers involved remained on duty. Mr O'Brien noted the incident occurred at the same time state laws strengthening police powers to crack down on protests had been increased. Pro-democracy groups have, in the wake of the violent arrest, argued that the controversial laws granting police powers to move protesters on from places of worship have emboldened the force to "act with impunity". "It cannot be known what goes through the mind of a police officer who uses gratuitous violence like this, but the context and timing appear unavoidably revealing," Mr O'Brien said. A NSW Police spokeswoman said the force cannot comment on ongoing investigations. "As for any critical incident investigation, the circumstances of any serious injury and the conduct of police is incorporated into that investigation, and that investigation is ongoing," she said. Protestors returned to SEC Plating in Sydney's west on Friday evening for another rally, where a statement from Ms Thomas, who remains in hospital, was read out. "We owe it to Palestinians to escalate, to keep targeting companies like SEC Plating, which play a role in the F-35 global supply chain and enable genocide against the Palestinian people," she said. "This company does not deserve to profit from the genocide." Ms Thomas, who ran second to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the inner-west Sydney seat of Grayndler in the federal election in May, was charged with hindering or resisting police and not following a move-on direction.
Sky News AU
2 hours ago
- Sky News AU
‘Complete breakdown of security': New report blames ‘cascade' of failures by Secret Service for Trump assassination attempt
Donald Trump came within inches of death due to a 'cascade' of failures by the Secret Service, a damning new US Senate report has found. Several shots were fired at President Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on July 13 last year, with one of the bullets grazing the then Republican candidate's right ear. One rally attendee was killed during the shooting, which ended when Secret Service agents shot dead gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was positioned on a roof just 120m from the stage. The Senate report, released a year to the day after the shooting occurred, accused the Secret Service of a pattern of negligence and communications breakdowns in the planning and execution of the rally's security arrangements. "This was not a single error. It was a cascade of preventable failures that nearly cost President Trump his life," the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee report said. According to the Republican chair of the committee who handed down the report, there had been a 'complete breakdown of security' at the rally. "This was not a single lapse in judgment. It was a complete breakdown of security at every level — fuelled by bureaucratic indifference, a lack of clear protocols, and a shocking refusal to act on direct threats," Senator Rand Paul said in a statement. Trump said on Monday that he had survived the shooting because "God was protecting me". In the wake of the shooting it became clear law enforcement had been notified about the gunman's presence two to three minutes before the gunman opened fire. One witness at the rally told the BBC he had alerted police after seeing a man with a rifle crawling up a nearby roof minutes before he fired shots at Mr Trump. 'We're standing there, we're pointing, pointing at the guy crawling up the roof," the witness, named Greg Smith said. 'The police are there running around on the ground. We're like 'hey man there's a guy on the roof with a rifle' and the police were like 'whoah what?' you know, they didn't know what was going on." Mr Smith said there were two or three minutes between him alerting police and the shots being fired, adding he couldn't understand why the Secret Service hadn't pulled Mr Trump off the stage. 'I'm thinking to myself why is Trump still speaking, why have they not pulled him off the stage?' he said. 'I'm standing there pointing at him for, you know, two, three minutes Secret Service is looking at us from the top of the barn, I'm pointing at that roof, just standing there. 'Next thing you know, five shots rang out.' Kimberly Cheatle resigned as the director of the Secret Service 10 days after the shooting, amid harsh scrutiny of the agency's role. Six Secret Service agents on duty during the attempt have also received suspensions ranging from 10 to 42 days, the agency said on Thursday. The committee said more than six officials should have been punished, and that two of those who were disciplined received lighter punishments than it had recommended. It highlighted the fact that no one was fired. Current Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement that the agency has received the report and will continue to cooperate with the committee. "Following the events of July 13, the Secret Service took a serious look at our operations and implemented substantive reforms to address the failures that occurred that day," Curran said. The Secret Service is charged with protecting current and former presidents and their families, as well as visiting foreign leaders and other senior officials. With Reuters
