Joel Fitzgibbon and Arthur Sinodinos
Afternoon Briefing: June 2 and June 12 Afternoon Briefing interviewed Joel Fitzgibbon and Arthur Sinodinos respectively on issues related to the AUKUS submarine contract with the USA and United Kingdom. The programs failed to reveal that they are the co-chairs of the AUKUS Forum Advisory Board a body that represents industries and companies seeking to participate in the program.
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Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
If this ceasefire doesn't hold, let's hit the streets again
I am so angry about the Albanese government's apparent support for Trump blundering into war in Iran ('US acted alone in Iran: Albanese', June 24). Have they forgotten so quickly Trump's erratic behaviour as US president and our own record in having supported George Bush's attack on Iraq's supposed weapons of destruction? It seems it's time for many of us to again take part in protest marches against this war and to raise serious questions about our involvement in AUKUS. Zeny Giles, New Lambton James Massola's attempt at nuance and ambiguity ('PM dodges war talk, but the visuals are awkward', June 24) is exposed when he compares and contrasts Anthony Albanese's position for not going gung-ho with America by sending a ship to the Middle East with what John Howard did do and what Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison would have done. We know how Iraq turned out. That war not only cost hundreds of thousands of lives, but it also resulted in the strengthening of Iran in the Middle East and surely must rank as one of the most egregious acts of stupidity in the history of US foreign policy. Now Trump has chosen to do it all over again. Frank Carroll, Moorooka (Qld) Thank goodness Albo and Penny are in charge and not Howard, Abbott or Morrison. Charmain Brinks, Newcastle The government's response to Trump flaunting his bunker-busting boy's toys in Iran was as careful and balanced as it should have been ('PM missed his chance to make point on Iran', June 24). It's the Coalition that deserves calling out for its unfailing and reflexive war-mongering, always demanding we ride along as junior belligerents as we did in Vietnam and Iraq, and cheering on Netanyahu war crimes in Gaza. Jeffrey Mellefont, Coogee Trump's ego is the real present danger Geoffrey Robertson's reasoned view that Trump's decision to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities is – under international law – no different from Russia's attack on Ukraine or the George W. Bush/Tony Blair/John Howard invasion of Iraq ('Trump's rap sheet is long, but this may top them all', June 24) – if anything suggests that Trump's big ego is more dangerous than Iran's nuclear threat. Steve Ngeow, Chatswood Although Geoffrey Robertson, KC, is correct and a breach of international law has been perpetrated by the USA, he overlooks the danger to Israel of Iran having nuclear weapons, capable of wiping out Israel in one blast. Surely, the bombing of the nuclear enrichment plants in Iran is the lesser of two evils? Pasquale Vartuli, Wahroonga We may debate whether the bombing was an act of aggression or an act of war, as does Geoffrey Robertson. We may go along with any setback to the Iranian nuclear program, as do others. But the optics of this happening right now are so clearly in tandem with Netanyahu's ambitions. Trump's contempt for the once much-vaunted rules-based order, and ours by proxy, is blatant. But it leaves Australia with little moral authority and nothing with which to back it up anyway. China must be delighted. Ian Bowie, Bowral It is an extraordinary time. The Australian government comes out in support of an action deemed by legal experts as illegal – an action that President Trump ordered after ignoring the information from his own intelligence experts. The repercussions of this decision remain to be seen but will certainly have a significant impact on all our lives. Louise Dolan, Birchgrove Clues in history Donald Trump would never be mistaken for a renaissance man, but shouldn't he at least show awareness of Iran's recent history, and the coup d'etat backed by the US and UK in 1953? That coup removed Iran's democratically elected leader, Mohammad Mosaddegh, who was nationalising the oil industry in which Britain held substantial interests. The pro-Western Shah was empowered, overseeing a notoriously corrupt, autocratic and repressive regime, with secret police, the Savak, who were infamous for their brutality. Anger at this regime, and its imposition by the West, has been described as sowing the seeds for the Iranian revolution of 1979. The CIA has admitted the coup of 1953 was detrimental. If it hadn't occurred, Iran may well have had a very different trajectory to the present. How, then, might the Iranian people feel about Trump's post that: 'if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???' ('Iran warns Trump', June 24). Especially if 'regime change' were to install the son of the deposed Shah as Iran's leader. Barbara Chapman, South Yarra (Vic) There is much talk of regime change, but would it be for our betterment? JD Vance at least has a brain and is Yale-educated, but his hard-right, isolationist and misogynistic views could make him even more dangerous than the moronic show-pony who can change his mind several times a day. Oh, regime change in Iran? Sorry. Bernard Moylan, Bronte I'm all for regime change in Iran, but can we get a two-for-one offer and include the US? Corrado Tavella, Rosslyn Park (SA) If Iran really had developed to an advanced stage its alleged nuclear weapons program, there is no way the US would have bombed Iran's nuclear facilities. The US would never risk the likelihood of a retaliatory strike, particularly from a nuclear-capable nation. In what could only be described as a self-defeating argument, both Israel and the US have tried to manufacture a story about Iran planning an imminent nuclear attack against Israel (hence the US bombing run against Iran). However, if this were more than merely plausible, America's bunker-buster bombs would still be in their hangars. Frederick Jansohn, Rose Bay Poised to profit? As many news outlets have reported, it appears that Donald Trump, his family and members of his administration have greatly profited from his policies and actions since retaking office. Now the USA has bombed sites in Iran upon the orders of the president. It seems likely that this will result in oil rising in price, especially as one of the few retaliatory measures the Iranians can take is to choke off traffic through the Strait of Hormuz ('Tehran threatens to choke off strait crucial to world oil supply', June 24). What seems unlikely is that this would not have occurred to the Americans. 'Drill, baby, drill' was Trump's pre-election mantra. The question is, given that Trump and his administration would have known that attacking Iran in this manner would very likely result in increased oil prices, did any of them – Trump, his family, or members of his administration – position themselves to profit from this oil price rise? Peter Arthur, Artarmon It is strange that Jennifer Parker ('Canberra must heed strait threat', June 24), in her article about the effects that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz might have on oil supply to the world, particularly China and Australia, does not mention the opening of a railway between Tehran and China. The transit time between Iran and China is 15 days, about half the time taken by ships, and it will be able to carry all manner of goods. China would no doubt regard any disruption to the line by a nation state as an act of war, and as a nuclear armed state with about 3000 combat aircraft, would quickly wreak vengeance on the aggressor. Iran has more options than some have posited, and hubristic actions could have nasty consequences. Joe Goozeff, Leura Un-Trumpable! Amazing! Donald Trump has brokered an end to the Israel-Iran war ('Middle East ceasefire', June 24). He must be a near certainty for the Nobel Peace Prize. In fact, I would predict that if someone else wins, it will be because votes for Trump were stolen and awarded to the other candidate. Don Firth, Wooli Taxpayer stumps up for climate inaction The 10-fold increase in disaster relief is not the result of 'natural' disaster; it is a result of human-induced climate change ('Disaster relief spending shoots up', June 24). The headlining relief expense of the NSW budget is putting a price on climate change that even the most diehard denialist can't ignore. We are now seeing the long-predicted atmospheric changes and the real economic consequences of fossil fuel consumption. The costs to the public purse are obvious as taxpayers bear the brunt of inaction. The private costs to citizens and business are growing at a similar rate through direct damages costs and astounding insurance premiums. The knuckle-dragging go-slow by the Liberal National parties and the conservative elements of the Labor Party needs to be exposed. The slow momentum on climate action is leading us down a path our society cannot afford and is anything but natural. Peter Hull, Katoomba Perhaps Premier Chris Minns and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey could check with their mates in the insurance industry if they are unsure about rebuilding on floodplains, along rivers or allowing quaint timber cottages acting as tinderboxes when nestled in bush. Just as building codes and standards changed in Darwin and Cairns after cyclones, we face global warming and its attendant fires, floods, droughts and mudslides, so building codes and politicians must catch up. Jenny Forster, Manly Bezos blowout The law of matrimonial longevity states that 'the amount [in American dollars] expended on frivolous self-indulgence and ego-flattering nuptial ceremonies is inversely proportional to the longevity of the marriage so celebrated, but is also positively proportional to the acrimony and expense of the inevitable divorce'. Less formally, the law states 'the more expensive the wedding celebrations, the shorter the marriage'. It is supported by a trove of empirical data gathered over five decades, and the resulting PhDs have been published in several academic sociology journals of repute ('Wedding crashers ready to spoil Bezos' lavish nuptials in Venice', June 24). Philip Bell, Bronte Music in the moment There is one surefire way to avoid AI-generated music, and that is to buy songs only by artists you can go and see live ('AI goes pop online, and it's unsettling in so many ways', June 24). It will still be a while before AI robots can reproduce the rattle of strings on a thrashed guitar, a drumstick thrown into the crowd or croaky lead singer belting out an anthem for the third time in a row and loving it. Colin Stokes, Camperdown Make $3m limit There's a simple solution to Jim Chalmers' superannuation problem (Letters, June 24): limit super balances to $3 million. On June 30, each year, any amount exceeding that limit must be withdrawn. Invest it how you like, but pay full tax on the return. This solves a number of issues, including the use of super for tax minimisation and, of course, it gets around the thorny issue of taxing unrealised gains. The effect on revenue would be immediate and meaningful, and the fairness of super – and its original intention as a retirement funding mechanism – would be restored. Angus McLeod, Cremorne No, Noel Thompson (Letters, June 24). Tax reform does not need consensus. It requires courage to undo the tax scams inflicted on the country by economic rationalists over too many years. Paul Fergus, Croydon A number of contributors to the letters page have been having a good old whinge about being rightfully taxed on large superannuation balances. Most Australians (according to the polling) are very happy for this new tax to happen. A lot of Australians would like Jim Chalmers to go harder. I'm thinking that some people must live in the 'wealthy superannuation bubble' because they appear to be properly ignorant of the real-world concerns of the majority. My advice to them is to maintain your health and keep your family close – and do some charity work. That provides some purpose and clarity as to what's really important. It's not losing an undeserved tax break. Wendy Atkins, Cooks Hill Running, not flying To Avalon emu Dave Watts (Letters, June 24): Ms Carde is right, but there is an upside. Females will fight each other to mate with you. Swings and roundabouts. Jennifer Briggs, Kilaben Bay Ashes engendered It's not a bright idea to store ashes in post office boxes at Bondi Road Post Office ('Memorial plan may dig cemetery out of cash hole', June 24). The boxes are designed for male [sic] only use. Col Shephard, Yamba Wartime uplift With all the devastating news about war and destruction, it was good to read about a successful program at Western Sydney University that supports students who have come to Australia from war-torn countries ('Refugees thriving under uni program', June 24). They help each other, and the friendships they make give them confidence as they enter Australian society and make such a valuable contribution in various fields of endeavour. Josephine Piper, Miranda Meanwhile, in Gaza, the daily killing of civilians doing nothing more sinister than desperately seeking food to feed themselves and families continues. Where is the worldwide condemnation? Con Vaitsas, Ashbury Go and sit on a bench under a tree in a park somewhere, close your eyes, listen to the birds and imagine if all the money the bully boys are spending on armaments was instead invested in schools, universities, hospitals, medical science, conservation of flora and fauna, renewable energy, reafforestation. What a wonderful world it would be. Kent Mayo, Uralla First wattle flowers on my morning walk. Keith Russell, Mayfield West
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
BTN Newsbreak 24/06/2025
CEASEFIRE Early this morning, President Donald Trump announced on social media that Israel and Iran have agreed to a "complete and total" ceasefire that would begin later in the day. The post came soon after Iran launched missiles at a US Military base in Qatar, in retaliation for the US bombing three of Iran's nuclear sites over the weekend. The news of a ceasefire was welcomed by leaders around the world. In the hours leading up to President Trump officially announcing the ceasefire had begun, Iran launched a number of deadly attacks on Israel. However, many are hoping President Trump's declaration of a ceasefire will now lead to a more permanent end to the fighting. SOCIAL MEDIA BAN Australia's eSafety Commissioner wants YouTube to be added to the government's social media ban. The ban is set to come into effect in December of this year, but some of the details are still being hashed out. YouTube was initially going to be part of the ban, but then was made exempt, with the government saying it helped young people access education and health support they needed. But now E-Safety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant wants the government to reconsider. LAB GROWN MEAT Food regulators say we're now allowed to eat meat made from a lab, and surprisingly, it doesn't look as weird as you'd think. The meat on that plate was created by Sydney company Vow. They collected individual cells from a Japanese Quail, which is a small bird, without harming it, and put them in a large tank of liquid like this one. It's turned into a paste, which then gets made into a meat product. Meat has been made this way for over a decade, but only handful of countries like Singapore and the Netherlands approved it as safe for sale. After a 2 year approval process, this quail meat from Vow has been approved in Australia, and could hit restaurant menus in a couple months. So is it something you'd be keen to try? LARGEST DIGITAL CAMERA First to the air with the world's largest digital camera at an observatory in Chile, designed to help us learn more about space. This animation has been made from the camera's first 1,100 images, revealing around 10 million galaxies. WHALE TOOLS Now to the sea where some very clever Orcas, who for the first time ever, have been caught on camera using tools! Yep, these two whales have rolled a bunch of kelp together, which scientists believe they designed to help groom each other. FINKE CRASH And finally to... land. Yeah these guys were recently racing in the Northern Territory's Finke Desert Race, when their car took a tumble. Now, they've released footage of the crash from inside the vehicle. No-one was injured at all, thank goodness, and the drivers involved say it's all thanks to careful planning and safety systems.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Treasurer Jim Chalmers puts petrol stations on notice over fuel price spikes
Servos have been put on notice to not take advantage of Australian drivers after the Iran-Israel conflict caused global oil prices to soar by more than 25 per cent. Jim Chalmers wrote to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) chief Gina Cass-Gottlieb on Tuesday requesting the watchdog be on the lookout for petrol stations attempting to 'do the wrong thing by Australian motorists,' and implement non-justifiable changes on motorists. The Treasurer noted global oil prices had increased by more than 25 per cent since June from about $62 a barrel to about $79 at the start of this week, however they had moderated following a potential ceasefire. 'Recent spikes in the barrel price on international markets and volatility associated with unfolding events should not be used as an excuse for retailers to gouge customers or to increase prices opportunistically above and beyond the impact of events in the Middle East,' Mr Chalmers wrote. 'I would expect the ACCC as the independent regulator enforcing Australia's competition and consumer laws to investigate any concerns arising about misrepresentations regarding petrol prices, false and misleading conduct or anti-competitive conduct in petrol markets, and to take appropriate action.' NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury warned fuel prices were likely to increase, however not by as much as motorists feared. On average, he said drivers were likely to pay about 8 centres more a litre at the bowser. 'Our regional benchmark – Malaysian Tapis – closed at $77 a barrel and we do expect it to go higher when the markets open tonight,' Mr Khoury said. 'But to put it in perspective, when we saw those really horrible record high prices back when Russia invaded Ukraine, Tapis was trading at $133 a barrel.' However the closure of the Strait of Hormuz could send oil prices to more than US$100 a barrel, with the 32km stretch responsible for about 30 per cent of the world's oil supply, and the primary shipping route for exports from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the UAE, and Kuwait.
