WA voices left out of crucial economic and security cabinet committees
West Australians have been overlooked on two of Anthony Albanese's most important cabinet committees on the economy and national security, despite the State's key role in both areas.
In a bureaucratic Brisbane line, there are no WA representatives in the Prime Minister's new make-up of the powerful expenditure review and national security cabinet committees.
That's despite Western Australia's resources riches, critical minerals and Indian Ocean frontier being vital to the difficult issues the Albanese Government is confronting in its second term, including the energy transition and geostrategic uncertainties.
Membership of the cabinet committees was made public last week. There have been minimal changes to the two bodies.
Mr Albanese chairs the expenditure review committee with Treasurer Jim Chalmers as his deputy on the group that makes budget decisions.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles, Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher, Health Minister Mark Butler and Infrastructure Minister Catherine King all keep their ERC positions.
Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth has joined in place of Michelle Rowland, after the latter switched portfolios from communications to Attorney-General.
Daniel Mulino is also a new face at the table after he took over as assistant treasurer following the political retirement of Stephen Jones.
Mr Albanese and Mr Marles lead the national security committee.
Its only new face this term is Ms Rowland, who replaces former attorney-general Mark Dreyfus.
The NSC membership also includes Senator Wong, Dr Chalmers, Senator Gallagher, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy.
Mr Albanese has repeatedly spoken of the importance of WA to Australia's economic and national security and is also acutely conscious of the State's contribution to his own political position.
West Australian voters sent 11 Labor MPs to Canberra at the May election, out of 16 seats.
'The Albanese Labor Government is very proud of our increased WA representation at the election,' a spokesman for the Prime Minister said.
'That means more voices in Canberra speaking up for the great state of Western Australia. Importantly, that has seen greater representation in Cabinet, where decisions are made.'
Anne Aly took on responsibility for small business, multicultural affairs and foreign aid after the election and joined Resources Minister Madeleine King in cabinet, doubling WA's representation.
Shadow home affairs minister Andrew Hastie said it was 'ridiculous' that neither was on 'the two most important decision-making bodies' in the government.
'We should have someone on the ERC because we generate so much revenue for the country. And we should have someone on NSC because we are the home of AUKUS which cannot fail but is at risk at the moment,' he said.
'We need a bigger voice, and the Prime Minister is ignoring us.'
Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Tania Constable said the resources portfolio was increasingly important in the nation's security discussions and that should be reflected at the highest echelons.
'Mining should be front and centre in government decision-making, with the resources minister included in the national security committee given the sector's vital role in strengthening economic resilience and supporting national security,' she said.
She pointed to the sector's enormous logistics capability, supported by connected infrastructure and strategic assets.
The head of Defence's national support division, Major-General Jason Walk,
warned last week that China's stranglehold
on critical minerals supply chains left Australia vulnerable and urged greater military cooperation with the resources sector to prepare for conflict.
Scott Morrison came under fire in 2021 for not including Melissa Price, then the defence industry minister, in his national security committee, when the number of West Australians on the powerful grouping dropped from three to one.
By the end of the Coalition's time in office, Michaelia Cash, then attorney-general, was the only WA representative on either cabinet committee, with none on the ERC.
The Brisbane line was a WWII strategy — rejected by WA-based prime minister John Curtin — to prioritise defence of the heavily populated east coast areas south of Brisbane.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Penny Wong to meet Quad counterparts in Washington
Australia's chief diplomat will meet her Quad counterparts in Washington this week as the Trump administration looks to ramp up pressure on China. The Quad, made up of Australia, India, Japan and the US, is a partnership broadly seen as a check on China's economic and military might. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the upcoming dialogue reflected the challenges facing the Indo Pacific. 'This will be the second Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting within six months, reflecting the importance of our partnership and the strategic circumstances confronting our region and the world,' she said in a statement. 'I look forward to engaging with my Quad counterparts as we strengthen cooperation to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.' Senator Wong also said she would 'meet separately with each of my counterparts … to progress bilateral cooperation'. The meeting comes as pressure mounts on the Albanese government to bolster Australia's alliance with the US. Nearly six months have passed since Donald Trump's inauguration and Anthony Albanese is yet to secure an in-person meeting with the US President. Australian producers have been slugged with tariffs on most exports to the US, including duties of up to 50 per cent on steel and aluminium, and doubts loom large about the Trump administration's commitment to AUKUS after it launched a snap review of the defence pact. The Albanese government has also refused to budge after Washington's call to hike defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP amid alarm over China's military build-up. In her statement, Senator Wong stressed the US 'is our closest ally and principal strategic partner'. 'Our alliance contributes to the peace, prosperity and stability of our countries and the region we share,' she said. 'We will continue to work together to further our important economic and security partnership and advance our mutual interests.' Former US president Joe Biden was last year caught on a hot mic telling his fellow Quad leaders that China was 'testing' them, giving a rare glimpse into the candid nature of talks between some of the region's key players. 'We believe (Chinese President) Xi Jinping is looking to focus on domestic economic challenges and minimise the turbulence in China's diplomatic relationships, and he's also looking to buy himself some diplomatic space, in my view, to aggressively pursue China's interest,' Mr Biden said. 'China continues to behave aggressively, testing us all across the region, and it's true in the South China Sea, the East China Sea, South China, South Asia and the Taiwan Straits. 'It's true across the scope of our relationship, including on economic and technology issues.' Mr Biden's bluntness was a stark contrast of how leaders of all Quad countries have tried to frame the strategic four-way dialogue, often deflecting suggestions that it exists to counter China. The hawkish approach to Beijing has been adopted by the Trump administration, with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this month warning of an 'imminent' threat to the Indo Pacific. Mr Hegseth said China could invade Taiwan as early as 2027. Such a move would deal a major blow to global supply of semiconductors – crucial components in modern tech – and massively disrupt vital trade routes. 'Let me be clear, any attempt by Communist China to conquer Taiwan by force would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world,' Mr Hegseth said. 'There's no reason to sugarcoat it. The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent. 'We hope not but certainly could be.' Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles on the sidelines of the conference, he directly asked Australia to boost the defence budget to 3.5 per cent of GDP.
News.com.au
4 hours ago
- News.com.au
Greens candidate charged after being injured in protest
Former Greens candidate Hannah Thomas has been charged by police after she suffered graphic injuries during a pro-Palestine protest outside a Sydney business. Ms Thomas was photographed with a damaged left eye with streaks of dry blood caked onto her cheek in the wake of the protest outside SEC Plating in Belmore in Sydney's southwest on Friday. Protesters picketed the company because of reports it provides components in jets which is used by the Israeli Defence Force, the NSW Greens said in a statement. NSW Police attempted to disperse the group, stating the protest was not authorised, and issued a move-on order to 60 protesters. 'As police attempted to arrest the protesters who were not complying with the directions, a scuffle ensued between police and protesters,' NSW Police said in a statement. Police previously charged four people with a variety of offences. On Sunday Ms Thomas was issued by police with a future court attendance notice and charged with hinder/resist police and refuse/fail to comply with direction to disperse. She will appear in Bankstown Local Court on August 12. Ms Thomas challenged Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the federal seat of Grayndler at the election earlier this year. A photo taken after the incident showed Ms Thomas standing next to an officer with visible swelling around her eye. Ms Thomas underwent surgery and remained in hospital on Sunday. The Greens said in a statement on Friday that NSW Police had 'violently attacked and assaulted protesters' at the 'peaceful picket … leaving one woman with serious facial injuries and arresting multiple demonstrators'. 'SEC Plating reportedly is involved in providing plating services for various parts used in F-35 jets,' the statement said. 'The State of Israel's fleet of around 40 F-35 rely on the global supply chain and supplement supply from countries like Australia to continue the genocide against the Palestinian people.' The Greens said Peter O'Brien Lawyers has been engaged to represent Ms Thomas and other protesters.
Perth Now
4 hours ago
- Perth Now
West Aussies' ‘rank' discovery in run-down house for sale
A prospective Perth homebuyer has made a ghastly discovery at a home inspection at a run-down property in Armadale. Brooko Moves, known for her social media content that 'exposes the realities' for homebuyers amid the housing crisis, documented her experience as she checked out the home at 12 Cambell Road. Vision reveals the front and back yard in a state of disarray, with boarded up windows and rubbish strewn across the paving. As she walked through the front door, Brooko pinched her nose to block the foul odour which foreshadowed the grim discoveries to come. Upon walking into the loungeroom, she located the source of the stench — a dead mouse squashed into the carpet. 'The fact you can put a house on the market in this condition and come out half a million dollars richer. . . honestly it's unbelievable,' she said. 'That's actually crazy, this place is $450k and there's a dead mouse on the floor, probably 20 or 30 people here trying to buy it apparently there's already offers from over east.' Syringes were found in the bathroom. Credit: Instagram A dead mouse on the carpet. Credit: Instagam The nasty surprises at the three bedroom, one bathroom home didn't stop there. Two syringes were also found in the bathroom next to the basin. Agent Andrew Byl told Brooko he expected the house to sell for at least the asking price within half an hour of the home open. When asked if he was aware of the dead mouse and syringes, Mr Byl laughed it off before replying 'no, I didn't look that far'. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. Despite the property's condition, it sold as is on May 31 for $480,000, according to The home's sale is another reminder of the dire sate of the burgeoning housing market in West Australian. The Poptrack Home Price Index, released earlier this month, found Perth house prices hit a new peak in May, growing 0.27 per cent over the month to reach a median value of $787,000.
