SBS News in Filipino, Wednesday 20 August 2025
The federal government will spend $1.3 billion on new counter-drone systems to be used at the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane.
Philippines, Australia, and Canada conducted a joint sail in the South China Sea as part of ALON.
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Perth Now
3 minutes ago
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Tarnished: Netanyahu ups the ante on Albanese attack
The diplomatic stoush between Australia and Israel has cranked up another gear, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu using a television appearance to blast Anthony Albanese's leadership record. Mr Albanese has flagged that Australia will join other Western nations, including the UK, France and Canada, in recognising a state of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September, in response to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A furious Mr Netanyahu unleashed on Mr Albanese during an interview on Australian television on Thursday night. "I'm sure he has a reputable record as a public servant, but I think his record is forever tarnished by the weakness that he showed in the face of these Hamas terrorist monsters," Mr Netanyahu told Sky News. "When the worst terrorist organisation on earth... which murdered women, raped them, beheaded men and burnt babies alive in front of their parents and took hundreds of hostages, when these people congratulate the prime minister of Australia, you know something is wrong." Diplomatic ties hit an all-time low this week after the federal government denied a visa to far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman from entering the country for a speaking tour, following provocative comments. Israel retaliated by cancelling the visas of three Australian diplomats who cover the Palestinian Authority. "When Prime Minister Albanese and the leaders of France and Britain and others, when they say we'll give them a Palestinian state, they are actually rewarding terror, they are saying it doesn't matter what horrors you people do," Mr Netanyahu said. "(Australia and Israel) had a great relationship over the years. I think it's gone astray because leaders did not show the strength and conviction they should have, when we're fighting the war of Western civilisation against these barbarians." Mr Netanyahu's broadside came as the Israeli military maintains pressure on Gaza City with heavy bombardments ahead of an offensive to seize the enclave's largest city. The military has called up 60,000 Israeli reservists. Mr Netanyahu hinted that the conflict could soon be over. "We are on the verge of completing this war... when that happens, I think we will have tremendous opportunities to expand the peace," he said. "We will win." Earlier this week, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Israel was increasingly isolated on the international stage. "Strength is not measured by how many people you can blow up or how many children you can leave hungry. Strength is much better measured by exactly what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has done," he told ABC Radio National on Wednesday.
Canberra Times
3 minutes ago
- Canberra Times
Tarnished: Netanyahu ups the ante on Albanese attack
"When Prime Minister Albanese and the leaders of France and Britain and others, when they say we'll give them a Palestinian state, they are actually rewarding terror, they are saying it doesn't matter what horrors you people do," Mr Netanyahu said.
Herald Sun
19 minutes ago
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Treasurer Jim Chalmers hails ‘consensus' on new tax that will be phased in starting with EV vehicles
Don't miss out on the headlines from On the Road. Followed categories will be added to My News. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has emerged from his three-day economic roundtable with '10 clear areas' for reform and consensus on a new regime of road user charges to replace petrol excise. Wrapping up the talks in Canberra on Thursday night, the Treasurer confirmed that he will hold further talks with the states on September 5. Based on a planned NSW road user scheme, a national rollout will depend on your mileage but might cost between $300 and $400 a year. But there's no clear guidance yet on how much the new tax will cost, whether it will entirely replace petrol excise over time or when it will apply to EV cars and hybrids. The Treasurer also talked up reforms to harness the power of artificial intelligence, slashing red tape to build more new houses, abolishing nuisance tariffs, establishing a single national market and tax reform. 'There was a lot of support in the room for road user charging,'' the Treasurer said on Thursday night. 'There wasn't a final model settled, but there was a lot of conceptual support for road user charging.' 'There was more than the usual amount of consensus in a conceptual way around road user charging. A lot of reform appetite in that area, which is welcome. 'The states are putting together an options paper and to give you a sense of the considerations that people in the room were grappling with. 'Right around the table people had a view that this is an idea whose time has come and so we will do that work.' Get all the latest Australian news as it happens — download the app direct to your phone. Based on a planned NSW road user scheme, a national rollout will depend on your mileage but might cost between $300 and $400 a year./AFP Tax reform On tax, the Treasurer said that participants had 'a few hours of very welcome conversation and debate about the future of the tax system'. He said that there was support to address three objectives in the tax system. 'The first one is about a fair go for working people and including in intergenerational equity terms,' he said. 'That's the first category. The second one was about an affordable, responsible way to incentivise business investment, recognising the capital deepening challenge that we have in the economy and what that means for productivity and for growth. 'And then thirdly, how we make the system simpler, more sustainable so that we can fund the services that people need, particularly in the context of the big shifts in our community, including ageing and other pressures as well. How EV tax could be rolled out Treasurer Chalmers said he would now hold further talks with state and territory treasurers on September 5. reported earlier this month that Australia's new tax on electric vehicle drivers is set to kick off with a trial period for trucks before it stings cars. The Albanese Government is looking at a staged rollout to test the proposed new EV tax and trucks will be the first cab off the rank. It is also interested in a new road user charge that sends price signals on the best time to be on the road, or the freeway. Over time, it could replace petrol taxes and apply to all cars based on distance travelled and when cars and trucks are on the road to tackle congestion. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has emerged from his three-day economic roundtable with '10 clear areas' for reform and consensus on a new regime of road user charges to replace petrol excise. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman Free ride for EVs nearly over The free ride enjoyed by drivers of electric vehicles is coming to a close with Treasurer Chalmers and state governments finalising plans for a new road-user charge. All Australian motorists who buy petrol and diesel at the bowser pay 51.6 cents a litre in fuel excise. But drivers of EV vehicles pay nothing. 'The status quo won't be sustainable over the next decade or two,'' Treasurer Jim Chalmers told 'As more and more people get off petrol cars and into EVs we've got to make sure that the tax arrangements support investment in roads. 'But we're in no rush, changes of this nature will be made, because the status quo won't work in 10 or 20 years.' The Treasurer made no secret of his support for a road user charge before the election, but favours a staged rollout of the changes. Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said that electric vehicles are 'heavier and do more damage to the road network as a consequence than do internal combustion engine vehicles'. 'By giving drivers a clear signal about the cost of infrastructure, they would have an incentive to use it more efficiently,' the Productivity Commission report said. The free ride enjoyed by drivers of electric vehicles is coming to a close with Treasurer Jim Chalmers and state governments finalising plans for a new road-user charge. (Photo by JOSH EDELSON / AFP) How does fuel excise work? The current rate of fuel excise is 51.6 cents in excise for every litre of fuel purchased. For a typical household with a car running on petrol, the tax costs more than $1200 a year. But the flat sales tax isn't paid by drivers of pure electric vehicles, who simply need to plug in their cars to recharge. While registration and driver's licence fees go to state and territory governments, fuel excise is collected by the federal government. Australian motorists paid an estimated $15.71 billion in net fuel excise in 2023-24, and are expected to pay $67.6 billion over the four years to 2026-27. However, governments have long-warned that a road-user charge will be required to fill the gap in the budget left by declining revenue from the fuel excise, as the petrol and diesel engines in new cars consume less fuel and Australians adopt hybrid and electric cars. What does the AAA say? The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) is calling for a national approach to road-user charging but wants a guarantee the revenue will be earmarked for road upgrades. The AAA backs a distance-based road-user charging as a fairer and more equitable way to fund land transport infrastructure. The 2024 federal budget forecasted a reduction in fuel excise receipts by $470 million over four years from 2024-25. Roadblocks to reform Currently, New South Wales is the only state with firm plans to introduce a road-user charge from 2027 or when EVs reach 30 per cent of new car sales. Plug-in hybrid EVs will be charged a fixed 80 per cent proportion of the full road-user charge to reflect their vehicle type. Western Australia has also stated an intention to implement a road-user charge. Meanwhile, Victoria's electric vehicle levy had to be scrapped following a ruling from the High Court. Two Victorian electric car owners launched a legal challenge on the basis the tax was not legal as it was an excise that only a federal government could impose. They won, with the High Court upholding the legal challenge. There have been several false starts to enshrine a road-user charge including in South Australia, where the former Liberal Government planned to introduce a charge for plug-in electric and other zero emission vehicles, which included a fixed component and a variable charge based on distance travelled. It was later pushed back to 2027 due to a backlash before the legislation was ultimately repealed. Originally published as Treasurer Jim Chalmers hails 'consensus' on new tax that will be phased in starting with EV vehicles
