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Perth Now
4 days ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Coalition MP's ‘brutal' admission as support for Labor soars
The Coalition reported its lowest Newspoll primary vote in 40 years. Support for Labor has crept up as backers of the coalition have retreated, according to the first Newspoll since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's election win in May. The survey, published in The Australian on Monday, showed a 1.4 percentage point rise in Labor's primary vote since the election to 36 per cent while the coalition slipped from 31.8 per cent to 29 per cent. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Barnaby Joyce addresses Coalition's declining support. And on a two-party-preferred basis, the Labor government has bolstered its lead of 55.2 per cent to 44.8 per cent on May 3 to 57 per cent to 43 per cent in the Newspoll. 'They are brutal numbers,' Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce told Seven's Sunrise program on Monday. 'Obviously, it's going to be a hard time ... any person in a lower house seat ... if you had a three in front of your primary vote you would be very, very worried.' The Greens' primary vote remained steady at 12 per cent, as did the independents and minor parties category on 15 per cent, while One Nation was up 1.6 percentage points to eight per cent. The 29 per cent primary vote number is the coalition's lowest reading in a Newspoll survey since ?November 1985. The combined Labor and coalition primary vote total - at 65 per cent - is also at its lowest level in Newspoll history. Mr Albanese's pre-election Newspoll net approval rating of minus 10 improved in the survey published on Monday to zero, with 47 per cent of voters satisfied with his performance and an equal number dissatisfied. The poll has new coalition leader Sussan Ley's net approval rating at minus seven, an upgrade from her predecessor Peter Dutton's minus 24 result, but 23 per cent of respondents indicated it was too early to judge her performance. Federal minister Tanya Plibersek shrugged off suggestions Labor MPs risked becoming overconfident. 'The prime minister has made it very clear that we are there to deliver what we promised the Australian people, and that's our 100 per cent focus,' she told Sunrise. The 48th parliament has its official opening in Canberra on Tuesday. MPs and senators were welcomed by Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House on Sunday as part of formalities before the start of the new session. Labor will have an increased majority in the new term, holding 94 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives after its election triumph on May 3. The Newspoll survey of 1264 voters was conducted online between July 14 and July 17.
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
'Brutal': Labor's support towers over coalition in poll
Support for Labor has crept up as backers of the coalition have retreated, according to the first Newspoll since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's election win in May. The survey, published in The Australian on Monday, showed a 1.4 percentage point rise in Labor's primary vote since the election to 36 per cent while the coalition slipped from 31.8 per cent to 29 per cent. And on a two-party-preferred basis, the Labor government has bolstered its lead of 55.2 per cent to 44.8 per cent on May 3 to 57 per cent to 43 per cent in the Newspoll. "They are brutal numbers," Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce told Seven's Sunrise program on Monday. "Obviously, it's going to be a hard time ... any person in a lower house seat ... if you had a three in front of your primary vote you would be very, very worried." The Greens' primary vote remained steady at 12 per cent, as did the independents and minor parties category on 15 per cent, while One Nation was up 1.6 percentage points to eight per cent. The 29 per cent primary vote number is the coalition's lowest reading in a Newspoll survey since November 1985. The combined Labor and coalition primary vote total - at 65 per cent - is also at its lowest level in Newspoll history. Mr Albanese's pre-election Newspoll net approval rating of minus 10 improved in the survey published on Monday to zero, with 47 per cent of voters satisfied with his performance and an equal number dissatisfied. The poll has new coalition leader Sussan Ley's net approval rating at minus seven, an upgrade from her predecessor Peter Dutton's minus 24 result, but 23 per cent of respondents indicated it was too early to judge her performance. Federal minister Tanya Plibersek shrugged off suggestions Labor MPs risked becoming overconfident. "The prime minister has made it very clear that we are there to deliver what we promised the Australian people, and that's our 100 per cent focus," she told Sunrise. The 48th parliament has its official opening in Canberra on Tuesday. MPs and senators were welcomed by Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House on Sunday as part of formalities before the start of the new session. Labor will have an increased majority in the new term, holding 94 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives after its election triumph on May 3. The Newspoll survey of 1264 voters was conducted online between July 14 and July 17. Support for Labor has crept up as backers of the coalition have retreated, according to the first Newspoll since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's election win in May. The survey, published in The Australian on Monday, showed a 1.4 percentage point rise in Labor's primary vote since the election to 36 per cent while the coalition slipped from 31.8 per cent to 29 per cent. And on a two-party-preferred basis, the Labor government has bolstered its lead of 55.2 per cent to 44.8 per cent on May 3 to 57 per cent to 43 per cent in the Newspoll. "They are brutal numbers," Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce told Seven's Sunrise program on Monday. "Obviously, it's going to be a hard time ... any person in a lower house seat ... if you had a three in front of your primary vote you would be very, very worried." The Greens' primary vote remained steady at 12 per cent, as did the independents and minor parties category on 15 per cent, while One Nation was up 1.6 percentage points to eight per cent. The 29 per cent primary vote number is the coalition's lowest reading in a Newspoll survey since November 1985. The combined Labor and coalition primary vote total - at 65 per cent - is also at its lowest level in Newspoll history. Mr Albanese's pre-election Newspoll net approval rating of minus 10 improved in the survey published on Monday to zero, with 47 per cent of voters satisfied with his performance and an equal number dissatisfied. The poll has new coalition leader Sussan Ley's net approval rating at minus seven, an upgrade from her predecessor Peter Dutton's minus 24 result, but 23 per cent of respondents indicated it was too early to judge her performance. Federal minister Tanya Plibersek shrugged off suggestions Labor MPs risked becoming overconfident. "The prime minister has made it very clear that we are there to deliver what we promised the Australian people, and that's our 100 per cent focus," she told Sunrise. The 48th parliament has its official opening in Canberra on Tuesday. MPs and senators were welcomed by Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House on Sunday as part of formalities before the start of the new session. Labor will have an increased majority in the new term, holding 94 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives after its election triumph on May 3. The Newspoll survey of 1264 voters was conducted online between July 14 and July 17. Support for Labor has crept up as backers of the coalition have retreated, according to the first Newspoll since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's election win in May. The survey, published in The Australian on Monday, showed a 1.4 percentage point rise in Labor's primary vote since the election to 36 per cent while the coalition slipped from 31.8 per cent to 29 per cent. And on a two-party-preferred basis, the Labor government has bolstered its lead of 55.2 per cent to 44.8 per cent on May 3 to 57 per cent to 43 per cent in the Newspoll. "They are brutal numbers," Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce told Seven's Sunrise program on Monday. "Obviously, it's going to be a hard time ... any person in a lower house seat ... if you had a three in front of your primary vote you would be very, very worried." The Greens' primary vote remained steady at 12 per cent, as did the independents and minor parties category on 15 per cent, while One Nation was up 1.6 percentage points to eight per cent. The 29 per cent primary vote number is the coalition's lowest reading in a Newspoll survey since November 1985. The combined Labor and coalition primary vote total - at 65 per cent - is also at its lowest level in Newspoll history. Mr Albanese's pre-election Newspoll net approval rating of minus 10 improved in the survey published on Monday to zero, with 47 per cent of voters satisfied with his performance and an equal number dissatisfied. The poll has new coalition leader Sussan Ley's net approval rating at minus seven, an upgrade from her predecessor Peter Dutton's minus 24 result, but 23 per cent of respondents indicated it was too early to judge her performance. Federal minister Tanya Plibersek shrugged off suggestions Labor MPs risked becoming overconfident. "The prime minister has made it very clear that we are there to deliver what we promised the Australian people, and that's our 100 per cent focus," she told Sunrise. The 48th parliament has its official opening in Canberra on Tuesday. MPs and senators were welcomed by Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House on Sunday as part of formalities before the start of the new session. Labor will have an increased majority in the new term, holding 94 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives after its election triumph on May 3. The Newspoll survey of 1264 voters was conducted online between July 14 and July 17. Support for Labor has crept up as backers of the coalition have retreated, according to the first Newspoll since Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's election win in May. The survey, published in The Australian on Monday, showed a 1.4 percentage point rise in Labor's primary vote since the election to 36 per cent while the coalition slipped from 31.8 per cent to 29 per cent. And on a two-party-preferred basis, the Labor government has bolstered its lead of 55.2 per cent to 44.8 per cent on May 3 to 57 per cent to 43 per cent in the Newspoll. "They are brutal numbers," Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce told Seven's Sunrise program on Monday. "Obviously, it's going to be a hard time ... any person in a lower house seat ... if you had a three in front of your primary vote you would be very, very worried." The Greens' primary vote remained steady at 12 per cent, as did the independents and minor parties category on 15 per cent, while One Nation was up 1.6 percentage points to eight per cent. The 29 per cent primary vote number is the coalition's lowest reading in a Newspoll survey since November 1985. The combined Labor and coalition primary vote total - at 65 per cent - is also at its lowest level in Newspoll history. Mr Albanese's pre-election Newspoll net approval rating of minus 10 improved in the survey published on Monday to zero, with 47 per cent of voters satisfied with his performance and an equal number dissatisfied. The poll has new coalition leader Sussan Ley's net approval rating at minus seven, an upgrade from her predecessor Peter Dutton's minus 24 result, but 23 per cent of respondents indicated it was too early to judge her performance. Federal minister Tanya Plibersek shrugged off suggestions Labor MPs risked becoming overconfident. "The prime minister has made it very clear that we are there to deliver what we promised the Australian people, and that's our 100 per cent focus," she told Sunrise. The 48th parliament has its official opening in Canberra on Tuesday. MPs and senators were welcomed by Governor-General Sam Mostyn at Government House on Sunday as part of formalities before the start of the new session. Labor will have an increased majority in the new term, holding 94 of the 150 seats in the House of Representatives after its election triumph on May 3. The Newspoll survey of 1264 voters was conducted online between July 14 and July 17.
The Advertiser
09-07-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Inflation hope as RBA decision leaves many disappointed
Australian borrowers are rightly disappointed that they won't get an interest rate cut this month, but the treasurer says there is a silver lining in the way inflation is tracking. Financial markets and economists were overwhelmingly tipping the central bank to deliver a 25 basis point cut on Tuesday. But its board instead decided to wait for more evidence that inflation is easing before considering lowering the 3.85 per cent cash interest rate. "It's fair to say there were millions of people who were hoping for more rate relief yesterday and didn't get it," Treasurer Jim Chalmers told ABC radio on Wednesday. "(But) it should be a source of considerable pride to Australians that we've done something here that other countries haven't been able to do. "We haven't paid for progress on inflation with much higher unemployment - that's a good thing." Interest rates have already been cut twice this year as inflation tracked lower and the central bank's focus switched to growth prospects and job market resilience. Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock acknowledged households with mortgages would have been "very keen" for another interest rate cut. "I'm also really conscious that we don't want to end up having to fight inflation again," she said. The Australian Retailers Association described Tuesday's decision as a "missed opportunity" to improve the outlook of a sector employing one-in-ten Australians. "Weak consumer spending and high business costs continue to put pressure on retailers," the association's chief executive Chris Rodwell said. Real Estate Institute of Australia president Leanne Pilkington said the July call means high borrowing costs for first home buyers. "We understand the RBA's priority is returning inflation to its target band but this needs to be balanced against the risk of further dampening housing demand and locking first home buyers out of the market," she said. Federal Housing Minister Clare O'Neil said while the decision was disappointing for many, the central bank was still on track for more interest rate cuts. "The RBA told us yesterday that this is about pace, not direction," she told Seven's Sunrise program on Wednesday. "The RBA has already cut interest rates twice this year and is kind of indicating that they want to keep moving on that, but they're being very cautious." Speaking on Tuesday after a two-day meeting on monetary policy, Ms Bullock sympathised with young people hoping to buy homes, but said interest rates aren't the only roadblock. "In fact, I've heard criticisms that we shouldn't lower interest rates because housing prices will go up," she said. "So we can't win really." The governor said the question of housing prices was largely one for governments to address. Further insights into the interest rate decision could be revealed in a public speech by the central bank's deputy governor Andrew Hauser on Wednesday at the Australian Conference of Economists in Sydney. Australian borrowers are rightly disappointed that they won't get an interest rate cut this month, but the treasurer says there is a silver lining in the way inflation is tracking. Financial markets and economists were overwhelmingly tipping the central bank to deliver a 25 basis point cut on Tuesday. But its board instead decided to wait for more evidence that inflation is easing before considering lowering the 3.85 per cent cash interest rate. "It's fair to say there were millions of people who were hoping for more rate relief yesterday and didn't get it," Treasurer Jim Chalmers told ABC radio on Wednesday. "(But) it should be a source of considerable pride to Australians that we've done something here that other countries haven't been able to do. "We haven't paid for progress on inflation with much higher unemployment - that's a good thing." Interest rates have already been cut twice this year as inflation tracked lower and the central bank's focus switched to growth prospects and job market resilience. Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock acknowledged households with mortgages would have been "very keen" for another interest rate cut. "I'm also really conscious that we don't want to end up having to fight inflation again," she said. The Australian Retailers Association described Tuesday's decision as a "missed opportunity" to improve the outlook of a sector employing one-in-ten Australians. "Weak consumer spending and high business costs continue to put pressure on retailers," the association's chief executive Chris Rodwell said. Real Estate Institute of Australia president Leanne Pilkington said the July call means high borrowing costs for first home buyers. "We understand the RBA's priority is returning inflation to its target band but this needs to be balanced against the risk of further dampening housing demand and locking first home buyers out of the market," she said. Federal Housing Minister Clare O'Neil said while the decision was disappointing for many, the central bank was still on track for more interest rate cuts. "The RBA told us yesterday that this is about pace, not direction," she told Seven's Sunrise program on Wednesday. "The RBA has already cut interest rates twice this year and is kind of indicating that they want to keep moving on that, but they're being very cautious." Speaking on Tuesday after a two-day meeting on monetary policy, Ms Bullock sympathised with young people hoping to buy homes, but said interest rates aren't the only roadblock. "In fact, I've heard criticisms that we shouldn't lower interest rates because housing prices will go up," she said. "So we can't win really." The governor said the question of housing prices was largely one for governments to address. Further insights into the interest rate decision could be revealed in a public speech by the central bank's deputy governor Andrew Hauser on Wednesday at the Australian Conference of Economists in Sydney. Australian borrowers are rightly disappointed that they won't get an interest rate cut this month, but the treasurer says there is a silver lining in the way inflation is tracking. Financial markets and economists were overwhelmingly tipping the central bank to deliver a 25 basis point cut on Tuesday. But its board instead decided to wait for more evidence that inflation is easing before considering lowering the 3.85 per cent cash interest rate. "It's fair to say there were millions of people who were hoping for more rate relief yesterday and didn't get it," Treasurer Jim Chalmers told ABC radio on Wednesday. "(But) it should be a source of considerable pride to Australians that we've done something here that other countries haven't been able to do. "We haven't paid for progress on inflation with much higher unemployment - that's a good thing." Interest rates have already been cut twice this year as inflation tracked lower and the central bank's focus switched to growth prospects and job market resilience. Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock acknowledged households with mortgages would have been "very keen" for another interest rate cut. "I'm also really conscious that we don't want to end up having to fight inflation again," she said. The Australian Retailers Association described Tuesday's decision as a "missed opportunity" to improve the outlook of a sector employing one-in-ten Australians. "Weak consumer spending and high business costs continue to put pressure on retailers," the association's chief executive Chris Rodwell said. Real Estate Institute of Australia president Leanne Pilkington said the July call means high borrowing costs for first home buyers. "We understand the RBA's priority is returning inflation to its target band but this needs to be balanced against the risk of further dampening housing demand and locking first home buyers out of the market," she said. Federal Housing Minister Clare O'Neil said while the decision was disappointing for many, the central bank was still on track for more interest rate cuts. "The RBA told us yesterday that this is about pace, not direction," she told Seven's Sunrise program on Wednesday. "The RBA has already cut interest rates twice this year and is kind of indicating that they want to keep moving on that, but they're being very cautious." Speaking on Tuesday after a two-day meeting on monetary policy, Ms Bullock sympathised with young people hoping to buy homes, but said interest rates aren't the only roadblock. "In fact, I've heard criticisms that we shouldn't lower interest rates because housing prices will go up," she said. "So we can't win really." The governor said the question of housing prices was largely one for governments to address. Further insights into the interest rate decision could be revealed in a public speech by the central bank's deputy governor Andrew Hauser on Wednesday at the Australian Conference of Economists in Sydney. Australian borrowers are rightly disappointed that they won't get an interest rate cut this month, but the treasurer says there is a silver lining in the way inflation is tracking. Financial markets and economists were overwhelmingly tipping the central bank to deliver a 25 basis point cut on Tuesday. But its board instead decided to wait for more evidence that inflation is easing before considering lowering the 3.85 per cent cash interest rate. "It's fair to say there were millions of people who were hoping for more rate relief yesterday and didn't get it," Treasurer Jim Chalmers told ABC radio on Wednesday. "(But) it should be a source of considerable pride to Australians that we've done something here that other countries haven't been able to do. "We haven't paid for progress on inflation with much higher unemployment - that's a good thing." Interest rates have already been cut twice this year as inflation tracked lower and the central bank's focus switched to growth prospects and job market resilience. Reserve Bank of Australia Governor Michele Bullock acknowledged households with mortgages would have been "very keen" for another interest rate cut. "I'm also really conscious that we don't want to end up having to fight inflation again," she said. The Australian Retailers Association described Tuesday's decision as a "missed opportunity" to improve the outlook of a sector employing one-in-ten Australians. "Weak consumer spending and high business costs continue to put pressure on retailers," the association's chief executive Chris Rodwell said. Real Estate Institute of Australia president Leanne Pilkington said the July call means high borrowing costs for first home buyers. "We understand the RBA's priority is returning inflation to its target band but this needs to be balanced against the risk of further dampening housing demand and locking first home buyers out of the market," she said. Federal Housing Minister Clare O'Neil said while the decision was disappointing for many, the central bank was still on track for more interest rate cuts. "The RBA told us yesterday that this is about pace, not direction," she told Seven's Sunrise program on Wednesday. "The RBA has already cut interest rates twice this year and is kind of indicating that they want to keep moving on that, but they're being very cautious." Speaking on Tuesday after a two-day meeting on monetary policy, Ms Bullock sympathised with young people hoping to buy homes, but said interest rates aren't the only roadblock. "In fact, I've heard criticisms that we shouldn't lower interest rates because housing prices will go up," she said. "So we can't win really." The governor said the question of housing prices was largely one for governments to address. Further insights into the interest rate decision could be revealed in a public speech by the central bank's deputy governor Andrew Hauser on Wednesday at the Australian Conference of Economists in Sydney.
West Australian
07-07-2025
- Politics
- West Australian
Opposition calls on Labor to work together on childcare laws
Sussan Ley is calling on Anthony Albanese to work together on bolstering children's safety laws after horrific allegations of sex abuse at a childcare centre. Last week, detectives arrested and charged Joshua Dale Brown, 26, with more than 70 offences, including child rape and possession of child abuse material. He was a worker at a Melbourne childcare centre and had a working with children check. The Opposition Leader said on Monday it was 'an incredible betrayal'. 'I just felt physically sick when I heard this,' Ms Ley told Seven's Sunrise. 'So I have written to the Prime Minister in good faith to offer our constructive engagement in the lead-up to parliament returning so that we can have legislation ready to go to actually act once and for all, to do what I think every parent would expect, and every community member would expect, to make sure our children are safe in childcare settings.' A royal commission into child sexual abuse was completed in late 2017. Ms Ley was the assistant education minister responsible for childcare when the inquiry started in 2013. She also held ministerial positions in the Coalition governments during the royal commission and after it. Asked if last week's allegations were a 'failure of the Coalition', Ms Ley insisted that her side got the ball rolling and Labor kept up momentum. 'Now, we certainly need that work to be accelerated,' she said. Pressed on what the Coalition did when it received the royal commission's final report, she said the states and territories held most of the responsibility. Though, she was quick to deny that she was blaming state and territory governments. 'I'm not stepping back from saying that things need to be done, but I am recognising that state governments do own a lot of this,' Ms Ley said. 'For example, the Victorian state government has, if I can describe them, weaker working with children checks than any other state. 'And we all need the states to step up and own this because if they just say, as they often do in these instances, we want our system to prevail, then they're not acting either.' She added that federal intervention 'won't necessarily cover every single working with children check' because they were a state-level responsibility, but it would 'cover other measures that can take place in childcare centres that the Commonwealth may be able to hold some levers of control'. Education Minister Jason Clare last week vowed to introduce legislation that would let Canberra cut federal funds to childcare centres that 'aren't up to scratch' on children's safety. He said funding was one big lever the federal government could pull. In a separate case, the Herald Sun revealed over the weekend that a man convicted of accessing nearly 1000 images of child abuse material visited childcare centres while awaiting prosecution for some three years.
Sky News AU
07-07-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
China ties should not come at ‘expense of the US': Barnaby Joyce
A Coalition heavyweight has called on Anthony Albanese to prioritise the US alliance, warning that countering China without Washington's backing would cost Australian 'hundreds of billions'. It comes ahead of the Prime Minister's state visit to China next week. Mr Albanese will meet Xi Jinping for a fourth time since 2022. Meanwhile, a firm date for a face-to-face with Donald Trump is yet to be set. Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce said on Monday Mr Albanese was playing a 'very dangerous' game. 'The Prime Minister must have a great hand of cards because he has really got the chips on the table on this one,' the former deputy prime minister told Seven's Sunrise. 'You need to understand the United States is the cornerstone of our defence … it is not going well. 'This is the fourth meeting he has had with the leader of China but that is a totalitarian regime.' Mr Joyce said he was 'truly concerned' that Mr Albanese has not met the US President, pointing to the Trump administration's snap review of AUKUS. China is Australia's biggest trading partner, with two-way trade worth $325bn in 2023-24. The Albanese government has negotiated the removal of some $20bn in residual trade barriers from the Australia-China trade war waged under the former Coalition government. At the same time, it has pumped billions into countering Beijing's influence in the Pacific and committed tens of billions to defence spending. Asked if it was not good for Australia to 'make friends with China', Mr Joyce said it should 'but not at the expense of the US'. 'You need to understand that we live in the realm of the Western Pacific,' he said. 'If things go pear-shaped, we are in trouble – real trouble. 'If we … have a defence policy that doesn't include the United States, we need to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on defence. 'We are way, way behind where we need to be.' China's AI ploy China has presented itself as a 'natural' partner for Australia amid tensions between Canberra and Washington. The alliance has been strained by Mr Trump's tariffs and Mr Albanese's resistance to hiking defence spending. In an opinion piece published on Monday, Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian said China had 'always viewed Australia … from a strategic and long-term perspective'. 'China has been Australia's largest trading partner, largest export destination and the largest source of imports for 16 consecutive years,' Mr Xiao wrote in the Australian Financial Review. 'With a population of more than 1.4 billion, including more than 400 million middle-income earners, China provides a vast and stable consumption market for Australian minerals, wine, beef, lobster and other products.' Pointing to the 10th anniversary of the China-Australia free trade agreement, he said Beijing was 'willing to review the agreement with a more open attitude'. Mr Xiao said that included bolstering 'co-operation in traditional areas such as agriculture and mining' but also exploring 'new growth areas in emerging fields like artificial intelligence, healthcare, green energy, and the digital economy'. China is engaged in an AI race with the US. The launch of DeepSeek in January dealt the first serious blow to the US' global leadership in the space, with the ensuing tech sell-off wiping about $US1 trillion ($A1.5 trillion) in value off American titan Nvidia. Mr Xiao also said China wanted to step up co-operation in the Pacific. Albo's scores big with football diplomacy 'Both China and Australia are major countries in the Asia-Pacific region, beneficiaries and defenders of the post-war international order,' he said. He said China was 'willing to work with Australia to build consensus on international and regional issues'. That included finding ways to 'jointly safeguard regional peace and stability, uphold international rules and order, advocate for free trade' – a tough task when Australia and its Pacific neighbours view China as the greatest threat. Originally published as China ties should not come at 'expense of the US', Coalition heavyweight warns
