Australia politics live: Brandis says Rudd must have bipartisan support as ambassador despite Trump comments; Joyce says Rudd is ‘cooked’

From 23m ago Brandis says Rudd must have bipartisan support as ambassador despite Trump’s ‘wild’ comments The former UK ambassador and Coalition minister George Brandis is speaking to ABC radio and he is being very critical of his former colleagues over the Kevin Rudd mini storm, sparked by Donald Trump’s comments. Brandis says the resulting storm has all been a bit much: I think this has been rather overinterpreted. Donald Trump is infamous for making rather wild and off-the-cuff claims that don’t in the end amount to very much, so…

Australia politics live: China’s foreign minister to arrive in Canberra amid calls for Penny Wong to demand release of Yang Hengjun

From 44m ago Press China to release Yang Hengjun, rights group say Daniel Hurst Human rights groups have urged the Australian government to demand the immediate release of Australian writer Dr Yang Hengjun and press other human rights issues strongly during meetings with China’s top diplomat today. The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, will hold talks with her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, in Canberra today, with trade, regional security and human rights among the topics expected to be raised. Amnesty International has written to Wong saying it “joins Uyghur, Tibetan,…

Australia politics live: Coalition slams Keating for China meeting; RBA tipped to hold rates

From 1h ago Coalition slams Keating for China meeting Daniel Hurst The Coalition has taken aim at former prime minister Paul Keating for accepting a meeting with the Chinese foreign minister, Wang Yi, who is visiting Australia later this week. The Coalition’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Simon Birmingham, said the idea of the meeting was “pointed and somewhat insulting” in light of the extent of Keating’s past commentary directed towards the Australian foreign minister, Penny Wong: Paul Keating’s reckless and irresponsible comments since the Albanese government was elected demonstrates an underlying…

Tropical cyclone Jasper live update: Qld weather warnings in place as category 2 storm on track to hit north of Cairns today – latest

<gu-island name="KeyEventsCarousel" priority="feature" deferuntil="visible" props="{"keyEvents":[{"id":"657857b58f08c4c875ce9dd3","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" The Australian government has accused the Chinese coast guard and other vessels of threatening “lives and livelihoods” and creating “risks of miscalculation” amid a series of incidents involving the Philippines. ","elementId":"9d61b100-7fbb-4dba-b088-18b50aa5193d"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said last night: ","elementId":"ef0fac29-1e2c-47c2-af60-ee3af83d7dfb"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement","html":" \n The Australian Government shares the grave concerns of the Philippines Government about a pattern of dangerous actions conducted by Chinese vessels against Philippines vessels and crew in the South China Sea, including incidents near Scarborough Shoal and at Second Thomas Shoal on…

Australia news live: Optus network goes down across nation; trains grind to a halt in Melbourne

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Australia news live: Shorten labels Greens’ Senate walkout ‘political grandstanding’; Birmingham says Gaza child deaths a ‘terrible function of war’

From 39m ago Shorten labels Greens’ Senate walkout ‘political grandstanding’ Government services minister Bill Shorten has labelled the Greens decision to walk out of Senate question time yesterday as “political grandstanding”. Yesterday, the Greens stormed out of Senate question time to protest what they say is Albanese government inaction over the conflict in Gaza. You can read more from my colleague Paul Karp here: Speaking to the ABC just earlier, Shorten argued the Greens’ walk out doesn’t help “a single soul anywhere”: I think that is just political grand standing.…

Albanese arrives in China for landmark visit, says it’s in ‘our national interest’

Anthony Albanese has declared Australia will “cooperate with China where we can, disagree where we must, but … also engage in our national interest” as the prime minister arrived in the People’s Republic for a landmark three day official visit. Albanese touched down in Shanghai on Saturday evening. After being received at the airport by senior diplomats from both countries, the prime minister went immediately to a banquet hosted by China’s premier Li Qiang to open China’s International Import Expo in downtown Shanghai. When he returned from the banquet, the…

The PM is heading to China and the relationship with Beijing has thawed. But will trade ever return to normal?

Anthony Albanese’s upcoming China visit will be the first by an Australian prime minister since Malcolm Turnbull in 2016. Much of the media attention will be on irritants in the relationship, such as the four-year detention of the Australian writer Yang Hengjun and rising tensions in the South China Sea. But economic ties will also feature highly, with the prime minister scheduled to attend the China International Import Expo in Shanghai. How important is two-way trade? China dwarfs all other nations when it comes to Australia’s trade, accounting for almost…

Australia news live: fires in Queensland and NSW threaten homes amid strong winds, high temperatures

<gu-island name="KeyEventsCarousel" priority="feature" deferuntil="visible" props="{"keyEvents":[{"id":"6540db478f08dbed308c77d3","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer and I’ve got some of our overnight and breaking stories for you before my colleague Emily Wind gets settled in for the day. ","elementId":"5669eb8c-6020-4ee3-89ec-8a46b95d6103"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" Our exclusive top story today reveals that ports giant DP World has paid no tax in Australia despite generating revenue of more than $4.5bn over eight years. A new report by the union-backed lobby group Cictar says that DP World’s top Australian subsidiary may have “artificially reduced profits” to…

Australia politics live: Marles warns of risks in ‘grave’ China clash; the ‘fables’ spread by the no campaign

<gu-island name="KeyEventsCarousel" priority="feature" deferuntil="visible" props="{"keyEvents":[{"id":"65303b038f0858f6e93c8a63","elements":[{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" Thank you to Martin for getting us started this morning – you have Amy Remeikis with you now for the last parliament sitting this week. ","elementId":"ebcf54b3-a0ce-4923-b31d-e1c0f7500109"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" The Canberra team will be with you very soon – that’s Katharine Murphy, Daniel Hurst, Paul Karp, Sarah Basford Canales and Josh Butler. ","elementId":"bad8faa1-da8c-454c-ada9-dbf882f4feeb"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" You’ll also be treated to some Mike Bowers magic and be kept up to date by the entire Guardian brains trust. ","elementId":"68adaa37-1b17-41c2-9f94-cbefc32f353e"},{"_type":"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement","html":" It’s a three-coffee morning so far. Hope your Thursday (always the worst day…