TRANSCRIPT
- The Prime Minister says Australia needs perspective as the US President prepares to announce sweeping tariffs
- Israel announces a major expansion of its assault on the Gaza Strip
- Carlton's coach shuts down questions about Harry McKay's time away from the sport
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The Prime Minister says he would stand strong in the face of potential US tariffs but has also called for perspective.
All Australian exports to the US could soon be slapped with tariffs, with some reports suggesting a blanket 20 per cent margin would be applied.
Anthony Albanese says his government won't retaliate with more tariffs but did not rule out taking the US to the World Trade Organization.
The Prime Minister also says the tariffs would have a limited impact on Australia's exports.
"Australia's exports to the United States represent about under five per cent of our goods exports. So, let's have some perspective here about standing up for Australia's national interest. I know there's a lot of focus on this but put it in perspective."
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The White House says US President Donald Trump is preparing to announce a new battery of trade tariffs.
According to the Washington Post, White House aides have drafted plans for 20 per cent tariffs on most goods imported to the United States.
The impending announcement has sparked concerns around the world about an intensifying global trade war.
Mr Trump has circled the 2nd of April to impose the new tariffs that could upend the global trade system.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says it will be an historical day for the United States.
"April 2nd, 2025 will go down as one of the most important days in modern American history. Our country has been one of the most open economies in the world, and we have the consumer base hands down, the best consumer base. But too many foreign countries have their markets closed to our exports. This is fundamentally unfair."
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Jim Chalmers has criticised Angus Taylor after his National Press Club address, accusing the Opposition's Treasury spokesman of not being upfront about the Coalition's nuclear energy costings.
Mr Taylor has outlined the Coalition's economic proposals during his address, which include a mass reduction in the federal public service workforce and a new statutory body in the Treasury aimed at fast-tracking private sector investment if elected.
The Treasurer says his speech has left many questions unanswered.
"After a performance like that you can see why the Coalition has been hiding Angus Taylor throughout this campaign. You can see why he refuses to debate me at the National Press Club after an effort like that. Angus Taylor was on his feet for an hour and still wouldn't come clean on the $600 billion in cuts that he will need to pay for his nuclear reactors."
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Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price says if the government wants to close the gap and address First Nations outcomes it needs to commission an audit of all funds spent on Indigenous Affairs.
It comes after an update last month from the Productivity Commission’s Closing the Gap Dashboard, which showed the gap in rates of incarceration, child protection and suicide continues to widen or stagnate between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
Senator Price, the Opposition spokesperson for Indigenous Affairs, tells NITV Radio that the sector aimed at addressing these systemic issues needs more accountability.
"Around closing the gap, we know that the measures aren't working because nothing seems to be changing year in, year out. I've called for an audit of the funds that are being spent in the Indigenous Affairs space to determine where the outcomes exist and where they're failing. And to do this audit it provides a level of accountability that hasn't existed for a long time which is why we have such a huge, yawning gap."
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Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has announced a major expansion of military operations in Gaza, with plans to seize large areas of the enclave and displace many Palestinian residents.
Mr Katz says the war will only end if Palestinians overthrow Hamas and secure the return of Israeli hostages taken on 7 October 2023.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the escalation aims to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages.
"We are now dividing the Strip and increasing the pressure step by step, so that they will give us our hostages. And as long as they do not give them to us, the pressure will increase until they do. We are determined to achieve the objectives of the war, and we are acting relentlessly, and with a clear line and a clear mission. And with God's help and that of our heroic soldiers, we will also achieve them."
The Israeli military has issued new evacuation orders to civilians near Rafah and Khan Younis.
According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 50,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the assault, with families repeatedly forced to flee across the territory.
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Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of launching new attacks against each other's energy facilities in violation of a US-brokered moratorium.
Russia and Ukraine agreed to a limited truce regarding energy infrastructure last month as a hoped-for stepping stone towards a full ceasefire.
Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine conducted drone and shelling attacks in the western Kursk region .
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said a Russian drone hit an energy substation in Sumy region.
The Kremlin says a Russian envoy will go to Washington this week for talks with the United States administration.
Ukraine said last month it was willing to accept a FULL 30-day ceasefire but Putin rejected the deal.
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In the AFL, Carlton coach Michael Voss has shut down questions around Harry McKay's availability as the star forward will miss a third-straight game due to personal reasons.
McKay has sat out the last two weeks, with Voss confirming last week he needed time out from playing in the AFL.
Carlton had previously ruled McKay out of facing Hawthorn due to an unspecified illness, later confirming it was mental-health related.
Voss says the team will continue to support McKay.
After a 0-3 start to the season Carlton are set to face long-time rivals Collingwood at the MCG Thursday night.
