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Welcome to the latest SBS News in Easy English, I'm Camille Bianchi
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NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is trying to avoid fears the United States will leave the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation as the White House makes huge policy changes.
Mr Rutte says NATO is focused on protecting Ukraine, saying Russia is the main long-term threat to NATO.
US President Donald Trump has also caused alarm and confusion by saying the US could buy land owned by Denmark and could annex Canada.
But Mr Rutte says he believes the US will stay in NATO and help any members if they are attacked.
"I know there has been some tough language. I know that there have been allies, for example, on this side of the pond being worried about the long-term commitment of the US to NATO. And I was in the White House, but before I went to the White House, we had President Macron there and Prime Minister Starmer, and on so many other occasions, the Americans have stated again and again, we are committed to NATO, we are committed to Article 5."
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Independent M-P Dai Le says Australia should send its products to other countries, after the United States put a fee on products from almost every country in the world, including Australia.
The government plans to ask the United States to lower the new fee put on all Australian goods.
Ms Le told Channel Nine she agrees with the plan, but Australia must also protect its own independence from the US.
"I suppose there's no point fighting it. I think the most important thing for Australia is to actually look at other markets. I mean, this tariff is going to hurt the US consumers a lot. So, I think for us, we are in a position in a Southeast Asian region that we can look to other markets as well."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has described the US President's move as not needed, saying that it was not the actions of a friend.
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Opposition leader Peter Dutton is defending his nuclear energy plan if the Coalition forms government after the election on the third of May.
Mr Dutton says the plan would start in 2035 and cost $331 billion.
He says it is 44% cheaper than Labor's energy plan.
However, this number is not agreed upon by the Australian Energy Market Operator, which reports nuclear is twice as expensive than renewable energy.
The Opposition leader says his plan would lower electricity costs for Australians.
"In our country, I just think we've lost sight of how much we're paying for electricity here. We're paying three times the cost that say people are in Tennessee or in Ontario, where they do have renewables underpinned by nuclear. So our plan is as you come out of coal into gas, and we want a lot more gas in the system, which will bring prices down the price of electricity because gas is used in the production of electricity. And then that's the interim step, and then we go to nuclear."
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Greens leader Adam Bandt is repeating one of his election plans to add free dental care to Medicare, saying Australians are paying too much for this service.
The Labor and Liberal parties both say this plan would cost too much, but Mr Bandt says the cost could be covered if big companies paid their fair share of tax.
The Greens leader held a giant toothbrush during a press conference, saying free dental will be a key policy for the Greens.
"Look, people are putting off going to the dentist because they can't afford it. And when you do go, if you need something more than a routine treatment, or your child needs braces, it can run into the thousands of dollars. Now, when we had a minority parliament last time, the Greens got dental into Medicare for children, so now we want to get it in for everyone."
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That is the latest SBS News in Easy English, I'm Camille Bianchi.
