Don Farrell makes unusual declaration, says New Zealand not US our ‘most trusted ally’
While politicians typically avoid ranking Australia’s international peers, one government minister has done exactly that.
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The United States is not Australia’s “most trusted ally”, one of the government’s most senior ministers has said.
Tasmanian Liberal Senator Clare Chandler had questioned the resumption of Australia’s funding for Palestinian refugee aid agency UNRWA before the United States had reinstated theirs.
She described the US as Australia’s closest ally.
In giving his answer, Trade and Tourism Minister Don Farrell said Australia would act independently of its allies and that the US was, in fact, not Australia’s most important diplomatic partner.
“I take issue with your first statement there. I’m not sure that the United States is our most trusted ally,” Senator Farrell said.
“I would have said New Zealand, in the whole history of time. I would have said New Zealand is our closest international ally.”
Senator Farrell said the Liberals were playing ‘juvenile political games.”
“Everyone knows the Kiwis are family,” he said later.
“Everyone also knows that United States is our closest ally, trusted strategic partner, and largest two-way investment partner.”
Protesters disrupt QT
Over in the House of Representatives, protesters have disrupted Question Time, yelling over a senior minister as they called for a “ceasefire now”.
As Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus began to answer a question about the Administrative Appeals Tribunal near the end of the session, a group stood up in the public gallery and began yelling “shame, shame”.
At one point, a protester was heard yelling “Albanese your hands are red, 15,000 children dead”.
As security removed the original group, a separate group stood up and continued the protest.
They were subsequently removed.
Mr Dreyfus continued to give his answer throughout the protest, and after the disrupters had left the chamber quipped: “I hope you heard the earlier part of my answer”, which got laughs from the chamber.
Labor’s new MP sworn in
The newest member of the Labor government, Jodie Belyea, was sworn in to parliament at the start of Monday’s Question Time.
Ms Belyea won the Dunkley by-election earlier this month, following the death of the former member Peta Murphy.
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In welcoming her to the parliament, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to Ms Murphy and praised Ms Belyea.
“To use each and every single day you spend in this place in this role, you will be able to make a positive difference to people’s lives. And I know that is the focus you will bring,” Mr Albanese said.
“May this be the first of many sitting weeks and the beginning of many years of service as the member for Dunkley.
Albo pays tribute to late senator
Mr Albanese then moved on to introducing a condolence motion, honouring the late senator Linda White.
Senator White passed away last month after a short battle with cancer.
Mr Albanese spoke at her memorial last week, and used his time on Monday to pay tribute to his trailblazing friend.
“Linda White was taken from us far too soon,” Mr Albanese said.
“We pay tribute to a formidable supporter of working Australians, particularly women.”
Senator White had a long history of working in the trade union movement for decades before becoming a senator, and had sat on the Labor Party’s powerful national executive.
“The day that Linda entered the parliament was a good day for the ALP, for the Senate, but more importantly, for the nation,” Mr Albanese said.
“Linda was not destined to be in the Senate for long, but she made powerful use of the brief time she had, making a profound impact on matters of significance.”
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton paid tribute to the late senator, describing her as a “campaigner for women’s rights,
economic empowerment, and equity in the workplace”.
Emotional reason for Question Time delay
Question time was delayed on Monday after Mr Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton attended the funeral service of Lance Corporal Jack Fitzgibbon, the son of former defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon, in Cessnock.
The 33-year-old, who had served a decade in the Australian Army, died in a parachuting accident during a training exercise on March 6.
He was the only son of the former Rudd minister who held the defence portfolio between 2007 and 2009.
Speaking at the funeral, his mother Di Fitzgibbon said she would miss her son “with all my heart”.
“We have laughed so much about your various exploits these past weeks because your mother’s worry is no longer attached,” she said.
Question Time in federal parliament was pushed back to 3.30pm to allow MPs to attend the two-hour service on Monday, which included high-ranking military personnel and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce.
Big win for families with paid parental leave
Australia’s paid parental leave scheme has officially been expanded to 26 weeks after the government’s first tranche of reforms passed through the Senate on Monday.
Under the changes, the 20 weeks of paid leave parents can access will be gradually increased up by two weeks each year from July 2024 until the 26-week rate is reached in 2026.
New parents who have either had or adopted a child after July 2023 can access the expanded scheme from July 1 this year.
The full 20 weeks, which will first increase to 22 weeks, is provided to both parents if their combined income is less than $350,000.
If a couple’s combined income exceeds that amount, the majority of the leave can be provided to one parent whose income is less than $168,865.
A single parent must be earning less than $168,865 to access the scheme.
From 2026, both men and women will be able to take four weeks leave at the same time if they choose to in a measure to provide more flexibility to care arrangements under the government’s overhaul.
It comes after the Albanese government announced plans to pay 12 per cent superannuation on top of paid parental leave starting July 2025.
It comes after Senator David Pocock and Senator Lambie have struck a deal with the federal government to commit $10m to ease administrative costs on small businesses handing out Labor’s new paid parental leave arrangements.
Once legislated, the 20 weeks of paid leave parents can access in Australia will be gradually increased up by two weeks each year from July 2024 until the 26-week rate is reached in 2026.
The Bill will likely be rubber stamped in parliament this week with full support.
Under a separate proposal, families would be paid 12 per cent superannuation on top of paid parental leave payments starting in July 2025.
Senator Pocock welcomed the changes but told reporters he wanted the government to carve out amendments to ease “red tape” burden.
“Let’s have a system that can back that directly,” he told reporters.
In a statement on Monday, Greens senator Larissa Waters called the push a “scare campaign” and said there was no evidence to support the alleged burden on small businesses.
“Any amendments that sever the connection between an employer and employees taking PPL would undermine the objective of women’s workforce participation,” she said.
Senators voted down Senator Waters bid.
Anger grows over detainee saga
Anthony Albanese should reshuffle his senior cabinet to hose down growing political anger over its handling of High Court detainees, according to independent senator Jacqui Lambie.
The federal government is moving to launch a new High Court defence to block the release of more former immigration detainees after it scrambled to issue preventive detention laws after more than 150 individuals were freed under last year’s NZYQ ruling.
Labor was forced to reveal last week that it had been forced to reverse an administrative bungle that could allow former detainees charged with visa breaches to escape conviction.
As the Coalition moves in to accuse the government of losing control of the nation’s borders, Senator Lambie said Immigration Minister Andrew Giles should “remove” himself from his portfolio, arguing that the situation had gotten out of control.
“It’s time Labor had a really good look at their ministers and maybe it’s time for a reshuffle 12 months out before the next election,” she said on Monday.
“I am terribly worried about, you know, these people being out in the loose, on our streets, it is a real, real problem and something needs to be done about it.
“I’m sick and tired of watching ministers that sit there, that bugger up and there is no repercussions for them and that is why you will never get change in politics until people are held responsible or accountable.”
The High Court next month will hear a case brought by an Iranian man who has been held in detention since February 2014.
Opposition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan claimed that a further 150 “hardened criminals” would be released back into the community fallout from the original ruling spills over.
“That is what we need Andrew Giles being upfront about this week, is that true? Have they received that legal briefing from the department. Is that what the secret briefing on Friday of journalists was all about?” he asked.
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman said such claims should be backed up with facts.
“Just to have that irresponsibility of always looking for the politics, always running out there saying, ‘Oh look, here’s something that we’re worried about’, without actually having clear facts to back up what he’s saying, that’s actually not a responsible way to run an opposition,” he told Sky News.
Keating to meet with Chinese foreign minister
Former prime minister Paul Keating has confirmed he will meet with meet China’s foreign minister in Sydney this week.
In a statement, Mr Keating said China’s Foreign Ministry had issued an “unexpected invitation” for him to meet Wang Yi after the diplomat concluded his meetings in Canberra with Penny Wong.
“As a matter of courtesy, let alone anything else, I was happy to advise the Chinese Foreign Ministry that, given I had the time, I would be pleased to sit down and discuss international matters with the foreign minister,” he said.
The government was assisting with arrangements, he said.
Mr Keating is a prominent supporter of China and has criticised Australia’s AUKUS nuclear submarine deal with the United States and United Kingdom.
He said he had “strongly supported” the government’s efforts to “re-anchor Australian foreign policy in the region”.
“And, given the chance, I will be emphasising these points to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Australia has moved substantially from the counter-productive baiting policy the Morrison government applied to China to now something much more civil and productive,” he said.
Labor’s Queensland troubles
Labor leaders have been put on notice after the state party suffered bruising results in two state by-elections over the weekend.
Labor lost its heartland seat of Ipswich West Labor to the Liberal National Party on Saturday, following a two-party swing of about 18 per cent.
Labor has held the seat for 19 out of 22 elections since 1960.
Queensland’s state government narrowly retained Inala, the safest Labor seat previously held by former premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, despite its 28 per cent margin being slashed to 20 per cent.
Senior Labor minister Tanya Plibersek said by-elections were tough for sitting governments.
“The by-elections were fought on state issues and of course we know federally that the top of mind for most voters is the cost of living,” she said on Monday.
Senator Lambie said the Albanese government should be “carefully” watching ahead of next year’s federal election.
“If I were the federal Labor Party, I’d be watching very, very carefully and being very careful about what you do over the next 12 months because if this is in any indication of what it’s going to look like next May, they’re in serious trouble,” Senator Lambie told Nine’s Today show.
Visa move ‘distressing’: Watt
Labor minister Murray Watt has defended the government’s decision to reverse its suspension of Australian visitor visas for a group of Palestinians fleeing Gaza.
Following heavy pushback from aid groups and charity organisations, the Home Affairs Department has confirmed that it reinstated visas to refugees who had their visas cancelled at the last minute.
It’s not been revealed how many people had initially had their visas cancelled or the number who have had them reissued; however, according to the Palestine Australia Support Group, at least eight visas have been reinstated as a result of the reversal.
More than 2000 visas have been granted to Palestinians since the Hamas attacks on October 7; however fewer than 400 have entered the country during that period.
Senator Watt, the Emergency Management Minister, acknowledged that it had been a difficult time for many and said the government had acted under advice to protect national security interests.
“What has happened is that further information has come to light on these people’s circumstances and checks have been completed,” he told RN on Monday.
“I absolutely recognise that this is a very distressing time for Australians with extended family members in Gaza.”
Supermarket ‘hogs’
Supermarket giants could have their power slashed under a fresh push for the government to act on grocery prices.
Bob Katter’s private member’s Bill, which he first tried to pass a decade ago, was introduced to the House on Monday morning.
The Bill would create a commissioner for food retailing that would have powers to stop price gouging and other anti-competitive behaviour, and scrap the voluntary food and grocery code of conduct.
It would also require the supermarkets to publish what they are paying farmers.
Introducing the legislation on Mr Katter’s behalf, former Nationals MP turned independent Andrew Gee described the code of conduct as a “dud”.
He criticised the former Coalition government, which he belonged to, for not doing anything during the nine years it was in power to “tame the supermarket hogs”.
“They failed. They introduced the grocery code of conduct and it has turned out to be an absolute dud, which has not stopped the price gouging,” he said.
“What we want is for the major parties to get behind our reducing supermarket dominance Bill. And that’s why the independents are taking action on this.”
Mr Katter said after years of inquiries and no action, Australian farmers and families were suffering at the hands of the major supermarkets and the he would not accept “another investigation into the issues”.
“We’re calling for immediate bipartisan support for this legislation which will directly deal with the supermarkets, their market dominance, allegations of price gouging and paltry returns for producers,” Mr Katter said.
“This legislation sets the tone, and actually forces action. But we’re willing to work with the government or the opposition to fine tune it and actually make something happen.”
Just last week Mr Katter found himself in a verbal altercation with Nationals senator Ross Cadell on the sidelines of an inquiry on supermarket prices.
It comes after Mr Katter and fellow independent Andrew Wilkie dressed up in inflatable pig suits and walked around Parliament House to promote the Bill.
Originally published as Don Farrell makes unusual declaration, says New Zealand not US our ‘most trusted ally’
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