Federal politics: Anthony Albanese brushes off US request to increase defence spending — as it happened

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Patricia Karvelas has taken a look at who Australia thinks is better at managing the economy. Post-election research shows Labor maintains a slight edge over the Coalition.

Here's a little of what Karvelas says:

"What there hasn't been enough reflection on is how the Liberal Party failed in areas where it has always had a traditional advantage — the economy," Karvelas says.

"New post-election research demonstrates the Coalition is losing its advantage even here. If the trend continues, that is diabolical for the Liberals.

"When Jim Chalmers was first appointed treasurer three years ago, he made it his mission to reverse the reputation of Labor being weak on the economy.

"What is extraordinary about the federal election is despite the cost-of-living crisis, voters, who overwhelmingly vote on the state of the economy, marked Labor just ahead of the Coalition."

Read the full analysis from Patricia Karvelas in the link below:

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has brushed off a US request for Australia to significantly increase defence spending.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth urged Defence Minister Richard Marles to lift Australia's defence expenditure to 3.5 per cent of GDP during the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore.

The PM says the government's priority is to assess Australia's defence need and capability, and provide for whatever is needed.

Albanese says Labor has committed $10 billion of defence investment over the next four years to 2.3 per cent of GDP.

"What we don't do is do what the opposition did during the election campaign, where they announced an amount of money, they couldn't say where the money was coming from, and they couldn't say what it was for," Albanese says.

"That makes no sense. What we need is things that defend us in real terms, and that's what we'll provide."

And that's where the prime minister has wrapped up his press conference.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins says the financial counselling will help direct farmers and small business owners affected by the drought to Regional Corporation Investment loans, the Farm Household Allowance, and other state-based schemes.

She's revealed more than 870 people in South Australia have accessed the Farm Household Allowance.

"As the prime minister said, we're not ruling anything out here. We'll continue to engage with the stakeholders in particularly with what is needed," Collins says.

The PM has stepped up again and he says while Australia has always had droughts, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent because of climate change.

Anthony Albanese says he wants the next climate change Conference of the Parties (COP) hosted in Adelaide.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced an additional $2 million funding to the Rural Financial Counselling Service to help farmers access support during the drought. 

The government says the additional funding will enable the RFCS to employ more financial counsellors to help people on the ground in drought-affected communities.

"People put their heart and soul into their farms. It's not just a business, it's a way of life, and they're very passionate about making a difference. They care about their properties, they care about what they do, and it can be devastating to have this long-term impact that we're seeing from this drought," Albanese says.

The PM has also announced that the government would convene the 2025 National Drought Forum at Gawler, north of Adelaide.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to step up in Fischer in South Australia shortly.

He's standing up in a part of the country that has been experiencing widespread drought because of below-average rainfall.

We'll bring you all the updates here live.

There've been a few changes in Bradfield, which remains the only seat in doubt following the federal election on May 3.

The race remains close.

Independent candidate Nicolette Boele currently leads Liberal candidate Gisele Kapterian by 12 votes.

A full recount is underway after a full distribution of preferences.

The United States has demanded Australia lift its defence spending to almost $100 billion a year "as soon as possible", saying Australia must do more to support the US in the Indo-Pacific.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth conveyed that to Defence Minister Richard Marles on the sidelines of the Shangri-la Dialogue in Singapore, where the pair met amid increasing US tension with China.

Over the weekend China accused the US administration of making "groundless accusations" that China's army was rehearsing an invasion of Taiwan.

Read the full story from political reporter Jake Evans below.

Floods in NSW and Cyclone Alfred in Queensland haven't just shaken communities — they've hit the economy hard.

Fresh Treasury analysis estimates a $2.2 billion immediate loss in economic activity so far in 2025, most of it falling in the March quarter.

Retail trade has dipped, especially in Queensland, with household spending flatlining across the country due to the weather events.

"The human impacts matter to us most," Treasurer Jim Chalmers said in a statement.

"But the economic cost is very significant too."

The government has activated disaster payments and recovery support, and says it remains committed to walking alongside communities as they rebuild.

"Recovery isn't over when the cameras leave," Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said in a statement.

"It's going to be weeks and months."

The full economic impact of these disasters will be clearer when the March quarter National Accounts are released on Wednesday.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley will visit flood-affected communities on the Mid North Coast today.

Senator Jacqui Lambie has labelled the AUKUS submarine deal a "disgusting waste" when asked about Pete Hegseth's call to increase Australia's defence spending.

Speaking to Sky News, Lambie says while she backs an increase to defence spending, there is currently too much waste in defence procurement that must be addressed.

"We've only got to see those submarines, $4 billion so far and we haven't got one scrap of bloody steel sitting in a harbour yet ready to go, I mean that is just disgusting waste," Lambie says.

She says there is a "personnel crisis" in Australia's military, and that the Australian Defence Force is still recovering from serving in past wars in the Middle East.

Lambie says the ADF's recruitment and retention issues were among Australia's most pressing national security issues.

"The only way young people are going to join is when people in uniform go out there and brag about how great that job is and right now … that is not going to turn around tomorrow," she says.

"Right now, our troops are not in a condition to be in a war zone."

Incoming MP Tim Wilson says his campaign, which wrestled the seat of Goldstein back into the Liberal column, was optimistic and hopeful about the future.

He says his campaign presented a clear vision and purpose that resonated with people and gave them a sense that the Liberal Party had a plan.

"We talked about through different parts of policy, what we were fighting for wasn't just how do we make today better but tomorrow for your children and your grandchildren," Wilson says.

Wilson says he plans to be consultative with all interest groups in his new industrial relations role, particularly about the future of artificial intelligence and the status of the CFMEU.

He says he'll be campaigning against Labor's planned changes to superannuation taxation, which he says will "fundamentally change" investment in Australia.

"I want to stop this policy because it is bad for small business, it is bad for the future of the country," he says.

Incoming Liberal MP Tim Wilson has attributed his election win in the seat of Goldstein to tapping into people's sense of hope and ambition.

Wilson lost the seat of Goldstein to teal independent Zoe Daniel in 2022, but won it back at the last election.

Asked what he thought of Daniel celebrating victory on election night, Wilson said he was confused because he thought it was too close.

"That was her decision and obviously that's one she looks back in hindsight and perhaps she shouldn't have made an early call," he says.

The Liberal Party campaign machine, which is mostly focused on fighting the Labor Party, had to shift its attention to the independents at the last election campaign, Wilson says.

The incoming Liberal MP says some people within the Liberal Party had doubts about whether he could win back the seat.

"There were people who did question, some who critiqued it, some who doubted whether it was going to be successful but of course the result's there," he says.

Senator Jacqui Lambie has joined ABC News Breakfast and she's been asked about how she'd like to see Prime Minister Anthony Albanese deal with US President Donald Trump.

Lambie says Trump is "so unpredictable" and believes what's happening in the US is a "mess".

"He's [Donald Trump is] doing one thing for breakfast and reversing it by lunch. That's very difficult for any world political leader to deal with someone like Donald Trump and think we've just got to do the best we possibly can," she says.

Lambie says she'd like to be a part of implementing the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide and increasing Tasmania's share of GST in her final term in the Senate.

The Tasmanian senator, who was first elected in 2013, has flagged that this term will be her last in parliament.

Madeleine King has been asked about a United Nations draft decision to knock back world heritage protection for a large area of Aboriginal rock art in northern WA.

The petroglyphs on the Burrup Peninsula, known as the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, are approximately 40,000 years old and the former federal environment minister Tanya Plibersek began the process to nominate them to the list in February 2023.

The draft decisions cited concerns about emissions degrading the Aboriginal carvings located near Karratha.

King says the draft decision is "disappointing" and says there wasn't consultation with the local Aboriginal community.

"We'll keep working with UNESCO and others around that listing. It is important to note that those industries importance to jobs in the region, they're obviously important to our export industry as well," she says.

"What we really need to make sure is that UNESCO get the fuller picture of that area."

Resources Minister Madeleine King has been asked what message the government is trying to send about the future of gas during the energy transition following the extension of the North West Shelf's life.

Last week, Environment Minister Murray Watt approved Woodside's application to extend the North West Shelf gas project beyond 2030.

King says the operators of the North West Shelf are obliged to meet net zero emissions by 2050 under Australia's safeguard mechanisms.

She says the role of gas in Australia's energy mix during the transition to renewable energy is set out in the future gas strategy.

"What was really important about the future gas strategy was setting up, or establishing the role of gas within this government's drive to reach net zero emissions by 2050," she says.

Asked if the government will introduce its planned changes to environmental laws before the end of this year, King says she won't commit to a timeline.

However says while the legislation is "high on the priority list", and the government will be looking to consult more widely.

Resources Minister Madeleine King says she is "very confident" Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet with Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada.

Speaking on ABC Radio National Breakfast, King says US President Donald Trump's doubling of tariffs on steel and aluminium tariffs on steel and aluminium imports is not the way to treat a friend and ally.

She says Australia will continue to lobby "calmly and methodically" to be exempt from the tariffs.

 "There's a lot to be gained from being in the room with the G7 members talking to them about the tariff situation, global trade more widely but also other disputes around the world that are causing angst," she says.

Shadow Finance Minister James Paterson says Australia should increase its defence spending, but not at the request of the US government.

The US has asked Australia to lift defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP "as soon as possible".

The Coalition pledged to spend an additional $21 billion on the military between now and 2030, to better prepare Australia for future geo-strategic threats.

Asked on Nine about Pete Hegseth's request for Australia to bolster defence expenditure, Paterson says it's in Australia's national interest to lift the country's share of spending.

"We live in the most dangerous and precarious times since the end of World War II. And right now, we're not spending enough to defend ourselves," Paterson says.

Australia's defence spending is a topic of discussion on Seven's political panel this morning, with Tanya Plibersek asked if the government is spending enough.

It comes off the back of comments from the US defence secretary asking Australia to tip in 3.5 per cent of its GDP into defence spending. You can see those comments in the post below.

Plibersek says the governmment has announced it will spend an additional $10 billion on defence over the next four years and close to $60 billion extra over the next decade.

"The way we decide how much we'll spend on defence is to decide what we need to keep Australians safe ... We don't pick a number out of the air, and then work out how we can spend that many dollars," Plibersek says.

Asked directly about Pete Hegseth's calls for Australia to stump up more for defence spending, Joyce says the Labor government has been too focused with achieving net zero emissions.

"We are just miles away from where we should be and at the same time, with the cost of energy, we're losing the capacity for a manufacturing industry to underwrite the strength of Australia," he says.

Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek and former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce have clashed on the effectiveness of Australia's ambassador to the US (and former PM) Kevin Rudd.

US President Donald Trump has pledged to double tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.

Speaking on Sunrise, Joyce says Rudd is "not kicking a goal" in the United States because he hasn't been able to secure a carve out from the US's tariffs on Australian goods.

"I'm not saying he's a bad ambassador, but he's not suited for the United States … The prime minister should be adroit enough to say 'Kevin you're off to London' and someone else is off to the United States," Joyce says.

But Plibersek says Rudd has been "extraordinarily active" as ambassador and has working relationships with both Republicans and Democrats.

She says the Albanese government is working hard to secure access for Australian steel manufacturers to the US market, and points out the government has just signed a trade deal with the United Arab Emirates.

"You know that he's hardworking. He's got enormous capacity. He's an excellent ambassador, and at the end of the day, Australia chooses our ambassadors. We don't allow other countries to choose our ambassadors for us," Plibersek says.