News live: Trump says Australia ‘didn’t help’ with Iran war; ‘increasing’ cyclone threat for Queensland | Australia news
Trump says Australia ‘isn’t helping us’ on US efforts in Iran
Nick Visser
US president, Donald TrumpHe criticized Australia for what he described as a lack of aid during the ongoing war in Iran.
At a media conference, Trump continued to take a hard line against Iran, saying he believed the US military was doing “incredibly well” in the Middle East, and threatened that Iran “could be taken out overnight, and that night could be tomorrow night.”
He added that he remained angry at NATO, describing the bloc as a “paper tiger” that the US “didn’t need”.
“They were not helpful at all,” he said and added:
It’s not just NATO. You know who else didn’t help us? South Korea He didn’t help us. You know who else didn’t help us? Australia He didn’t help us. You know who else didn’t help us? Japan.
important events
Attorney General says government remains committed to gun buyback plan
Rowland said the federal government will continue to pursue its gun buyback plan despite some resistance from state and territory leaders.
The New South Wales government is so far the only open supporter of gun reforms; Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory do not support these reforms. The federal government recently said those counties were “standing in the way” of an effort to remove dangerous weapons from the streets.
Rowland argued that it is up to these leaders to “explain to their constituents why this is the case.”
But the reality is that we will continue to pursue this case through our national cabinet processes. The government is determined on this issue.
He said it needed to be a “national” buyback plan and states and territories needed to accept it wouldn’t work without national involvement.
Australia should continue calling for de-escalation in Iran in the face of Trump criticism, attorney general says
Chief Public Prosecutor, Michelle Rowland, Asked about Trump’s remarks on RN Breakfast this morning.
He said Australia’s position called for “an urgent de-escalation of this conflict”, adding:
Australians and innocent people around the world and across the region are being affected by events they did not cause, but whose effects are lasting. It is creating impacts on our supply chains and causing real concern for Australians.
Rowland said the best thing Australia could do would be to continue those calls and that this was not the first time Trump had made provocative statements.
I think eventually the United States will have to answer for itself.
Nick Visser We are here to take the reins. Let’s get to the point.
Topical Cyclone Maila has ‘increasing chance’ of hitting Queensland at the weekend
Tropical Cyclone Maila could hit Queensland’s northern coast this weekend, three weeks after the same area was ripped apart by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle, the Bureau of Meteorology said last night.
At 22.45 last night it was sailing halfway between the Solomon Islands and Papua New Gunea. Latest update from the office.
BOM said:
Maila is expected to remain well off the Queensland coast for the next few days, but confidence is increasing that Maila will move towards the far north Queensland coast later in the week and potentially cross the coast by the weekend.
The storm is classified in the third category, with winds of 150 km per hour near the center and gusts of up to 205 km per hour.
Read our full story here:
Trump says Australia ‘isn’t helping us’ on US efforts in Iran
Nick Visser
US president, Donald TrumpHe criticized Australia for what he described as a lack of aid during the ongoing war in Iran.
At a media conference, Trump continued to take a hard line against Iran, saying he believed the US military was doing “incredibly well” in the Middle East, and threatened that Iran “could be taken out overnight, and that night could be tomorrow night.”
He added that he remained angry at NATO, describing the bloc as a “paper tiger” that the US “didn’t need”.
“They were not helpful at all,” he said and added:
It’s not just NATO. You know who else didn’t help us? South Korea He didn’t help us. You know who else didn’t help us? Australia He didn’t help us. You know who else didn’t help us? Japan.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I Martin Farrer with the best night stories and then it will be Nick Visser with the main action.
Road safety advocates say the issue needs to be better embedded in school curriculums after another deadly Easter season, when at least 14 people were killed on the country’s roads. Fatalities on Australian roads rose 4.4% in the year to February. More is coming.
Tropical Cyclone Maila could hit Queensland’s northern coast this weekend, three weeks after the same area was ripped apart by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle, the Bureau of Meteorology said last night. More is coming.
