Australia news live: PM hoses down hopes of tariff relief from Trump and says closed Tehran airspace delaying evacuation of Australians | Australia news
Albanese says not ‘reasonable’ to expect complete resolution of tariff issues from Trump meeting
The prime minister said it would likely take some time to negotiate US tariffs on Australian goods during his meeting with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 in Canada.
Albanese was asked how he would describe expectations from the meeting, saying he doesn’t foresee “complete change” from one discussion:
That was [what] occurred last time with Australia and tariffs and I don’t think it would be reasonable to expect that you would have a complete change and a complete resolution of the issues, which are there.
When I first raised with President Trump the issue of tariffs, of course, he said he would give it great consideration.
Albanese added that Trump would “always be a welcome guest in Australia” when asked about any diplomatic visit.
Key events
Trump leaving G7 tonight, before Albanese meeting
US president Donald Trump is leaving the G7 meeting early, and will depart Canada tonight, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt just wrote on X:
President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State.
President Trump had a great day at the G7, even signing a major trade deal with the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Much was accomplished, but because of what’s going on in the Middle East, President Trump will be leaving tonight after dinner with Heads of State.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) June 16, 2025
Albanese says he’s always prepared before major meetings
The prime minister was asked how he’s prepped himself before his meeting with Trump tomorrow on the sidelines of the G7. Albanese said he’s always prepared:
I always prep seriously for meetings where I’m representing Australia. I’ve just been through a test. It’s called a federal election. …
I think that I have a great responsibility. I take that responsibility seriously and I look forward to tomorrow’s meeting, and not just with president Trump. It is important to say that tomorrow as well I’ll be meeting with the prime minister of Japan and I’ll be meeting with the European leaders.
PM says evacuations of Australians from Iran pose ‘challenges’, urges people to stay up-to-date with safety advice
Albanese said airspace over Iran remains closed amid the country’s ongoing conflict with Israel, making any evacuations of Australians difficult. He said:
That presents challenges. We want to make sure that people are looked after but they need to be looked after safely as well and so the last advice that I had was stay in place provisions were still the advice.
I would just encourage Australians either there or Australians who are concerned about family or friends to keep up-to-date with the Australian government’s advice.
Albanese says not ‘reasonable’ to expect complete resolution of tariff issues from Trump meeting
The prime minister said it would likely take some time to negotiate US tariffs on Australian goods during his meeting with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 in Canada.
Albanese was asked how he would describe expectations from the meeting, saying he doesn’t foresee “complete change” from one discussion:
That was [what] occurred last time with Australia and tariffs and I don’t think it would be reasonable to expect that you would have a complete change and a complete resolution of the issues, which are there.
When I first raised with President Trump the issue of tariffs, of course, he said he would give it great consideration.
Albanese added that Trump would “always be a welcome guest in Australia” when asked about any diplomatic visit.
Tom McIlroy
Nato secretary-general praises Australia’s leadership on Ukraine
The secretary-general of Nato has praised Australia’s role responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, telling Anthony Albanese that Europe, the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific are “interconnected” because of the conflict. Albanese met Mark Rutte, the former prime minister of the Netherlands, in Calgary as G7 leaders gather for tomorrow’s summit in the Rocky Mountains resort town Kananaskis.
Rutte warned China was acting with Russia, North Korea and Iran to prolong the bloody war. He said:
It is Russia with North Korea, with China, even Iran supporting the war effort, so this is all getting more and more interconnected. I want to thank you for your leadership on Ukraine. It’s really important that [Australia is] so far away and still so close and willing to really be helpful here.
Rutte said Nato and Australia could do more on defence industrial production and congratulated Albanese on his 3 May election win. Albanese called Russia’s actions immoral and illegal and restated a promise from Australia to commit troops to a peace keeping force, if a ceasefire can be achieved. The prime minister said:
I think the democratic world needs to defend our values, and we’re seeing that play out.
Triple J announces birthday edition for Hottest 100 Australian Songs vote
Triple J just announced a special, mid-year Hottest 100 of Australian Songs to celebrate the station’s 50th birthday. Voting starts today and runs for the next month. Triple J said:
It’s a big year for the triple j family, so what better way to toast our deep history than by doing our favourite thing: wringing our hands over trying to pick only 10 of our favourite songs released by Australian artists and bands. Nah, it’ll be a breeze, right? …
They’ve been the playlist to our lives, defined the sound of the nation and echoed across generations, and now we get to champion all the tracks that have lasted a lifetime (or more).
Tom McIlroy
South Korean president tells Albanese he looks ‘much younger and good looking’ than he imagined from phone call
Prime minister Anthony Albanese met with South Korea’s newly elected president, Lee Jae-myung, on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Alberta, Canada. The pair had spoken on the phone in the past few days, after the presidential election and the resolution of South Korea’s constitutional crisis.
In a tiny hotel room in downtown Calgary in the past few minutes, Albanese showed the pair had clear rapport already. He received an unlikely compliment from the South Korean leader, who told him:
We had a phone call just a few days ago, and you look much younger and good looking than I imagined from your voice.
“You are very kind,” Albanese responded. “I think winning an election takes a few years off your appearance.”
The pair talked about Australia’s service during the Korean war, as well as the upcoming Asia-Pacific economic cooperation summit in South Korea in October. The South Korean president said he looked forward to visiting Australia again, saying he had been impressed by the country’s natural beauty the first time he travelled in the country.
Albanese will meet Nato’s secretary general, Mark Rutte, next up today.
Chris Minns calls gangland attacks ‘vicious, disgusting behaviour’ after lunchtime shooting
The NSW premier, Chris Minns, said the shooting at a restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Auburn yesterday was “vicious, disgusting behaviour from complete animals”.
Minns spoke to 2GB after the brazen attack, where three people were wounded at a kebab shop after a gunman allegedly opened fire inside. He said:
The disregard for human life for people who are innocent bystanders is appalling. Obviously I think it just churns your stomach to believe there are people out there who would pursue this kind of crime and have such disregard for members of the public.
Minns reiterated his pledge that NSW police would see those charged with such crimes “spend a long time, decades, in tiny prison cells”. Read more here:
Shadow finance minister calls on PM to raise defence spending to 3% of GDP so ‘it’s not a partisan issue’
James Paterson, the shadow finance minister, said the Coalition again called on the Albanese government to raise defence spending to 3% as a proportion of GDP, saying those calls are a task “we will happily take on over this term of parliament”. Paterson told RN Breakfast:
We are almost three years away from the next election, but before the next election, we’ll outline any savings that are necessary to make sure that is possible. … Frankly, it’s my hope that the Albanese government does that in this term of parliament so it is not a partisan issue by the next election.
RN host Sally Sara pressed Paterson on how the Coalition would pay for that proposal, which would amount to billions more in spending per year. Paterson said he couldn’t “outline exactly the dollars and cents”:
There will be three budgets and three mid-year economic and fiscal outlooks between now and the next election. And this government will make decisions on defence spending and many other things that will have implications for whatever provision we need to make for these things.
So it’s not possible to give you the exact numbers today, but I can give you a commitment that will be upfront and transparent and honest about it.
Pat Conroy says government will always put Australian safety first in global conflicts
Conroy was asked if there is a greater threat Australia could be drawn into a hypothetical conflict between the US and China after defence minister Richard Marles said yesterday Australia’s military contingent was “more relevant to [the] great power contest now than its ever been before”. Conroy told RN Breakfast:
I’m always careful about engaging in hypotheticals and our sovereignty remains paramount. The elected Australian government of the day will always decide whether we’ll be involved in a conflict or we will allow our continent to be used for operations, and that’s a really important principle.
But we live in a period of huge strategic uncertainty. That’s why we’re significantly increasing the defence budget. And we will continue to make decisions in the national interest to put the safety of Australians first.
Minister says Australia preparing to evacuate ‘fair number’ from Iran, but ‘it’s going to be challenging’
Pat Conroy, the minister for the defence industry, said the government is still preparing to evacuate a number of Australians from Iran following Israel’s ongoing strikes on the country. Conroy, speaking to RN Breakfast, said he expected a “fair number” of people would seek to board repatriation flights, but noted there were likely a lot of dual citizens who would stay in Iran. He said:
The air zones are closed at the moment, so planes can’t get in and out, but we’re preparing plans to evacuate Australians or assist in them getting on to commercial flights when those zones do open again.
It’s going to be challenging. There’ll be a lot of people probably wanting to exit. So we have to be careful, but we’re in contact with as many people as possible.
Conroy urged Australians in conflict zones to register with Dfat.
Man charged with murder after woman found dead in bushland in Sydney
A man was charged with murder last night after a woman’s body was found in Sydney’s west. Officers responded to the suburb of Werrington on Sunday around 1.15pm after a passer-by reported a body found in bushland in the area.
NSW Police established a crime scene and undertook extensive enquires into the 47-year-old woman’s death. A man, also 47, was arrested on Monday evening in Hobartville and charged on allegations of murder.
He was refused bail and will appear later today before Penrith local court.
