Australia news live: retaliatory tariffs on US not ‘in the interest of Australian economy or workers’, Marles says; Wong warns Russia against ‘bullying behaviour’

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Jacinta Allan defends new bail laws

The Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, has defended her government’s decision to implement what she says are the “toughest bail laws in the country”.

Allan was on ABC News Breakfast a short time ago speaking about her announcement yesterday that her government would reintroduce the offence of committing an indictable crime while on bail.

Allan said her government had listened to the community even though she expected to see more people on remand as a result.

She was asked if the government had spoken to the family of Veronica Nelson – an Aboriginal woman who died while remanded in custody – who had condemned the government’s plan.

Allan said:

Through the attorney general, there has been contact made with Veronica Nelson’s family.

What happened through the circumstances around [her] death was an absolute tragedy.

And that’s why the safeguards, in response to the [coronial investigation] that were put in place in 2023 will remain in place.

The focus here is on the serious and worst offenders who are causing such concern and trauma in the community.

You can read more about how Nelson’s family have responded to the new laws here:

Richard Marles says tariffs ‘an act of self-harm for US’

Marles says the tariffs are “really disappointing”.

Asked if he agreed with industry minister Ed Husic’s characterisation of the tariffs as a “dog act”, Marles said:

Well it’s a really disappointing. There’s no doubt about that.

It’s disappointing because it is an act of self-harm for the US, but it’s also disappointing in the context of our relationship with the US.

We’ve had a free-trade agreement with the US, which has been in place for a very long time now, and it’s been a great benefit to both countries.

We are two very close partners and friends. We are allies in a security sense but we are partners and friends economically.

Deputy PM says retaliatory tariffs on US not in Australia’s interests

The deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, says retaliatory tariffs on the US would not be “in the interest of the Australian economy or Australian workers”.

Marles is speaking on ABC Radio , where he is being asked about the Trump administration’s decision to reject Australia’s plea for an exemption from tariffs on steel and aluminium imports.

The Trump administration has imposed taxes on imports from important trading partners, including tariffs of 25% on all imported steel and aluminium which came into effect yesterday.

In response, Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on nearly $30bn worth of American imports.

Asked if Australia would do anything similar, Marles said:

In terms of doing retaliatory tariffs, that would not be in the interests of the Australian economy, of Australian workers.

So we’re not about to do anything which is an act of self-harm. And really this is ultimately the point here – I mean, tariffs are an act of self-harm.

This is not going to do the American economy any good, and we’re not about to engage in harming the Australian economy.

Good morning. I’m taking over the blog from Martin Farrer and will be with you until this afternoon.

Family pay tribute to missing surfer

The family of the surfer presumed taken by a shark off the coast of Western Australia has issued a statement paying tribute to a “beloved partner, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend”.

Police believe Steve Payne was attacked by a shark on Monday while surfing at Wharton beach, east of Esperance.

Payne, 37, originally from New Zealand but resident in Australia, “was one of the best”, his family said, and “was smart, kind, funny, laid back and very practical”.

He loved his partner deeply, the family said, “cherished his family, thought the world of his best mates, and was devoted to his dog”.

Payne, his partner and their dog, Poppy, were five weeks into a six-month caravan trip around the western half of Australia when the attack happened. Just a week before his death he had surfed “one of the best waves of his life, sharing the wave with a dolphin”.

Payne’s remains have not been found but drone footage taken in the area showed a shark and a cloud of blood in the water. The search for Payne has been called off.

The family said:

Steve would not support a shark cull or any attempt to kill the shark responsible. He and his partner spent a lot of time in the ocean together, had enjoyed many dives with sharks and knew the risks.

Read more here:

Global competition threat to universities, report warns

Australia’s universities are being threatened by global competition from Asia and the Middle East, the QS World University Rankings by Subject has found.

This year, 38 Australian universities earned nearly 1,000 ranked entries across 60 disciplines, an increase of 5% on 2024. It had 13 entries in the world’s top 10 across eight subjects – four fewer than last year, reflecting “intensifying global competition”.

The University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney each ranked among the world’s top 100 in 52 of 55 subject areas, followed by the University of Queensland, with 50 subjects ranked.

But 65% of Australia’s ranked entries declined in employer reputation scores, based on feedback from hiring managers. The decline was most prevalent in arts and humanities subjects.

QS’s chief executive, Jessica Turner, said for years Australia had “outperformed expectations” despite its geographic remoteness and smaller population.

However, the landscape is shifting. Emerging markets, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, are investing heavily in higher education, rapidly improving their institutions’ global standing.

Ben Sowter, QS senior vice-president, said cuts to arts and humanities in Australia could have “profound long term consequences”.

If Australian institutions continue to deprioritise these subjects, they risk not only diminishing their global standing but also weakening their ability to produce graduates who can navigate complex, interconnected challenges.

Victoria to become first jurisdiction to ban machetes

Victoria will become the first jurisdiction in Australia to ban machetes after police seized a record number of knives from the state’s streets in 2024. It follows similar reform in the United Kingdom, which took 18 months to pass. The state government is confident it will pass the ban in six.

Under the legislation, machetes will be listed as a prohibited weapon without an exemption, to take effect from 1 September 2025 with an amnesty period of two months. Offenders will risk two years in prison or a fine of more than $47,000 for being caught in possession of a machete.

Police will also have expanded knife search powers to declare a location a designated area to randomly search for weapons for up to six months.

The premier, Jacinta Allan, will call on major retailers to immediately stop placing stock orders for machetes and write to the federal government about action on imports at the border – and a national ban.

She said there was “zero reason” for people to be carrying machetes without a reason, adding it built on the toughest bail laws in the nation, announced on Wednesday.

We’ll always give police what they need to keep Victorians safe – we’ll build on the extra powers we’ve already given them and help members search for more knives.

DiCaprio speaks up for Western Australia forest

Leonardo DiCaprio has drawn the world’s attention to the government’s decision to allow the mining company South32 to clear native forest in WA’s jarrah forests for bauxite mining.

The actor claimed the operation at Boddington could threaten the critically endangered woylie (or brush-tailed bettong) and that the government was prioritising “mining development over environmental protection”.

He posted on Instagram that:

The mining company @south_32 is set to clear 9,600 acres of this old growth forest, which is home to threatened species like the Critically Endangered Woylie. This operation will destroy critical habitat for over 8,000 species, 80% of which are found nowhere else on Earth. While native forest logging was banned in Western Australia in 2024, clearance of native forests for mining is still allowed due to separate government policies that prioritize mining development over environmental protection.

DiCaprio is the co-founder of the group Earth Alliance, which funds online activism on environmental issues.

Australia doesn't respond well to bullying, Wong warns Russia

Australians will not respond well to “bullying behaviour” from Russia, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has warned.

Speaking on ABC’s 7.30 on Wednesday evening, Wong was asked about threats from the Russian government of “serious consequences” for Australia if troops were to join a peacekeeping force in Ukraine.

She said it was the “sensible thing” to ensure the global rules-based order was maintained.

I don’t think Australians respond very well to that kind of bullying behaviour from anybody, and certainly not from Russia … we would consider any request and that is the sensible thing to do.

We have an interest in the UN charter not being undermined by a permanent member of the security council. These are rules which keep us all safe, and we have to continue to work to defend them. We continue to advocate, alongside so many others in the international community and in Europe for a just and enduring peace, a fair resolve for Ukraine.

Welcome

Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Catie McLeod with the main action.

Our own analysis of parliamentary records shows that Peter Dutton billed taxpayers for flights to Sydney on the days of three NRL grand finals, a rugby tournament and a Matildas World Cup game. Last night, the Coalition was again forced to clarify its policy on breaking up the big insurance companies, with Dutton now saying “certainly something has failed” in the market.

Victoria will become the first jurisdiction in Australia to ban machetes after police seized a record number of knives from the state’s streets in 2024. It follows similar reform in the United Kingdom, which took 18 months to pass. The state government is confident it will pass the ban in six. It comes amid public concern about crime with the state government promising Australia’s toughest bail laws. More details coming up.

The family of a surfer fatally mauled by a shark has paid tribute to him as authorities suspended the search for his remains. Steven Payne, 37, was attacked at a remote beach about noon on Monday at Wharton Beach, east of Esperance in Western Australia. A large search failed to find his remains and WA police yesterday said it had been suspended “pending any new information being received”.

Plus: Leonardo DiCaprio has spoken out against mining in WA, and Penny Wong has a message for Russia. More on those stories coming up.