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Australia and Japan are strengthening our defence ties with the Japan-Australia Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) coming into effect.

This military agreement provides the legal framework for greater defence cooperation between the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Japan Self-Defense Force (JSDF).

It is the first visiting forces agreement Japan has struck with any country outside the United States.

When it comes to practical outcomes, this agreement will see more training and exercises between the two countries, including;

• Japanese F-35s will deploy to Australia, to RAAF Base Tindal for the first time at the end of August
• Exercise Bushido Guardian, where Australian F-35s will be deployed to Japan for the first time in early September
• Australia will participate in Exercise Yama Sakura as a full participant for the first time with more than 150 personnel travelling to Japan in December.

The RAA will streamline more effective force cooperation, and enable each country to increase the sophistication and regularity of training, exercises and other cooperative activities.

Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon Richard Marles MP said:

“The Reciprocal Access Agreement will deepen the relationship between our respective defence forces, supporting closer cooperation and strengthening the capabilities of both the ADF and the JSDF.

“Both Australia and Japan recognise the increasing complexity of our security environment and the need to grow our partnership to support a stable and prosperous region.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong said:

“Australia and Japan share an aspiration for a stable, peaceful and prosperous region, and this bilateral Reciprocal Access Agreement will help us deepen our defence cooperation.

“The security and defence relationship between Australia and Japan is critical to both nations, and is underpinned by our Special Strategic Partnership.”

As the world confronts the urgent threat of the climate crisis, the governments of Australia and California have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to accelerate our shared efforts to deliver climate action and support clean energy transition.

California is the fifth-largest economy in the world, and through its concentration of clean energy technology and innovation plays an important role in driving global climate action. California’s ability to set standards for new and emerging technologies makes it a critical partner as Australia becomes a renewable energy superpower.

The MOU creates a framework for cooperation on climate action and ecosystem protection, including through the creation of clean jobs and inclusive economic growth.

Areas of cooperation include clean transportation, nature-based solutions, climate adaptation initiatives, developing clean energy supply chains and technologies, and supporting green finance, investment and climate-friendly business, the circular economy, and broader research and development.

The MOU will also help Australia and California address the pressing and immediate priorities of adapting to changes and investing in communities’ resilience to climate risks such as heatwaves, storm surges, wildfires, droughts and flooding.

Australian and Californian government agencies will look to develop specific projects in consultation with industry and academic partners.

This new partnership between our two governments is underpinned by a shared recognition of the opportunities and challenges posed by the climate crisis, including to the Indo-Pacific region, which is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Earlier this year, Australia and the United States established Climate as the third pillar of our alliance. This new Australia-California Memorandum of Understanding follows on from the national-level Climate, Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Transformation Compact announced by Prime Minister Albanese and President Biden in May 2023.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong said:

“Australia is committed to working with international partners to address the climate crisis, which is the biggest threat faced by the Indo-Pacific.

“Our new partnership with the State of California will accelerate our shared efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, including by promoting climate-related disaster resilience and supporting the development of clean energy technologies.”

Minister for Climate Change and Energy, the Hon Chris Bowen MP said:

“Global collaboration is critical to ensuring Australia maximises our clean energy potential and realises our ambition to become a renewable energy superpower.

“Our new Memorandum of Understanding builds on significant climate investments from Australia and California and reflects our respective net zero and carbon neutrality targets.”

Today’s Wage Price Index data confirms what Australians are feeling in their hip pockets: they are worse off under Labor.

The Albanese Labor Government’s failure to take inflation seriously is making Australians poorer while the economy shudders to a halt.

Real wages have gone backwards in every quarter on an annual basis since Labor came to government. This includes the biggest collapse in real wages on record in the December 2022 quarter.

This is a direct consequence of Labor’s failure to fight inflation first and it’s working families who are paying the biggest price.

For a working household, ABS data shows inflation was as high as 9.6% in the June quarter meaning their real wages have fallen by 6%.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said Australian families are footing the bill for Labor’s failures on the economy.

“With real wages going backwards, hours worked going up and inflation still stubbornly high – no one is feeling better off, no matter how the Treasurer tries to spin it,” Mr Taylor said.

“Between the Canberra Voice and a public holiday thought bubble, Labor is focused on everything but the economy at a time hardworking Australian families are feeling the intense pressures of Labor’s cost of living crisis.

“The government needs to bring inflation back to band by reining in spending, support economic growth through deregulation and driving productivity reform to increase real wages.

“Labor’s economic plan will achieve none of this.”

Shadow Minster for Employment Michaelia Cash said the data calls for Labor to heed employer concerns about their industrial relations reforms.

“The job creators of this nation are extremely concerned about further radical industrial relations reforms which will make it harder and more expensive for them to do business,” Senator Cash said.

“Businesses have said Labor’s proposed changes will cost thousands of jobs every year and strip the rights of labour hire workers to negotiate their own pay and conditions.

“Labor is attacking labour hire, the gig economy and casual work – any sort of flexible work which can’t be easily unionised – it is impossible to improve the real wages of workers if they don’t have jobs any more.

“Labor has always been more interested in pandering to their union paymasters than doing the best thing by businesses and their workers.”

A Coalition Government will commit $250 million in funding over four years for community sporting infrastructure across the country.

This commitment seeks to capitalise on the national attention female sports are rightly receiving and will deliver long-term benefits by boosting female participation in sport and supporting grassroots sport in our country.

Whilst our investment won’t be contingent on State and Territory government investment, we would encourage the States and Territories to match our investment to bring the total to $500 million.

The Prime Minister’s proposal of a one-off public holiday to celebrate the incredible success of the Matildas comes at a potential cost to the economy of $2 billion; not to mention sidelining the recent triumphs of other female teams in the Netball World Cup and the Ashes. It is a stunt which will have no legacy impact.

The Prime Minister has tried to make the Matildas’ success all about him. But we think there is a better way. We are opposed to Mr Albanese’s public holiday and today we are announcing a policy that will instead make a lasting difference to the community and the lives of our young people.

This package is aimed at improving sporting infrastructure right across our country for the benefit of our young girls and boys who currently operate with poor change room facilities and substandard sporting infrastructure.

We are committed to this proposal whether the Matildas win or lose the World Cup. And we will be proud of them whether they win or fall short.

With the recent success of the Matildas, the Diamonds and our Women’s Ashes Team, we are seeing a surge in interest in women’s sport. We must harness this goodwill to build the sporting infrastructure that our young athletes need.

This is a better and more lasting proposal than the Prime Minister’s public holiday ego trip. It will mean better outcomes over the decades ahead for millions of young girls and boys across the country.

Too many young girls who have an interest in playing sport currently have to change in the sporting club carpark and use the boys’ toilets. This is not good enough. We need to do better and this announcement will go a long way in rectifying this inequity.

Our priority will be improving sporting infrastructure in population growth areas in outer metropolitan, rural and regional areas: areas where young families live and where participation in sport is vital.

Funding will focus on projects which reduce barriers to participation for women and girls, but funding will be made available for projects which also increase accessibility and improve local facilities for children around Australia.

In the first meeting of National Cabinet under a Coalition Government we will seek support for the policy, and that each state and territory contribute towards the initiative.

Recipients would need to demonstrate co-funding of at least 20 per cent of the project cost.

We think this sporting infrastructure improvement fund is a better idea than Mr Albanese’s public holiday thought bubble.

And it’s an idea that will benefit millions of our young Australians who should have the community and sporting infrastructure they need and deserve.