Category: Australian News

The Albanese Government has taken a major step towards delivering a larger and more lethal surface combatant fleet with contracts now signed for Australia’s first three general purpose frigates.

Built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), the ships will be of the upgraded Japanese Mogami class frigate design, with the first scheduled to be delivered to the Royal Australian Navy in 2029.

The Albanese Government is working closely with the Japanese Government and industry with future ships to be constructed in Western Australia, subject to consolidation of the Henderson Defence Precinct, in line with the Government’s commitment to continuous naval shipbuilding.

Defence is also working with Japanese industry and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force to develop an initial capability to sustain and operate the upgraded Mogami class frigates in Australia, supported by Australian industry and workers.

The upgraded Mogami class frigate has a range of up to 10,000 nautical miles and a 32-cell Vertical Launch System. It will be equipped with surface-to-air and anti-ship missiles, crewed by 92 Royal Australian Navy sailors and officers, and capable of operating Navy’s MH-60R Seahawk maritime combat helicopter.

The decision to acquire upgraded Japanese Mogami class frigates accords with the Albanese Government’s commitment to more than double the size of Navy’s surface combatant fleet, following the 2024 independent analysis of Navy’s surface combatant fleet. In the 2026 Integrated Investment Program released this week, the Government committed to the investment of up to $20 billion over the decade into general purpose frigates.

The contract-signing was marked by the Deputy Prime Minister and his counterpart, the Japanese Minister of Defense, Koizumi Shinjirō signing the ‘Mogami Memorandum’, reaffirming the Australian and Japanese Governments’ shared commitment to the successful delivery of Australia’s general purpose frigates and deeper defence industry cooperation.

Royal Australian Navy personnel trained with the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force aboard the Mogami class frigate Japan Ship Kumano during its transit to Australia for Exercise Kakadu, further strengthening interoperability and the longstanding defence relationship between Australia and Japan.

The next two decades will see tens of billions of dollars invested in defence capabilities in Western Australia, including the build of future upgraded Mogami class frigates at the Henderson Defence Precinct, supporting around 10,000 high-skilled jobs.

Deputy Prime Minister, Richard Marles:

“Acquiring upgraded-Mogami class frigates demonstrates the Albanese Government’s focus on investing in the capabilities we need to keep Australians safe.

“Our surface fleet is more important than at any time in decades. These general purpose frigates will help secure our maritime trade routes and northern approaches as part of a larger and more lethal surface combatant fleet.”

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy:

“This is the fastest acquisition for the Royal Australian Navy in peacetime. We are working closely with Japanese and Australian industry partners as we acquire one of the most, if not the most, advanced general-purpose frigate in the world.

“We are delivering these commitments at pace, supporting and creating jobs for Australians, and deepening Australia’s industrial base. The first three frigates will be built offshore in Japan. We will then transition to an onshore build in line with the Government’s commitment to continuous naval shipbuilding and a future made in Australia.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles will tomorrow welcome Japan’s Minister of Defense, Koizumi Shinjiro, to Australia. 

The Ministers will convene in Melbourne for an Australia-Japan Defence Ministers’ Meeting and a tour of JS Kumano, a Mogami class frigate of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. 

Japan is an indispensable partner to Australia. As Special Strategic Partners, we have one of the closest and most enduring partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, underpinned by deep mutual trust, shared values and a high level of strategic alignment built over decades of cooperation. 

Defence engagement is a central pillar of the Australia-Japan partnership, reflecting our shared commitment to regional stability and the deep practical cooperation between our defence forces. The selection of the upgraded Mogami class frigate as Australia’s future general purpose frigate will see our two countries working more closely than ever before. 

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles:

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Basic Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation between Australia and Japan, and our partnership continues to go from strength to strength. 

“I look forward to meeting with my good friend Minister Koizumi today to discuss opportunities to deepen Australia and Japan’s defence partnership, including by increasing collaboration between our defence industrial bases through Australia’s general purpose frigate program.” 

Today we are pleased to announce that Australia and Singapore have substantially concluded negotiations on the Protocol on Economic Resilience and Essential Supplies to the Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA).

The Protocol delivers on the Joint Statement on Economic Resilience and Essential Supplies from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on 10 April 2026, in which they committed to support the flow of essential supplies between our countries.

The Protocol reflects the priority we accord each other with respect to trade in essential supplies including petroleum oils, such as diesel, and liquefied natural gas.

It also demonstrates the complementarity and interdependence of our two economies.

The Protocol enhances cooperation on economic resilience including by seeking to manage and minimise supply chain disruptions and endeavouring not to adopt export prohibitions or restrictions on essential supplies between us.

The Protocol also formalises the Australia-Singapore Economic Resilience Dialogue recognised by Prime Ministers in their announcement of 10 April 2026. The Dialogue will serve as the mechanism for cooperation on economic resilience and trade in essential supplies.

The Protocol is guided by the principles of an open, rules-based multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization at its core.

The Protocol will enter into force when both Singapore and Australia have completed their domestic processes.

The Court of Appeal has struck down Labor Premier Chris Minns’ post-Bondi anti-protest laws which enabled the NSW Police to extend protest restrictions, the Public Assembly Restriction Declarations (PARD). The challenge was brought by the Blak Caucus and Palestine Action Group.

A PARD was in place during the 9 February protest at Sydney Town Hall against Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to NSW where scenes of police violence went viral on social media. Community leaders are calling for the Police to be removed from involvement with any prosecutions related to the protest, and for the Director of Public Prosecutions to withdraw all current and planned prosecutions.

Greens MP, Solicitor and spokesperson for Justice Sue Higginson said:

“Premier Chris Minns has once again been pulled into line by the courts for inflicting unconstitutional laws on the people of NSW. These unconstitutional laws are the reason that Police felt empowered to commit violence against innocent people at Town Hall,

“This decision will upend the prosecutions of protestors who have been charged as a result of attending the protest. The Police must now extract themselves from this mess, they had no authority to issue the directions under these invalid laws, and any charges resulting from police activity at Town Hall need to be withdrawn,

“If these charges are not withdrawn immediately by Police, I am calling on the Director of Public Prosecutions to take over all prosecutions because it is crystal clear that NSW Police cannot run legally sound prosecutions of protestors in circumstances where their own officers were the perpetrators and they had no legal authority,

“Given this outcome, civil liability in the tens of millions is inevitable. People were harmed, their right to march to Parliament was unlawfully obstructed, and no doubt police were harmed too. Premier Chris Minns needs to take responsibility for this.

“Instead of progressing evidence-based reform to combat hate and antisemitism in the aftermath of the Bondi Massacre, the Premier chose to foist unrelated and absurdly anti-democratic anti-protest laws on the parliament knowing they would be declared invalid,

“This authoritarian approach to our democracy by Premier Minns has been repeated too often, at a certain point Labor needs to stop trying to subvert our constitution. If this trend of passing bad laws continues, with the community challenging their constitutionality later, NSW is at serious threat of descending to a very dark place,” Ms Higginson said.

Defence Minister Richard Marles must come clean on his accounting trickery with a radical new measure of defence spending, as well as his $5 billion of secret cuts.

In today’s National Press Club Speech, the Defence Minister obscured more than he revealed.

Australia faces the most dangerous strategic environment since the Second World War, yet two years on from the last National Defence Strategy and the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, the Albanese government refuses to meaningfully increase defence spending and instead has chosen to hide behind accounting tricks.

Historically Australia has used one way of measuring defence spending as a share of GDP, which excluded military pensions and other expenditure. Now when the pressure is on, Labor are changing the rule book to suit their narrative. Accounting tricks don’t make Australians safer.

Only immediate real increases in defence spending will put tangible capability into the hands of war fighters to protect our country.

Anything less is an insult to the men and women serving in uniform and fails to heed the lessons of Ukraine and Iran.

What we do not need is $5 billion of secret cuts to defence capability. The government must come clean with the Australian people and explain what capabilities will be cut, in addition to their previous cuts to infantry fighting vehicles, self-propelled Howitzers, F-35s, Hunter class frigates and military communication satellites. Even reservists are having their days cut because Labor has failed to fund defence properly.

If Labor was really increasing defence spending these cuts would not be necessary.

The government must follow the expert advice of people like Sir Angus Houston and Professor Peter Dean and increase real defence spending to 3% of GDP to fund important future capability including AUKUS, without cannibalising the rest of the ADF.

 The Albanese Labor Government has secured approximately 100 million litres of additional diesel for Australians, with two shipments coming from Brunei and South Korea.

This is the first of the expected shipments of fuel secured under the Government’s new Strategic Reserve powers.

Under these new powers, Export Finance Australia (EFA) has partnered with Viva Energy to make this purchase of more than 570,000 barrels of additional diesel possible.  

EFA has also agreed to commercial terms with Ampol, Park Fuels, and IOR. These agreements are supporting them to purchase the additional fuel needed to address regional shortages and critical supply gaps. 

Additional fuel can be directed to where it is needed most, including to our farmers, to our regional communities, and to the services that all Australians rely on.

The Government is only helping to acquire additional supply valuable for Australia’s fuel security, where it would be cost prohibitive for private suppliers to source on commercial terms without government support.

The Albanese Government is protecting Australians from the worst of this global challenge by securing the fuel needed to keep our nation and our people moving. 

the Prime Minister

“This agreement strengthens Australia’s fuel security by ensuring additional cargoes are delivered to the domestic market when and where they are needed most.

“We’re taking every practical measure required to shield our nation and household budgets from the worst of this global uncertainty.”

Minister Farrell

“We know that the impacts of this conflict will be with us for some time, and we are taking every possible step to secure what Australians need to keep our country moving.”

“Our Strategic Reserve powers go further than fuel, they will secure the supply of strategic materials that are vital to our economy, including fertiliser and other goods impacted by the current conflict in the Middle East.”

Minister Bowen

“We are working with industry to shield Australians from global uncertainty and keep our nation moving.”

“These cargoes are additional to existing contracted supply, are required to remain in Australia and will be directed to the industries and regions which need them the most.”

The Albanese Labor Government has worked with industry and the Indonesian Government to facilitate 250,000 tonnes of additional agricultural grade urea for Australian farmers from Indonesia.

This deal, between Incitec Pivot Fertilisers and PT Pupuk Indonesia, supported by the Australian and Indonesian Governments, facilitates around 20 per cent of the remaining fertiliser needed for the current season.

The Government is working closely with Australia’s key international partners and domestic industry to secure critical additional fertiliser supply. 

Having this additional supply locked in will give greater certainty for farmers as they make planting and management decisions for this season.

This is a demonstration of the close partnership and friendship between Australia and Indonesia.

The Government will continue to work with partners across the region to support food and energy security, in the interests of Australia and our neighbours.

Australia plays a critical role supporting food security in Indonesia, and across our region, which this agreement helps strengthen.

This significant new agreement builds on the Government’s work to help get fertiliser to Australian farmers, including:

• Joint Leaders’ Statement with Brunei Darussalam committing to cooperation on food security and resilient supply chains for food production
• Establishing a Fertiliser Supply Working Group between Government and industry
• Amending legislation to underwrite the purchase of fuel and fertiliser by the private sector
• Streamlined border processes for imported fertiliser.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

 “This is a significant outcome for our farmers. We understand how critical fertiliser is for Australian farmers, for our food production system and the food security of our region.

“This deal also shows why it’s critically important that we have strong relationships with our regional partners.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong

“Australia is working with our international partners, particularly in our region, to strengthen our shared energy and food security.

“Indonesia is one of Australia’s closest neighbours and friends, and we thank the Indonesian Government for their partnership.

“The Albanese Government is focused on ensuring Australia gets the supplies we need – including petrol, diesel and fertiliser – and that those supplies can get where they’re needed.”

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins

“I have been working day and night with industry to support fertiliser getting to Australian farmers.

“I am very grateful for the cooperation and support of the Indonesian Government in finalising this.

“While this is a commercial deal, the Australian and Indonesian Governments have been working to support this positive outcome. 

“This guarantees supply of fertiliser to Australian farmers at this critical time.

“This will mean Australia can continue to play an important role supporting food security in Indonesia and our region at a time of global uncertainty.”

“I am very grateful for the cooperation and support of the Indonesian Government in finalising this”

Scott Bowman, President, Incitec Pivot Limited

“Incitec Pivot’s trading relationship with PT Pupuk Indonesia, supported by the collaboration between the Australian and Indonesian governments, has yielded a positive outcome for Australian for Australian farmers”

“This additional volume for the period May to December, at prevailing market prices, is another critical plank in servicing the needs of Australian farmers.

“Australian farm output is necessary for regional food security, and this is a crucial contribution to securing inputs via Australia’s largest fertiliser distributor, Incitec Pivot”

“Whilst there is more work to do to ensure farmers requirements can be fully met this upcoming season, this additional volume will go a long way to shoring up critical supplies to Australian farmers”

A motorcyclist has died after falling from his bike near Lake Macquarie this afternoon.

About 2.30pm (Friday 17 April 2026), emergency services were called to a bush trail off George Booth Drive, near Seahampton Road, Seahampton, following reports of a crash.

Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District attended and found that a rider had fallen down an embankment while riding on the bush trail.

The rider – a 69-year-old man – was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics; however, he died at the scene.

He is yet to be formally identified.

Police have established a crime scene and an investigation into the cause of the crash has commenced.

A report will be prepared for the information of the coroner.

Today, the Albanese Government has released the 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program. 

Together, these documents set out the Government’s plan to respond to our strategic circumstances and keep Australians safe. 

In delivering the 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program, the Albanese Government continues its structured approach of identifying the capabilities we need and funding them appropriately. 

In recognition of our dangerous and unpredictable strategic circumstances, the 2026 Integrated Investment Program includes an additional $14 billion over the next four years, and an additional $53 billion over the decade, through Defence funding, estate modernisation and alternative financing where appropriate. As a result, Defence spending as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will rise to 3 per cent by 2033 under the NATO approach. 

The Albanese Government’s record increase in Defence investment coincides with major reforms, including the establishment of the Defence Delivery Agency and the Government’s response to the Estate Audit, to ensure every dollar of investment is focused on value for money and greater speed to capability.

Not only are these investments acquiring and sustaining the capabilities needed to keep Australians safe, they are also supporting tens of thousands of highly skilled, well-paid Australian jobs directly and across supply chains. 

2026 National Defence Strategy

The inaugural National Defence Strategy delivered in 2024 identified that Australia’s strategic environment was deteriorating and that our nation faced the most challenging circumstances since the Second World War.

It set out, for the first time, the concept of National Defence and adopted the Strategy of Denial as the cornerstone of Defence planning. 

The 2026 National Defence Strategy builds on these foundations by: 

1.    increasing efforts to develop greater self-reliance; 
2.    prioritising capability acquisition and sustainment plans, drawing on lessons learned from the war in Ukraine and conflicts in the Middle East;
3.    strengthening the resilience of Australia’s sovereign defence industrial base and building stronger, more diverse international industrial partnerships; 
4.    improving national civil preparedness and resilience to help Australia manage and recover from regional or global disruption; and
5.    increasing coordination with regional partners to strengthen and preserve the global rules based order. 

The 2026 National Defence Strategy puts Australia on a path to strengthen our self reliance; it reinforces the industrial foundations needed for National Defence; and it situates Australia firmly within a network of trusted regional partnerships. 

Above all, it ensures Australia remains secure, sovereign and ready — not just for today’s challenges, but into the future.

2026 Integrated Investment Program

The Albanese Government has allocated $425 billion over the decade to deliver accelerated capability for the integrated, focused force – to increase the ADF’s self-reliance and contribute to regional deterrence.

The 2026 Integrated Investment Program prioritises investment to:

1.    deliver an enhanced undersea warfare capability, supported by a sovereign fleet of conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines;
2.    accelerate the delivery of more lethal maritime capabilities;
3.    further expand long-range strike capabilities across the integrated, focused force;
4.    accelerate the introduction of integrated air and missile defence capabilities;
5.    expand the adoption of autonomous and uncrewed systems across the land, air and maritime domains;
6.    field counter-uncrewed air systems to protect Australian sites, events and critical infrastructure; and 
7.    deliver a resilient and secure multi-orbit satellite communications system. 

These investments, including the additional $53 billion in new funding over the decade, will also strengthen the resilience of our sovereign defence industrial base, create and sustain Australian jobs, and build stronger, more diverse international industrial partnerships and supply chains. 

The 2026 Integrated Investment Program also includes targeted investments to increase preparedness and resilience to ensure the ADF is postured and prepared today to respond to unforeseen events tomorrow. 

Throughout all of this, the Albanese Government continues to invest in Defence’s most important capability — its people. Recruitment, retention, training and skilling are central to delivering on the concept of National Defence. The 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program continue the important work of growing and retaining our Defence Force. 

As a Defence enterprise, there is no more important or consequential task than defending Australia and protecting the security, interests and livelihoods of every Australian. 

The work the ADF and their enabling APS colleagues perform directly supports this mission and we thank them, and their families for their continued commitment and service. 

Copies of the 2026 National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program are available online at https://www.defence.gov.au/nds

We, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, call for the inclusion of Lebanon in the regional de-escalation efforts and urge all parties to work toward a lasting political solution. The continuation of the war in Lebanon puts at risks the current regional deescalation, which we have welcomed and must be fully respected by all parties.

We welcome the initiative by President Aoun to open direct talks with Israel and the acceptance by Israel to start the talks facilitated by the United States. We call on both parties to seize this opportunity. Direct negotiations can pave the way to bring lasting security for Lebanon and Israel as well as the region. We stand ready to support them. We therefore call upon all parties to urgently deescalate and seize the opportunity offered by the ceasefire between the United States and Iran.

We condemn in the strongest terms the attacks of Hezbollah against Israel which must cease immediately. We also condemn in the strongest terms the massive Israeli strikes on Lebanon conducted on 8 April which, according to the latest information shared by the Lebanese authorities, resulted in the death of more than 350 persons and wounded more than 1000. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected in accordance with international humanitarian law.  

We also condemn in the strongest terms the attacks against UNIFIL and we reiterate that the safety and security of UN peacekeepers must be ensured at all times.  

We express our full solidarity and our steadfast support for the Lebanese people and authorities. We stand ready to provide emergency assistance to the more than one million displaced persons in Lebanon, in coordination with the Lebanese government.

We reaffirm the importance of respecting for Lebanon’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and for the full implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1701 (2006). We will continue to support the Lebanese state to exercise its full sovereignty over the whole Lebanese territory. In this context, we commend the decision of the Lebanese government to ban Hezbollah’s military activities, as well as its decision to reinforce the full imposition of state authority over Beirut and to have the sole monopoly on weapons, and we encourage full and swift implementation.