Category: Australian News

Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister of Fiji, Sitiveni Rabuka, signed two historic treaties in Suva today – the Vuvale Unionand Ocean of Peace Alliance.

These treaties represent one of the most significant endeavours Australia has undertaken with any country. They will transform Australia and Fiji’s relationship, underpinning the region’s prosperity, security and resilience for generations to come.

The Vuvale Union sets out ambitious commitments across the breadth of our relationship, and will deepen integration between our security, economies and people.

The Ocean of Peace Alliance — a mutual defence treaty — commits Australia and Fiji to come to the other’s aid at times of greatest need.

It is Fiji’s first and Australia’s fourth alliance, building on our longstanding history of standing together to support one another and the region’s security. 

These are the first treaties to give practical effect to the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration. They will build the Pacific’s capability to tackle security challenges affecting the whole region, including transnational crime and climate change.

In Suva, the Prime Minister was awarded with an Honorary Companion of the Order of Fiji. As Fiji’s highest civilian honour, it recognises the Prime Minister’s contribution to Fiji–Australia relations and Pacific regional security.

The Prime Minister will also launch the Pacific Australia Skills program in Fiji and open the Vuvale Skills Hub, a refurbished trades facility. As core pillars of Australia’s support to Fiji under the Vuvale Union, these initiatives will uplift education and skills in Fiji to drive future economic growth.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“The signing of these two agreements represents one of the most significant endeavours Australia has undertaken with any country.

“This level of ambition is possible because Australia and Fiji are Vuvale – family – with a relationship grounded in trust, loyalty, understanding and respect.

“Australia was honoured when Prime Minister Rabuka proposed Fiji’s first alliance — the Ocean of Peace Alliance.

“The Vuvale Union sets out ambitious commitments across the breadth of our bilateral relationship, including security, economy and people.”

The Wagga Wagga Midwifery Group Practice is being celebrated, as the service marks its first anniversary.

In June 2025, the dedicated six-midwife Wagga Wagga Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) team was established, to provide eligible women with continuity of care with a known midwife.

Since then, the MGP team has cared for more than 200 women, with 160 babies born.

Under the MGP model, women receive care from a known primary midwife throughout their pregnancy, labour, birth, and up to two weeks after birth. MGP midwives work as part of a small team to ensure support and minimise potential disruptions to care.

The Wagga Wagga MGP is the second midwifery-led service in Murrumbidgee alongside Leeton MGP, which continues to provide a midwifery-led model of care for local families

A review of the criteria for MGP is also enabling more women with higher-level care needs to access the service, where clinically appropriate, or to stay in the program if they develop risk factors during pregnancy.

The Wagga Wagga Midwifery Group Practice service is part of the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to increasing access to midwifery continuity of care models across the state, which was supported by a $44.8 million investment into maternity care in the 2025-26 NSW Budget that includes funding for an additional 53 FTE midwives in regional NSW.

Since 2023, the Minns Labor Government has opened a total of ten new regional Midwifery Group Practices in Glen Innes, Port Macquarie, Goulburn, Queanbeyan, Bega, Moruya, Manning, Shoalhaven, Cooma, and expanded the service in Wollongong.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

“The NSW Government wants all women in NSW to have access to evidence-based, respectful maternity care.

“We have listened to, and acted on, feedback that women want greater access to midwifery continuity of care, so I am delighted to celebrate Wagga’s Midwifery Group Practice first anniversary.

“Since it’s opening, the Wagga MGP has increased women’s ability to choose the type of maternity care that best suits them by offering a continuity‑of‑care model led by a known midwife throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postnatal period.”

Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr:

“It is great to see this service is celebrating a year of providing midwifery-lead care for women and babies in the local community.

“The service is giving women more options for accessing care closer to home.”

Murrumbidgee Local Health District Chief Executive Emma Field:

“We are delighted to be celebrating the first anniversary of the Wagga Wagga Midwifery Group Practice.

“The MGP provides eligible women with more options for their pregnancy care and birth experience.

“I am very proud of our MGP staff, who are dedicated to providing the best possible care to women, their babies and their families.”

MGP midwife, Elise McIntyre:

“As a midwife I love working with women and their family, getting to know them and supporting them through such a special time in their lives.

“Providing continuity of care very rewarding as a midwife.”

Labor continues to push the line that because we would end mass migration, we would struggle to build alliances in Asia.

This is a ludicrous line of argument that, if taken to its logical conclusion, implies that the only way we can hope, as a country, to have positive relations with our Asian neighbours is by unquestionably accepting mass migration without limit.

Utter nonsense. If Pauline became PM, she would stand up strongly for Australian interests on the world stage and would be more than capable of building relationships with key allies in our region. The difference would be that Pauline would actually be respected for her strength in standing up for Australian interests in a way that Albo simply isn’t.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has concluded his visit to Solomon Islands, reinforcing Australia’s deep and enduring commitment to the Pacific and advancing a new era of cooperation between the two countries.

In Honiara, Prime Minister Albanese met with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale and members of his government. Prime Minister Albanese also had the opportunity to address the Solomon Islands 48th Independence Day celebrations – the first foreign leader to do so – where he announced a $10.2 million package of education support for Solomon Islands.

The package includes assistance for the Ministry of Education to develop a roadmap towards its implementation of providing free education, new books for every primary school student, infrastructure upgrades and uplift in curriculum standards for up to twelve Rural Training Centres throughout Solomon Islands.

The Prime Minister also announced the conclusion of an MOU for the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Police Academy, as part of the RSIPF expansion agreement. This MOU facilitates the comprehensive support and advanced training requirements for the Police Academy in Honiara. This will support Solomon Islands to expand its sovereign police force and contribute to its own security and that of the region.

Before departing, Prime Minister Albanese attended the handover of the Naha Birthing and Urban Health Centre, a $45 million investment by Australia which will expand maternal and primary health services in Honiara.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“It was an honour to be the first foreign leader to speak at the annual Solomon Islands Independence Day celebrations and announce a significant investment by Australia in the education of Solomon Islanders.

“It was also a pleasure to hand over the Naha Birthing and Urban Health Care Centre, which is one of the most significant single investments in Solomon Islands’ health system since its independence.

“Australia and Solomon Islands have a strong and enduring partnership, and by investing in health, education and security across the Pacific, we are supporting a stable, resilient and prosperous region.”

The SAX Institute this morning  released   a report raising serious questions about the lack of evidence underpinning the ongoing roll out of pharmacist prescribing in all Australian states and territories.  
The “Community pharmacist prescribing outcomes in Australia and beyond” report was prepared by the Leeder Centre for Health Policy, Economics and Data and commissioned by the Royal Australian College of GPs (RACGP) in response to a growing concern for patient safety amid rapid changes to prescribing for over 20 different health conditions.    
RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the results of the report were troubling to read, particularly after ongoing but unfounded claims the initiatives across the country were evidence-based.   
“The RACGP supports increasing access to healthcare; however, this should never be at the expense of patient safety,” he said.  
“Coordinated care is vital, but GPs across Australia are seeing patients with adverse health outcomes or diagnoses missed after forgoing a GP appointment in favour of a pharmacy prescription.  
“This can look like a patient getting prescribed treatment for a urinary tract infection and then presenting to a GP down the track with chlamydia, gonorrhoea, pelvic inflammatory disease or even an ectopic pregnancy. We cannot take these risks lightly.  
“All states and territories have announced or commenced pharmacist prescribing for around 20 common and minor conditions, but the independent report shows the bulk of these conditions have never been formally evaluated in robust clinical trials internationally, let alone in Australia.  
“These initiatives must be grounded in evidence to avoid putting patients at risk. The RACGP commissioned the report after patient safety concerns were consistently ignored by State Governments and repeated assertions by the Pharmacy Guild that the treatments were “evidence-based”.  
“We looked for high-quality clinical evidence that might support safe autonomous pharmacist prescribing but couldn’t find it. Then we asked State Governments to give it to us, but they declined. So, our last resort was to commission this independent report in case we were missing something. As it turns out, the evidence doesn’t exist and what does exist is limited or of very low quality.”    
Dr Wright challenged State Governments and the Pharmacy Guild to publicly release full details of any robust clinical evidence or peer-reviewed trials and evaluations demonstrating that autonomous pharmacist prescribing is safe.  
“While improving access to medicines is important, putting measures in place without assessing the risk to our patients is dangerous and could lead to poorer health outcomes, particularly for women who are targeted in these initiatives.   
“This new report identified some evidence that pharmacist prescribing may improve access to medicines, but the evidence largely measured service uptake and prescribing activity rather than patient or health system safety outcomes.  
“Rolling out major changes to our health system without evidence that they are safe and effective is reckless.   
“We need our health system to be evidence-based not lobbyist-led. Governments are putting policy ahead of safety and it is the Australian people who will pay the price.  
“We all want to see better access to medicines for patients around Australia, but not when it puts their health at risk.”  

Minister for Defence Industry and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs, Pat Conroy MP, will travel to Türkiye this week to represent Australia at the NATO Leaders’ Summit.

Minister Conroy’s attendance at the 77th NATO Summit demonstrates Australia’s strong longstanding partnership with NATO and shared commitment to addressing common security challenges across the Indo‑Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions.

Australia continues to work with NATO and Indo-Pacific partners to uphold international law, sovereignty and regional stability.

In partnership with NATO, Australia is supporting Ukraine to strengthen its military capability and self-defence, as demonstrated by last month’s additional $100 million in assistance to Ukraine.

During the Summit, the Minister will address NATO and its allies and hold bilateral meetings on priority areas of strategic collaboration, including defence industrial opportunities.

the Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy MP:

“In an increasingly complex and challenging world, Australia’s partnership with NATO serves to support a world that is peaceful, stable and prosperous.

“While our regions may be far apart, our interests are increasingly connected and cooperation is vital to our shared security, resilience and opportunity.” 

Today I announce the appointments of eight experienced career officials to lead Australia’s posts in Zagreb, Accra, Makassar, Kuwait City, Mexico City, Nauru and Bangkok and to lead Australian representation to Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

I am pleased to confirm the following appointments:

• Mr Glenn Morrison as Australia’s next Ambassador to Croatia
• Ms Keara Shaw as Australia’s next High Commissioner to Ghana
• Ms Sanchi Davis as Australia’s next Consul-General in Makassar, Indonesia
• Ms Amanda Riethmuller as Australia’s next Ambassador to Kuwait
• Mr Crispin Conroy AM as Australia’s next Ambassador to Mexico
• Ms Lisa White as Australia’s next High Commissioner to Nauru
• Mr Pablo Kang as Australia’s next Ambassador to Thailand
• Mr Jeremy Green as Australia’s next Ambassador for APEC.

Australia’s diplomatic network enables us to promote our interests in peace, security, trade, investment and other areas of cooperation.

Australia takes the world as it is and seeks to shape it for the better – these diplomatic appointments will deepen Australia’s connections abroad and increase our ability to influence where it matters.

I thank the outgoing Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Consul-General for their important contributions to Australian diplomacy.

The NSW Liberals and Nationals have called on the Minister for Regional NSW and Agriculture Tara Moriarty to return to work and do her job, after media reports she intends to take two weeks leave just days after the first confirmed case of H5 bird flu in NSW.
 
For weeks we’ve been warned of the significant biosecurity risks posed by H5 bird flu and the frightening impacts it could have on NSW.
 
Minister Moriarty should be ensuring every effort is focused on containing the disease and protecting producers, not taking annual leave.
 
There are times when your duty to the state must come first. This is one of those moments.
 
Shadow Minister for Agriculture Brendan Moylan said our poultry industry, egg producers and regional communities deserve to have their Agriculture Minister on the ground, engaged and overseeing the response to what is one of the most significant biosecurity threats Australia has faced.
 
“At a time when producers are understandably anxious, the Minister’s absence sends the wrong message. It reflects poor judgement at the very moment calm, visible leadership is needed,” Mr Moylan said.
 
Shadow Minister for the Environment Jacqui Munro said H5N1 has caused a deadly, global pandemic for marine birds and wildlife, that is pushing some species, including seals, to the brink of extinction.
 
“If the same level of disease and death reaches our shores, we risk losing entire populations of native wildlife,” Ms Munro said.
 
“The potential catastrophic impact of H5N1 on Australian native birds and coastal wildlife cannot be overstated. A nationally coordinated response is necessary.”
 
Nobody disputes a Minister’s right to take leave, but judgement must be applied.
 
The Liberals and Nationals are urging people, particularly in coastal areas, to be alert to potential outbreaks and report unusual bird deaths or sick wild bird sightings to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

More than $22 million has been awarded to 60 Australian businesses in the latest round of the Defence Industry Development Grants program, as the Albanese Government continues to strengthen sovereign capability, increase defence self-reliance, and support skilled jobs across Australia.

The grants, allocated between November 2025 and June 2026, will help businesses invest in advanced manufacturing, expand production, and deliver critical components for priority defence projects.

The 60 recipients included in this round of funding are delivering programs aligned to Australia’s key sovereign defence capability requirements, including submarines, aerospace, guided weapons and explosive ordnance, communications systems, advanced materials, robotics and cyber security. 

Business successful in this round include:

• Aurora Labs Ltd (WA) will receive $1,000,000 to procure an advanced laser powder bed fusion machine for the manufacture of propulsion systems.  
• Cop-A-Mate Products Pty Ltd (Vic) will receive $1,000,000 to establish local manufacturing capability for mission‑critical land vehicle armour and exhaust components.
• Lintek Pty. Limited (NSW) will receive $1,000,000 to upgrade its printed circuit board production facility through new advanced equipment.
• Southern Launch.Space Pty Ltd (SA) will receive $1,000,000 to acquire range safety and communications infrastructure to support test and evaluation activities.
• Gurit Australia Pty Ltd (QLD) will receive $559,852 to establish local manufacturing capability for bespoke subsea buoyancy systems for the Ghost Shark autonomous underwater vehicle.
• Currawong Engineering Pty Ltd (Tas) will receive $184,659 to procure a vertical machining centre to enhance the manufacture of aerospace‑grade electronic speed controllers, and engines to support the growing demand from export supply chains.
• Micca Holdings Pty Ltd (NT) will receive $62,419 to acquire a rotary fibre laser cutting machine and a laser welding machine to increase naval sustainment capability in Northern Australia.

The Defence Industry Development Grants program provides competitive, matching grants of up to 50 per cent to eligible Australian defence suppliers, supporting businesses to grow, innovate and contribute to Australia’s defence capability.

This latest round of grants brings the total investment directly benefiting Australian businesses to more than $73 million since the program commenced in June 2024. Collectively, these investments are supporting hundreds of jobs nationwide, strengthening Australia’s sovereign industrial base and promoting self-reliance in line with the 2026 National Defence Strategy.

Delivered across four delivery streams – Exports, Skilling, Security and Sovereign Industrial Priorities – the program enables companies to expand into new markets, lift workforce capability, strengthen security standards, and invest in critical technologies.  

This ensures the Government is delivering tangible outcomes for industry by helping businesses modernise facilities and adopt manufacturing technologies, improving overall global competitiveness.

More information on the DIDG program and the full list of grants awarded in the latest rounds are available at: 

Defence Industry Development Grants Program | Business & Industry | Defence

Applications remain open year‑round until 2028, ensuring Australian businesses can continue to invest with confidence and help the country to build a more resilient and capable industrial base.

Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy:

“Awarding more than 200 grants in under two years is a significant milestone and demonstrates the Albanese Government’s commitment to backing Australian defence industry and Australian jobs.

“These investments are helping local businesses to grow their capability, modernise operations and compete globally, while delivering the sovereign capabilities our Australian Defence Force needs now and into the future.

“By supporting skills, manufacturing and security across the country, we are building a stronger, more resilient defence industry and a future made in Australia.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will travel to Suva, Fiji and Honiara, Solomon Islands from 5 to 7 July 2026 to reaffirm Australia’s enduring commitment to the Pacific and regional security.

The Prime Minister will be joined on the visit to Fiji and Solomon Islands by Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Penny Wong.

In Suva, Prime Minister Albanese will meet Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka of Fiji to discuss deepening the Fiji–Australia Vuvale Partnership and greater cooperation.

Australia and Fiji share a strong connection underpinned by our Vuvale Partnership and a mutual vision for a peaceful, secure and prosperous Pacific.

Prime Minister Albanese will then travel to Honiara where he will meet with Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Wale, build on the productive discussions recently held in Canberra, and participate in Solomon Islands’ Independence Day celebrations.

Australia and Solomon Islands are committed to elevating the bilateral relationship through a comprehensive treaty on the basis of mutual trust, respect and open dialogue.

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles will be Acting Prime Minister until the Prime Minister’s return from overseas.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“Fiji and Solomon Islands are not just our neighbours, we are part of the Pacific family, and we work together for the good of our region.

“I look forward to meeting with my friend Prime Minister Rabuka to uplift the Vuvale Partnership, create opportunities for young people and celebrate the bond between our countries.

“It is a pleasure to take up Prime Minister Wale on his invitation to visit Solomon Islands so soon after his recent visit to Australia and continue discussions on how we can elevate our bilateral partnership through a comprehensive treaty.

“Australia remains a partner that the Pacific can rely on. By working together we can foster a safe and resilient region that enables all of our economies to grow and prosper.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong:

“The Albanese Government is working hard to make transformational breakthroughs in the Pacific and shape a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.

“In Fiji and Solomon Islands, we will continue strengthening our relationships by listening, respecting and acting on Pacific priorities in the Pacific way.

“A stronger, safer and sovereign Pacific is good for Australia and for our region.”