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Malaysia and Australia are deeply connected and share a longstanding friendship supported by our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

We have a common interest in ensuring our region’s prosperity, security, stability and economic future. Our close relationship is grounded in strategic trust, and a mutual commitment to open markets and rules-based trade.

Australia and Malaysia share deep concern over the conflict in the Middle East, its escalation and the consequences for our region, including the impact on energy supply chains, prices and flows of essential energy supplies such as the oil and natural gas value chains.

We recognise the complementarity of our trade and economic partnership and the role our countries play in each other’s energy security. Both countries serve as energy suppliers to one another, underpinning a mutually important energy security relationship.

In this context, we affirm our shared commitment to open, rules-based trade in energy products. We commit to promote open and stable trade flows between our two countries, including for essential energy supplies. We will exchange views on energy trade-related matters on a ‘no surprises’ basis, and deepen practical cooperation on energy security for both countries to achieve shared goals.

We are also committed to working together to strengthen energy supply chain resilience, including by deepening regional cooperation, supporting energy transition and promoting the uptake of renewable energy resources.

Open and resilient global energy supplies remain deeply important to the security and prosperity of our peoples, and we will continue to consult on developments that may affect energy supply and markets.

 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.”

Politicians need to do their job and repeal bad laws so good people don’t have to go to court and fight for the obvious.

Farcical gender fluid provisions in federal and state laws must be urgently repealed in the wake of today’s Federal Court’s ruling in favour of the Lesbian Action Group.

Family First National Director and NSW Legislative Council candidate Lyle Shelton said the case exposed the “legal absurdity” created by laws that blur the definition of sex and force women to fight for basic rights in court.

Women should not need lawyers to hold women-only events. This nonsense must end,” Mr Shelton said.

The Sex Discrimination Act — along with state anti-discrimination laws — has been corrupted by gender identity ideology. These provisions must be repealed to restore freedom of speech, freedom of association and legal clarity.”

The Federal Court found errors in the earlier refusal to grant the Lesbian Action Group an exemption to hold events for “lesbians born female only”, with the matter now to be reconsidered.

Mr Shelton said the fact such an exemption was needed at all showed how far the law had drifted from reality.

Sex is biological and immutable. The law should reflect that — not force women into costly legal battles just to define who they are.”

Mr Shelton also criticised Equality Australia, the political lobby group of which the Governor-General Sam Mostyn is co-patron, for continuing to oppose women’s right to exclude biological males from female-only spaces.

An Equality Australia spokesperson is backing on-going legal action against the lesbians despite their win.

Politicians’ failure to is why Family First is running candidates in NSW, Victoria and the Farrer by-election — to restore common sense and stand up for women and girls.”

Until these laws are fixed, the courts will remain a battleground — and women will keep paying the price.”

The Australian Government is pleased to recommend to Her Excellency, the Governor General, a number of senior command changes within the Australian Defence Force (ADF). Subject to the Governor General’s consideration and approval, these changes will take effect from July 2026.

The Chief of the Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AO RAN will be appointed as the Chief of the Defence Force.

Vice Admiral Hammond has had a distinguished career, spanning 40 years, in the Royal Australian Navy serving in frigates, and extensively in and later commanding submarines and the Australian Fleet. Appointed the Chief of Navy in 2022, Vice Admiral Hammond will continue to bring valuable insight to the role of the Chief of the Defence Force – including towards Australia’s acquisition of conventionally armed, nuclear powered submarines through AUKUS, and the delivery of Navy’s future surface combatant fleet.

The Government extends its deepest gratitude and thanks to the Chief of the Defence Force, Admiral David Johnston AC RAN. Admiral Johnston will retire with the change in command in July.

Admiral Johnston has served in the ADF for over 48 years, in both Navy and joint appointments. As the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, he was instrumental to the design of Australia’s future force and the subsequent ADF implementation of the 2024 National Defence Strategy. Admiral Johnston has also provided long-term leadership to ADF operations as the Chief of Joint Operations and as the Chief of Defence Force.

He is the longest serving ADF officer at the three and four-star ranks, and we congratulate him, and his family, for this tremendous achievement.

The Chief of Joint Capabilities, Lieutenant General Susan Coyle AM CSC DSM, will be appointed as the new Chief of Army.

Enlisting as a soldier in the Army Reserves in 1987, Lieutenant General Coyle has worked at the tactical, operational and strategic levels and in command roles, including Head Information Warfare, Commander Forces Command, Commander Joint Task Force 633, Commander 6th Brigade, Commander Task Group Afghanistan and Commanding Officer 17th Signal Regiment. Lieutenant General Coyle will be the first woman in our nation’s history to command the Australian Army.

The Government extends its sincere appreciation to the retiring Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart AO DSC. Lieutenant General Stuart has served with great distinction and leadership across the Army – most notably as the first Chief of Army to begin his career as a soldier. Lieutenant General Stuart has been key to preparing the Army for the changes required to the force following the 2024 National Defence Strategy.

The next Chief of Joint Capabilities will be appointed in due course.

Rear Admiral Matthew Buckley AM CSC RAN will be appointed on promotion as the Chief of Navy.

Rear Admiral Buckley has served in Oberon and Collins class submarines, including commanding HMAS Collins and commanding the Submarine Force. He was the Head of Nuclear Submarine Capability at the Australian Submarine Agency, before becoming Deputy Chief of Navy in January 2025. This experience places Rear Admiral Buckley in a unique position to lead the Royal Australian Navy and its people over the coming years as it continues its vital contributions to the peace, safety and stability of the Indo Pacific region.  

These statutory appointments will be presented to the Federal Executive Council.

The Government extends its sincere gratitude to Admiral Johnston and Lieutenant General Stuart, and their families, for their longstanding commitment to the defence of Australia, their service to country and their lasting contribution to the ADF.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“The Australian Defence Force is tireless in its efforts to keep Australians safe – and I am so pleased to announce these new appointments.

“From July we will have the first ever female Chief of Army in the Australian Army’s 125 year history.

“I thank the outgoing Chief of Defence Force and Chief of Army for their service, and wish them well in their retirement.”

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles:

“It is an honour to confirm these senior appointments to lead the Australian Defence Force. I know that in these roles, each of them will continue to make an enormous contribution to the safety and security of Australia, and I look forward to working with them to do so.

“My sincere thanks and gratitude go to Admiral David Johnston who has led the Australian Defence Force for the past two years with enormous impact, implementing some of the most significant and consequential decisions in decades – including Defence’s response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans’ Suicide, driving AUKUS and the transformation of our Navy, and working with international partners to build our defence relationships.

“I would also like to personally thank Lieutenant General Simon Stuart for his contributions to the Australian Army at such a consequential time, and wish him and his family all the best as he retires.” 

The first Australian-made Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles have been successfully test-fired at the Woomera Test Range in South Australia.

The successful firing expands the long-range strike capability of the Australian Army and demonstrates the Albanese Government’s commitment to building the nation’s sovereign defence industry.

The surface-to-surface missile is capable of precisely striking targets beyond traditional artillery range. It is launched from the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) that has been acquired under the Australian Army’s long-range fires program.

Importantly, Australian-made GMLRS missiles will provide a pathway for future long‑range fires munitions – such as the Precision Strike Missile and hypersonic weapons – to be locally manufactured. 

This test-firing follows the December 2025 opening of a new dedicated facility at Port Wakefield, South Australia. 

Australian suppliers will be progressively introduced into the GMLRS supply chain thanks to the Albanese Government’s $320 million commitment to uplift local companies to manufacture GMLRS components.

This is the third live-fire conducted by Australian HIMARS since their delivery in March 2025, demonstrating the accelerated delivery and training systems in place to achieve initial operational capability.

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy:

“Making missiles in Australia is central to Australia’s national defence resilience.

“Australia is now the only country outside the United States to make the GMLRS missile, providing opportunities for Australian industry to enter into global supply chains.

“This successful test-firing is a major milestone for Australia’s sovereign guided weapons capability, demonstrating concrete progress in strengthening our national self‑reliance and delivering a defence future made in Australia.”

The Victorian Greens say that new revelations showing the Allan Labor Government chose to cut public housing to plug cost blowouts on the Big Housing Build expose a troubling pattern of secrecy around Labor’s Big Build and the privatisation of public land and housing.

FOI documents reveal that the Allan Labor Government’s Big Housing Build was facing a $1 billion blowout due to construction costs. Labor quietly decided to reduce the number of public homes that would be built overall, instead shifting more into the hands of private community housing companies.

The Victorian Greens say that savings could have instead been made by refurbishing public housing instead of demolishing it – a plan that experts have repeatedly stated would be faster, less disruptive to residents and much cheaper, especially as building costs escalate.

The shift away from public housing is already clear. At the first two tower sites slated for demolition in Flemington and North Melbourne, there will be no public housing delivered – and Labor has refused to confirm whether any of the 44 sites remaining will include public housing at all.

Although the number of social (public and community) homes has grown since 2020, the number of bedrooms actually fell by 423 between June 2020 to June 2024, and the number of households on the Victorian Housing Register continues to grow.

The Victorian Greens say this exposes a government managing a cost blowout by cutting public housing behind closed doors and handing more control to property developers and private housing providers.

Victorian Greens housing spokesperson, Gabrielle de Vietri:

“Labor has been caught red-handed covering up a billion-dollar blowout and quietly cutting public housing to make the numbers work.

“We could be saving money and building more public homes if Labor wasn’t hell bent on their plan to demolish all of Victoria’s public housing.

“Experts have been clear that refurbishment would be cheaper, faster and less disruptive. Instead, Labor is ignoring that advice and pushing ahead with a slow-motion sell-off of public housing in the middle of a housing crisis.

“Labor has been moving more public homes off the public balance sheet and selling off public land to private property developers for years and refusing to be up front about it. This is just more proof of Labor’s privatisation by stealth and Victorians being kept in the dark about it.”