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Australia and the United States have taken a major step forward in strengthening joint military capability with the completion of the country’s largest and most advanced Marksmanship Training Range at Kangaroo Flats Training Area near Darwin.

Delivered under the $747 million United States Force Posture Initiatives Northern Territory Training Areas and Ranges Project, the new $46.1 million facility will enable marksmanship training for both nations, supporting a wide range of operational scenarios. 

The state-of-the-art range features 24 firing lanes with cutting-edge fixed and moving targets extending to 600 metres, and eight sniper lanes capable of reaching 1100 metres. It also supports vehicle-mounted firing and night-vision training, significantly expanding tactical readiness. 

The new Marksmanship Training Range is part of a broader upgrade initiative across four Defence training areas in the Northern Territory, with the full project scheduled for completion by mid-2026.

The upgrades reinforce networked and resilient base infrastructure in northern Australia, boosting the Australian Defence Force’s ability to deter potential adversaries and deepen international defence cooperation.

Assistant Minister for Defence, Peter Khalil:

“The new range supports a variety of weapons platforms and activities, delivering enhanced training outcomes for the Australian Defence Force and its partners, particularly the United States.

“These upgrades are a critical step in strengthening Defence’s capabilities in northern Australia and advancing the Government’s ambitious agenda outlined in the Government’s 2024 National Defence Strategy.

“This investment reinforces our enduring alliance with the United States, creating new opportunities for joint training and collaboration that enhance capability and interoperability.”

Special Envoy for Defence, Veterans’ Affairs & Northern Australia, Luke Gosling:

“Marksmanship is a core soldier skill and this new range will enable its mastery by both Australian and United States’ soldiers. 

“This new training facility will provide world-class marksmanship training and increase both interoperability with our partners and military preparedness.

“The completion of this state-of-the-art range shows that the Government continues to successfully deliver key investments in Defence capability, including in Northern Australia.”

Federal Member for Lingiari, Marion Scrymgour:

“I welcome this investment in the electorate of Lingiari and the impact this investment will have on national security.

“Building our defensive capabilities in the Northern Territory has a benefit to local communities, but also works to safeguard our strategic interests.”

The deaths of eight Koalas as part of a NSW Government translocation program have been slammed as too risky and referred to the RSPCA for animal cruelty investigations after an expert panel raised serious concerns with the program. Documents released after a call for papers passed the NSW Parliament last month reveal the Government rejected expert advice and pushed ahead with moving the animals despite concerns that it was not safe to do so.

Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson:

“I am so shocked by what has been found in these documents, and the Government and Department should be independently investigated for an avoidable failure where they sidelined experts and pushed ahead with meeting their internal objectives with no care for the animals they were supposed to be protecting. This is why I have referred the Department to the RSPCA for animal cruelty crimes,”

“These documents show a coordinated determination to meet politically motivated departmental relocation targets that led to a reckless indifference to the welfare and fate of the individual animals. Independent expert advice warning of the risks of failure was sidelined, licences were granted in the face of the identified risk of failure and death, animals were left to die after the first koalas were found starved to death, and then what took place can only be described as a coordinated cover up of the truth,”

“The details of these deaths are terrible and show that despite the first discovery that some Koalas had died, the others were left where they were to die as well. One of the koala victims was a perfectly healthy female with an unfurred joey in her pouch when she was taken from her home. She was taken hundreds of kilometres away from her home and released into the wild. There was no soft release for close monitoring and when she was recaptured for checking her joey had died and instead of being taken into care she was left in situ and found dead a few weeks later,”

“Experts have been raising alarm for years about the Department’s lack of expertise to be conducting these types of experiments on Koalas, and these deaths are the tragic outcome of the Government ignoring those concerns. The Department’s determination to meet their targets for political reasons has made them blind to the experts and the evidence and these dead Koalas are the result,”

“Koala translocation is fraught with risk and failure, yet the Department pushed ahead despite expert advice to meet their own internal target. Increasing genetic diversity of koala populations due to habitat destruction is necessary, but we can not engage in such reckless un-scientific experiments in the name of conservation,”

“This was not a koala conservation project, it was a politically motivated animal experimentation. These koalas were treated as lab rats instead of as part of critical conservation work.”

The ACT Greens will bring on a vote this week to expand fare-free travel, to make life more affordable for families and individuals impacted most by the cost of living.

“For most people it’s just a couple of dollars, but someone really struggling with the cost of living shouldn’t have to choose between a third meal in the day or getting where they need to go,” said ACT Greens Transport Spokesperson, Andrew Braddock MLA. “This would give parents a cost-free way to get their kids to school, and it would expand free travel to part-time uni students who are juggling work to make ends meet.

“The Greens took this policy to the election because we want Canberra to be an easy and affordable place to get around. We’re hopeful it could get unanimous support across the Assembly this week.”

The Canberra Liberals promised at the 2024 election that they would deliver, “Free public transport for students, seniors and concession card holders. All day. Every day.”

In post-election negotiations with the Greens, Labor said they would look at further fare exemptions after they had brought in Fare Free Friday.

“Thursday’s vote will be a chance for both the big parties to make good on their word and help us make life a little easier for thousands of Canberrans,” Mr Braddock said.

“In the context of transport creating the largest – and growing – share of the ACT’s climate emissions, it’s also critical that we make public transport a more attractive option for more people.

“In a cost of living crisis, which is an inequality crisis, the government must be there to support those who are hardest hit.

“Free fares for those who need it most is a simple measure, so let’s get in there and get it done,” Mr Braddock said.

Prime Minister Albanese’s meeting with US President Donald Trump masks the hard truth of Australia’s defence and trade surrender to Trump.

President Trump has publicly backed AUKUS because it has Australian taxpayers building the US a $8 billion nuclear submarine base of Perth while pumping billions more directly into the US nuclear submarine industry.

Today’s meeting was sweetened by Australia offering Trump reduced environmental protections for critical minerals extraction and a potential US veto on who Australia sells to, and invests with, in this essential industry. 

While Trump talked up the US industrial capacity to build nuclear submarines for Australia under AUKUS, his rhetoric is in stark contrast to reality. Whatever Trump says, the US is not producing any spare nuclear submarines for Australia and, as Trump clearly knows, AUKUS doesn’t even require them to deliver any. 

At a time Australia should be looking to the region to find ways to promote peace and independence, Albanese has aligned Australia closer and closer to Trump with all the instability and divisive hard right politics that he brings. 

Senator David Shoebridge, Greens Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence, said: “Trump made no secret of the reason he liked Albanese, he is building Trump a $8 billion nuclear submarine base off Perth and has committed hundreds of billions more for US weapons.

“Trump’s statement that there are plenty of submarines is what the Prime Minister wants to hear, but like a lot of what Trump says, it has no connection to reality. 

“The US is building barely one Virginia nuclear submarine a year and they need to more than double that rate to make AUKUS work. Whatever Trump may say, there remains no credible plan to do this.

“For the US, keeping AUKUS on life support means the US gets new and expanded US bases across Australia, billions of dollars for US industry and US weapons and control over Australia’s critical minerals.

“This is all upside for Trump because he knows that, even after all this, AUKUS doesn’t require him to hand over a single submarine. It’s no wonder Trump was smiling.

“Critical minerals are key to a green future, but Albanese has put Australia in lockstep with an administration that thinks climate change is a hoax.

“The Albanese Government seems to routinely engage in these rituals to appease Trump, praising him and showering him with gifts and all to bind us to an increasingly erratic US administration.”

Resources Spokesperson Senator Steph Hodgins-May: “This deal doesn’t back in Australia’s renewables transition – it shackles it. We’re signing up to fuel America’s military – one of the world’s largest polluters – for the sake of submarines and a photo-op.  

“Australia should be fueling global green technologies with strong environmental protections and community benefits, not more handouts to mining corporations and Labor’s billionaire donors whilst being locked to the US’s climate-denialist agenda.

“If we’re serious about the energy transition, we need strong ambition that ensures a just and fair transition for critical minerals doesn’t come at the cost of our ecosystems and First Nations heritage.”

The Victorian Greens have called reports Labor has heavily cut support allowances for foster carers ‘deeply concerning’, and a clear indication the government has its priorities wrong.

Overnight, The Age reported some carers had had their allowances cut by as much as three-quarters without explanation, despite living with children at the highest need level.

With Victoria already having the lowest base rate of home care allowances in the country, the Greens say the cuts will place immense strain on an already under-resourced sector.

And they add that vulnerable children will bear the brunt of it, with the decision disproportionately impacting children with disabilities and First Nations children.

Victorian Greens early childhood spokesperson, Anasina Gray-Barberio MLC:

“Our foster carers are unsung heroes. They volunteer to support and look after vulnerable kids who, for a range of reasons, aren’t safe at home. 

“Yet they’re stretched thin – they’re chronically under-resourced, and often have to dig into their own pockets to make sure the kids they’re caring for have the best chance at a good life.

“Any move to further reduce support allowances for carers is a bad one, and shows how backwards Labor’s priorities are. 

“Cuts to health, cuts to education, and now cuts to foster care – that’s not what looking after our kids looks like.

“Labor needs to properly fund foster carers so that they can continue to support the thousands of Victorian kids in need of out-of-home care.”

Greens spokesperson for Early Childhood Education and Care, Senator Steph Hodgins-May, has called Liberal Leader Sussan Ley’s comments rejecting universal childcare “out of touch” with the reality facing families and women across Australia.

Senator Hodgins-May is also urging Labor to treat high-quality, universal early childhood education and care as a priority, instead of more piecemeal policy changes that leave children, parents and educators to face the same problems.

Greens Senator for Victoria, Steph Hodgins-May:

“The comments by the Leader of the Opposition yesterday show just how out of touch the Liberals are from the daily struggles of working families. Saying no to universal childcare is saying no to parents and kids who desperately need relief.

“Labor and the Liberals choose to cling onto the failing Morrison-era Child Care Subsidy that only fattens the pockets of corporate investors while locking families and children out of early learning.

“Both major parties have had decades to fix this. Instead, the Liberals are slamming the door on our children’s future while Labor continues to allow for-profit operators to price-gouge families and cut corners.

“A shift to a universal, low-cost, high-quality early learning system would be monumental for families, children and the economy.

“Universal childcare would free young parents, especially women, to go back into the workforce and allow them to contribute their full skills to our economy. It pays for itself many times over – more economic participation, better outcomes for children, and long-term gains. 

“Ley’s comments should be a warning for Labor – stop using the Liberals as a moral litmus test and start acting towards bold, universal reform that families are desperate for.