Australian news and politics live: Anthony Albanese’s stark warning for Greens defector Dorinda Cox

WA Deputy Liberal leader Libby Mettam said green tape was holding up key WA projects and urged the Federal Government to act swiftly on reforms.

“Nationally, we will support any measure to address the green tape that has been holding up valuable projects,” Ms Mettam said on Tuesday, while Cabinet was in Perth.

“Our message is that we need to get on with these projects, not only for the benefit of reliable, affordable energy, but also for the benefits that they bring in supporting our state and our nation.”

WA Premier Roger Cook has told Federal Cabinet it’s time to “unleash and unlock” WA’s energy transformation amid Anthony Albanese’s renewables charm offensive in Perth this week after the recent North West Shelf approval.

Addressing his Canberra colleagues while Cabinet was held in Perth CBD on Tuesday, Mr Cook said State and Federal Labor were in “lock-step” with the “exciting stage” of WA’s economic history.

“We believe that the energy transformation that will take place in WA will lead to a whole exciting range of new industries, particularly manufacturing,” he told Cabinet.

“And working together with your government, Prime Minister, I know we can unleash and unlock those economic opportunities.

“And I’m very much looking forward to working with you on that.”

Anthony Albansese didn’t list energy when rattling off his priorities in the west when he opened Cabinet on Tuesday afternoon, instead raising health, education, and trade among his focuses.

The trip marks Mr Albanese’s 35th trip to WA since he became PM and second since he was re-elected on May 3 after a lightning stop on his way to Jakarta.

It was also his fourth Cabinet meeting in WA since 2022.

Mr Albanese is expected to make further appearances in WA on Wednesday before returning to the east coast.

“We’ll be out and will be out and about tomorrow, as well engaging with Western Australians about what our agenda was that we put to the election,” told Cabinet on Tuesday afternoon.

“We will continue to engage constructively here. We’ll continue to visit here.

“It’s precisely one month since we secured that election victory. And WA was a really important part of that victory. I do want to publicly thank Roger as well.

“During that campaign, we stood side-by-side on a number of occasions. We launched the campaign here, of course, in Perth for the second time in a row.

“So it’s fair to say that it’s unlikely that our next campaign will be launched anywhere other than WA.”

The PM said by the end of this week he would have attended all jurisdictions since his May 3 win, hinting a trip to Northern Territory soon.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has given newly welcomed WA Senator Dorinda Cox a stark warning as she transitions into the Labor Party ranks.

Mr Albanese said Ms Cox, who left the Greens, has been accepted with the understanding she will support Labor’s policies.

Senator Cox has been an outspoken critic of the government’s decision to extend Woodside’s controversial North West Shelf project for 40 years.

But when asked about her criticism, the Prime Minister said Senator Cox was aware of her obligation to toe the party line.

“The North-West Shelf, like other projects around Australia, more than 200, are subject to the safeguard mechanism,” he said.

“That’s something that the Greens political party helped to put through the parliament, along with crossbenchers, and we’re thankful for them.”

When asked about Senator Cox’s defection from the Greens compared to ex-Labor senator Fatima Payman’s move to the crossbench, Mr Albanese responded.

“Fatima Payman, of course, could have put herself before the people of Western Australia on May 3. She chose not to.”

“Dorinda Cox’s term is up at the end of this term, and she will have to – if she is pre-selected through ALP processes – put herself forward for election then.”

WA Senator Fatima Payman has spoken out about Dorinda Cox’s defection to the Labor party, calling out the PM as being hypocritical following her departure to become an Independent.

Ms Payman told the ABC that she is glad Ms Cox won’t have to deal with name calling following her defection from the Greens.

She said Anthony Albanese’s open arms welcome of Ms Cox is “hypocritical” following her own departure from Labor.

“She and I get along well so I hope that she has a smoother time than I did. The real question is, is the Labor Party ready to accept different voice, voices of diversity and views into their caucus?”

“Or are they going to expect them to sing from the same hymn sheet?” Ms Payman said.

Ms Payman said the “name-calling” and “smear-campaign” she experienced following her departure from Labor was horrible.

“It was the one of the most terrible and horrible periods of my life and I’m just glad that Senator Cox hasn’t had to go through it,” she says.

Donald Trump continues to hold the world in the palm of his hand, with the Reserve Bank admitting their decision on interest rates was dominated by discussions on the impact of a global trade war.

Given the constantly changing status of tariffs in the US, including legal stoushes, tit-for-tat tariff hikes and bilateral exemptions, following April 2’s Liberation Day, central bank forecasters must be at their wits’ end.

In cutting interest rates by 0.25 per cent to 3.85 per cent last month, the RBA revealed it had conducted scenario analysis to assess the potential economic fallout of a trade war.

The Minutes depict a Board reassured that inflation is sufficiently contained to justify a modest rate cut. The decision was also supported by signs of a weakening global economy, prompting the Bank to downgrade its growth and employment forecasts.

“Uncertainty” features 21 times in the RBA minutes, and that uncertainty seemed to partly stay the RBA’s hand from cutting further.

Read the full story here.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen said he’s prepared to have “tough conversations” with gas companies during an upcoming wide-ranging review of Australia’s energy framework.

The review, set to start by July 1, will investigate how market bodies can ensure greater gas access for Australians, Resources Minister Madeleine King said.

“Minister King and I will soon embark on the process of reviewing the various elements of gas regulation,” Mr Bowen said in Perth on Tuesday.

“We will consider what is the appropriate policy step for the next phase. What a review is for to assess the right model going forward for the whole country.

“Both Minister King and I, it’s fair to say we did not get a standing ovation from the gas companies when we said we’re going to introduce the gas code of conduct.

“We did have some very tough conversations with gas companies, very tough.

“We’ve got to have policies appropriate for our country.”

Only WA stands alone in forcing gas producers to keep some supply for locals, with 15 per cent set aside under domestic reservation policies.

Australia’s Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner Micaela Cronin will address the National Press Club alongside Australian Law Reform Commission president Justice Mordy Bromberg on Wednesday.

The pair are expected to discuss a 12 month inquiry into justice responses to sexual violence which was tabled earlier this year and found justice systems have failed victim-survivors.

It made 64 recommendations to improve their experiences and outcomes, including providing independent legal advisers or justice system “navigators”, creating safe places to disclose, and addressing barriers to engage with justice.

During the Inquiry, the commission received 220 submissions from individuals and organisations, and undertook 126 consultations, involving more than 384 consultees.

“The justice system has a critical role to play in ending this harm by providing people who have experienced sexual violence with a safe, informed, and supported way of accessing justice; and by holding perpetrators of sexual violence to account,” Justice Bromberg said.

Independent senator Lidia Thorpe – who split from the Greens in 2023 over the minor party’s support for the Voice to Parliament – has warned Dorinda Cox she won’t be able to effect change as a Labor backbencher.

Senator Cox said on Monday she had lost confidence in the Greens’ capacity to help her make Australia a fairer and more reconciled place, as she announced her decision to defect to Labor.

Senator Thorpe labelled the decision disappointing.

“While Senator Cox and I have had our differences, during her time with the Greens she spoke out strongly against this injustice,” she said in a statement.

“But we know that once you join Labor, you’re shut down. You’re not allowed to cross the floor. You’re not allowed to speak freely. You’re expected to fall in line.

“If changing Labor from within was possible, Senator Fatima Payman wouldn’t have been forced to leave the party over Labor’s support for the genocide in Palestine.

“The idea that Labor can be changed from within – especially as a backbencher – is, to me, a hopeless ambition. I wish Senator Cox luck, but I won’t be holding my breath.”

Senator Thorpe also accused Labor of “black cladding” by adding another Indigenous member to its caucus while it “continues to fail our people”.

She said it was disappointing the Greens now had no elected Indigenous representatives and urged her former party to listen to its First Nations members.

Australian authorities are targeting cryptocurrency ATMs and tightening regulations amid reports of widespread scamming and money laundering.

Anti-money laundering regulator AUSTRAC has refused to renew a crypto ATM operator’s licence and introduced transaction limited and tougher requirements to prevent cybercriminals from using the machines to extract money from victims.

Crypto ATMs allow people to buy cryptocurrency with cash and send tokens to a digital wallet.

Over several months, an AUSTRAC taskforce investigating their use uncovered activity linked to scams, fraud and other illegal ventures, the organisation’s chief executive Brendan Thomas said.

“The taskforce has uncovered disturbing trends which have confirmed that cryptocurrency ATMs are being used for scam/fraud-related transactions,” he said.

Read the full story here.

Anthony Albanese has ruled out doing a “shoey” but said the “lid’s off” on his booze drought after ditching tinnies since the start of the year.

In a colourful Nova radio interview while in Perth on Tuesday, the PM spoke about skipping alcohol from January 1 until after his Federal election win on May 3.

He revealed that despite posing for photos pouring beer during a media appearance at Fremantle’s Gage Roads pub, while on the campaign trail in Perth, he didn’t drink it.

Instead, he opted for a zero-alcohol beer out of the fridge in his attempt to bring “discipline” to the campaign.

“Just part of the discipline that you do. At the time of course, (it) was zero alcohol. They have a good zero alcohol beer – didn’t have it on tap though,” he said, before joking he was a lousy bartender.

“I’m not sure that the owners were happy there because I pulled beers, gave them to punters and of course didn’t take money. It was good fun. Great atmosphere though.”

When asked by host Nat Locke “What about now? Not anymore then?”, the PM replied: “No, no, the lids off.”

“Still pretty modest,” he added.

“I had a beer on the night of May 3.”

He denied getting “a bit loose” when asked and also rejected suggestions he’d perform a shoey - a move made famous by Perth race car athlete Daniel Ricciardo which involves drinking a beer from a shoe.

“No, none of that. I don’t get the shoey thing – No, I don’t get it,” he said.

“I don’t get it. It’s not gonna happen. No chance of me ever doing a shoey. None.

“Nope. It’s not gonna happen. I would just find it – nah – disgusting.

“And then you’re ruining a shoe. It’s sacrilege. You know, a beer should be in a glass or a can. Can’t be in a shoe.”

When asked if he would perform it with a zero-alcohol beer, the PM responded: “Even worse”.