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TRANSCRIPT:
- National Cabinet appoints a national fuel co-ordinator to tackle supply issues
- The US continues to pressure allies over plans for the Strait of Hormuz...
- Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo questions Bronson Xerri’s future.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has appointed a national fuel co-ordinator to tackle supply issues.
State and territory leaders have appointed the coordinator at a national cabinet meeting to oversee potential supply issues and price hikes triggered by the war in the Middle East, while extra petrol and diesel will be released to regional areas experiencing shortages.
The prime minister says it was wrong for any corporation to profit from the conflict and pointed to the consumer watchdog examining any abuse of market power.
An agreement to release extra petrol and diesel to regional areas suffering critical shortages was reached between Energy Minister Chris Bowen and Australia's fuel companies on Wednesday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Donald Trump intends to keep pressing allies in Europe and the Gulf for assistance in the Strait of Hormuz.
She says in the meantime the United States has a plan to address the disruption, which carries about a fifth of the world's oil and has pushed global prices higher.
"The United States military has a lot of capabilities as you have seen play out over the last 18 days. They still do have tricks up their sleeve. I won't broadcast them for the media, but rest assured there is a plan. They're working on it. We have seen some progress with respect to that, but of course the president again continues to call on our allies to step up and do more."
Meanwhile, European allies have continued to express their doubts about the rationale behind the war, including German Chancellor Frederich Merz.
He has told Germany's parliament while Iran must not be allowed to pose a threat to its neighbours, he has not seen a convincing plan for how the US operation could succeed.
Iran is calling for the immediate evacuation of oil facilities in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, ahead of strikes it says may come within hours.
Iranian missiles have already hit Qatar’s Ras Laffan industrial hub in retaliation for an attack on its South Pars gas field, while Saudi Arabia says it has intercepted ballistic missiles aimed at Riyadh and a drone targeting a gas facility in the east.
Qatar has reacted in part by expelling the military and security attaches at the Iranian Embassy, declaring them persona non grata earlier today.
Its Foreign Ministry has issued this statement.
"The State of Qatar expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the blatant Iranian attack targeting Ras Laffan Industrial City . ... Qatar has repeatedly called for the need to refrain from targeting civilian and energy facilities, including within the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran. ... The Iranian side continues its escalatory policies that are pushing the region toward the brink and drawing countries not party to this crisis into the conflict zone."
Treasurer Jim Chalmers is expected to outline further reforms today to capital gains and business taxation rules.
His remarks follow reports Treasury is examining possible changes to the capital gains tax discount, negative gearing, trusts and electric-vehicle tax exemptions.
Dr Chalmers is expected to argue that uncertainty caused by conflict in the Middle East has strengthened the case for reform.
But he has maintained the government is handling all of the various pressures responsibly, as he's told Seven's Sunrise program.
"We've delivered a couple of surpluses. We've found $114 billion in savings. We've got the budget in much better nick, but there is more work to do. We're up front about that there will be more savings in the budget in May, and that will build on the very substantial progress that we have made in the budget to here."
About 500 people are set to be evacuated from the remote Gulf of Carpentaria community of Numbulwar as Tropical Cyclone Narelle prepares to cross the coast in the next 24 hours.
Emergency services agency SecureNT says they are set to be airlifted to Darwin in the coming days.
Premier David Crisafulli says he is urging Queenslanders to take the warning seriously and prepare for waves, wind, and flooding.
To sport,
Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo has challenged Bronson Xerri to improve his attitude and earn his way back into the NRL, after the centre reacted badly to being dropped.
Xerri was told on Saturday he would be dropped for Thursday night’s clash after being shifted from left to right centre during the pre-season.
Speaking publicly for the first time, Ciraldo has refused to guarantee the 25-year-old would see out the remainder of his contract.
The comments have come as the Bulldogs travel to Canberra, with players wearing “we before me” T-shirts.
