TRANSCRIPT
The federal government has announced a $12 billion boost to Australia's naval shipbuilding and submarine capabilities to support the AUKUS agreement.
The new funds will support the delivery of the Henderson defence precinct near Perth, which is expected to cost a total of $25 billion over a decade.
The announcement comes as Australia faces pressure from the United States to increase its defence spending, amid a Trump administration review of the AUKUS pact.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says the new Henderson facility will serve submarines from its AUKUS partners as well as Australian vessels.
"Before we receive the Virginia Class submarines under the AUKUS arrangements, there will be a rotation of UK and US vessels. So this will provide for a significant benefit for our allies, which is part of the AUKUS arrangement. But in addition to that, of course, what we're doing here is the construction of surface vessels. The sustainment of our surface combatant vessels and the depot level maintenance as well."
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Australia is set to sign a new defence pact with Papua New Guinea tomorrow.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister Richard Marles will travel to Port Moresby for celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of P-N-G's independence from Australia who administered the country until 1975 following colonial rule.
While there, the pair will sign a new defence pact with Prime Minister James Marape.
The agreement aims to further integrate the two countries' militaries and will allow P-N-G citizens to serve in Australia's military as a pathway to citizenship.
Defence Minister Richard Marles also says it also aims to evolve the capability of the PNG Defence Force.
"I've been really excited and actually I feel privileged to have been a part of the process since January, where we really began thinking that we were doing a refresh of an old agreement, which has been in place since 1977. But the level of ambition that both of us have brought to the table has meant that really, I believe what we'll be saying in the next few days is a genuinely historic agreement between our two countries."
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Nine people have been charged with child sexual abuse offences following a police raids in New South Wales.
More than 140 police swarmed 15 properties in Sydney, Wollongong and the Central Coast in an Australian Federal Police operation linked to the possession and distribution of child abuse material online.
Those charged included a man who allegedly live-streamed child abuse from the Philippines.
Others caught up in the raids include a member of the defence force and a high-ranking firefighter.
The maximum penalties for the offences range from 12 years to life imprisonment.
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Victoria Police have launched a historical tactical operation as they intensified their hunt for fugitive Desmond Freeman near Porepunkah.
Acting Deputy Commissioner Russell Barrett says the search operation on Friday involved 125 specialist tactical officers from across Australia and New Zealand.
"This was including incredibly rugged areas. They were crawling through caves. They were traversing rivers and falls. They were searching plantations and gorges in an effort to find Freeman. As I say, this is the largest tactical policing operation ever undertaken in Australia's policing."
Police have also lifted advice which warned the public to avoid Porepunkah and its surrounds in order to minimise the impact to the community, as the search nears its third week.
Mt Buffalo National Park remains closed.
Freeman allegedly shot and killed two police officers while they were serving him on warrant on the 26th of August.
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US President Donald Trump says he is ready to impose fresh sanctions on Russia, but only if NATO countries stop purchasing Russian oil.
In a combative post on his Truth social account, Mr Trump said NATO's commitment to winning the was has been far less than 100 per cent, and the purchase of Russian oil by some member countries is shocking.
According to the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air, NATO-member Turkiye is the third largest buyer of Russian oil after China and India, and the European Union is the fourth.
Mr Trump also called on NATO to place 50 to 100 per cent tariffs on China in order to weaken Beijing's influence over Moscow.
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And in Athletics,
Australian sprinter Torrie Lewis has qualified for the 100 metre semifinal with a 11.08 second run on the first night of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The 20-year-old broke her own national record to finish third in her heat.
But there was disappointment for Rohan Browning, who missed out on a place in the men's semis by just 0.008 seconds.
