Australia open to discussing defence spending boost | Evening News Bulletin 1 June 2025

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Source: SBS News

The Defence Minister says Australia is open to discuss further increases to defence spending; at least 7 people killed in a bridge collapse in Russia; And in sport, Novak Djokovic secures his 99th career French Open victory.


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In this bulletin;
  • The Defence Minister says Australia is open to discuss further increases to defence spending;
  • At least 7 people killed in a bridge collapse in Russia;
  • And in sport, Novak Djokovic secures his 99th career French Open victory.

Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles says he is open to discussing increasing Australia's defence spending with the United States.

Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, US defence chief Pete Hegseth called for countries in Asia to increase defence spending to levels similar to the 5 per cent of GDP that NATO members are pledging to spend.

He said collective deterrence is necessary against what he characterised as Chinese aggression in the region.

China's official at the dialogue has said China is working to protect and improve regional security , and the country does not welcome remarks that suggest otherwise.

Mr Marles says Australia is already bolstering its defence spending, and that Australia is open to speaking with the US about further increases.

"The Americans have been very clear about wanting to see more from their friends and allies around the world. It's a sentiment that we understand. In our bilateral meeting, secretary Hegseth did raise the question of increased defence spending on the Australian side. We actually are taking steps down this path, we will continue to have the conversation with the United States, we understand it, we're up for it."



The Labor government has vowed to make every effort to convince US President Donald Trump to reverse a decision to raise tariffs on aluminium and steel.

Mr Trump plans to increase tariffs on foreign steel from 25 to 50 per cent with the aim of strengthening the local United States steel industry.

The move could impact 100,000 Australian jobs, with the sector exporting more than $414 million worth of products to the US in 2024.

The prime minister will attend the G7 summit in Canada in mid-June, where he is expected to sit down with Mr Trump for the first time.

Cabinet minister Amanda Rishworth told Sky news the federal government is committed to do everything it can to have the decision reversed.

"These are unjustifiable moves, and not something you do to a friend and an ally. This continues to be a difficult area, but one we will throw everything at."



At least 7 people were killed and 69 injured when a highway bridge collapsed onto railway tracks after an illegal interference derailing a train in Russia.

The incident occurred in the Bryansk region that borders with Ukraine, with Russian Railways saying the train's locomotive and several cars derailed late on Saturday due to a collapse of a span structure of the road bridge as a result of an illegal interference in the operation of transport.

The Bryansk region's governor Alexander Bogomaz said on Telegram that 44 people were hospitalised and three children were among those injured with one in a serious condition.

Social media pictures and videos showed passengers trying to help others climb out of the train's damaged carriages in the dark and firefighters looking for ways to reach passengers.



Novak Djokovic has secured his 99th career French Open win over Austrian qualifier Filip Misolic.

Djokovic was given a thorough workout at times by his 23-year-old opponent but more than matched Misolic's power, and his 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory puts the three-times champion through to the fourth round.

While Djokovic and Miscolic were on court, Paris St Germain sealed their first European Cup triumph with an emphatic 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Munich.

Djokovic says he's a football fan himself, and could hear cheers when the French side scored, as the crowd at his own match watched the game on their phones.

"Right now we are in Paris, they won it for the first time, so I don't know how we're all going to go back to our hotels, it's going to be quite a journey, quite an adventure, i think we're in for a long celebration and probably not much sleep tonight, it's a fun night to be in Paris I guess."

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