Key Points
- Australia to expand cooperation with Japan on cyber, defence and other areas
- Treasurer pauses plan to impose 15% tax on superannuation earnings on sums over $3 million
- Aryna Sabalenka to play Naomi Osako or Amanda Anisimova at US Open finals
TRANSCRIPT
Australia's foreign Minister Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles are in Japan, using the visit to reaffirm security ties between the nations.
They are attending the 12th Australia-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministers’ Meeting, with Japan’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Iwaya Takeshi, and Minister of Defence, Nakatani Gen.
The meeting is focused on shared regional priorities, including trade and cyber and regional security.
Addressing the media, Defence Minister Marles announced an expansion of the countries' strategic partnership, which will see more exercises, operations and have greater cooperation in logistics and cyber capabilities.
"This is a really important step forward that we are taking between our two countries, and of course all of this happens in the context of the decision that we made last month to select Mitsubishi Heavy Mogami class vessel as Australia's future general-purpose frigate."
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The Coalition has welcomed reports the Treasurer has hit pause on plans to impose an extra 15 per cent tax on earnings of superannuation balances above $3 million.
The Australian Financial Review reports that there is concern inside the government over the design of the tax and fears it could be subject to a scare campaign by the Opposition.
Labor has reportedly decided to pause the tax to consider changes, although it is expected to go ahead in some form.
Opposition Productivity Spokesperson Andrew Bragg says the government should walk away from the policy.
"Now we said that this was going to be a disastrous tax, because it would be taxing money that doesn't even exist. So in one year, you might have a tax on money that you haven't actually realised in your hand, and in the next year, you might lose money, but you don't actually get a refund. So there has never been a tax in Australian history, which has been as ugly as the unrealised gains proposal."
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Family, friends and police colleagues have farewelled Senior Constable Vadim De Waart-Hottart, who was shot dead while serving a warrant at a property in Victoria's high country.
The chapel's capacity had to be doubled to allow up to 1,000 people to attend the service, with officers spilling into hallways and overflow rooms.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Chief Commissioner Mike Bush, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan and Police Minister Anthony Carbines were among the mourners.
Constable De Waart-Hottart's brother Sasha delivered a eulogy.
"My brother has always been my hero, my protector. When I was a babyand couldnt really talk yet, my brother was the only one who understood me. So he would translate to my parents so they knew everything I wanted. Every morning, the first thing my brother did is he would get every stuffed animal he could find and put it in the crib and then he would hop in the crib with me. And that's all my brother ever wanted to do, was to make people happy, make people laugh."
The man accused of killing Constable De Waart-Hottart and another officer, Detective Leading Senior Constable Neal Thompson, remains on the run.
A separate funeral will be held for Mr Thompson on Monday.
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Thailand's parliament is voting for a new Prime Minister, after a court ruling ousted former leader Paetongtarn Shinawatra last week.
Construction magnate and leader of the conservative party, Anutin Charnvirakul, is expected to win, after he secured the backing of the main opposition People's Party who hold a majority of seats in the lower house.
He won their support on the agreement that he would dissolve parliament within four months and commit to changing Thailand’s constitution to make the country more democratic.
Aom Mepummarin is a Thai Australian who lives in Melbourne.
She says Thai people are sick of the political turmoil and just want to get on with their lives.
“It’s heartbreaking to see the country come to this point. We haven’t really moved forward at all. The whole process of choosing a prime minister just keeps happening like this again and again. Ordinary people who are simply trying to make a living need some direction about where the country is heading, but right now they have no clarity and nothing they can rely on.”
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To sport and in tennis, world number one Aryna Sabalenka is through to the finals of the US Open, after defeating Jessica Pegula 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 at a pressure-filled semis match.
The Belarussian three-time major winner overtook American Pegula with 43 winners and eight aces, overcoming nerves at Arthur Ashe stadium.
Sabalenka now has a chance to secure her first major this season, after coming in runner-up at the Australian and French Opens and losing at Wimbledon's semis.
Pegula told media she had improved her own performance since last player Sabalenka, but on this occasion, her opponent was just too good to beat.
"I played some really good points to win the first, she upped her level, started serving a lot better in the second. And then I felt like it was really even in the third, like there wasn't that much difference, like we were both serving really well. And then she came up with some ridiculous shots, like on break point. Like, I didn't feel like I did much wrong."
Sabalenka next plays either four-times Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka of Japan or American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova.
