Key Points
- Mitsubishi Heavy Industries wins $10 billion warships contract with Royal Australian Navy
- The Prime Minister speaks with the Palestinian Authority on war in Gaza, Palestinian statehood
- Australia names its 32-member side for the Rugby Women's World Cup
TRANSCRIPT
Australia has negotiated a contract with a Japanese company to build the Royal Australian Navy’s new $10 billion warship fleet.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries won the tender, beating Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems.
The deal was concluded overnight by the national security committee of cabinet.
The vessels would replace Australia's ANZAC-class ships, the oldest surface combatant fleet the navy has been operating since the end of World War Two.
The first three frigates will be built overseas, with eight more to be built in Perth.
Defence Minister Richard Marles says the deal was made on the basis of the ships, but it also signals a deepening bilateral relationship.
"What we see is a really significant defence industry dimension to that relationship. This is clearly the biggest defence industry agreement that will have ever been struck between Japan and Australia. In fact, it's really one of the biggest defence exports that Japan has ever engaged in. And as I say, it is a very significant moment in our bilateral relationship."
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has spoken with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.
The phone call happened overnight.
In a statement released from the Prime Minister's office, the pair discussed Australia's call for the immediate entry of aid, a permanent ceasefire, and the release of all hostages.
He also repeated Australia's commitment to a two-state solution.
The leaders also agreed to meet on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September where a number of nations in recent weeks have confirmed they will be formally moving to recognise Palestinian statehood.
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The Australian Federal Police says further charges could be forthcoming, after a Chinese national in Canberra was charged with one count of reckless foreign interference.
The counter foreign interference taskforce has been investigating information from ASIO since March, which led to the arrest of the Chinese national over the weekend in Canberra.
It is alleged the woman - who is also an Australian permanent resident - was acting under directions from a public security bureau of China to gather information about the Canberra branch of a Buddhist association.
AFP Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Assistant Commissioner Stephen Nutt says there could also be more arrests, as the taskforce continues its investigation.
"Australia is not immune to foreign interference. And we should not expect that this arrest will prevent further attempts to target our diaspora communities. However, it is important to note that one of the best defences to foreign interference to the threat; and reporting of suspicious activities to authorities."
This incident is the third time a foreign interference offence has been brought under new laws introduced in 2018 (espionage-related offences under the federal Criminal Code Act). And it is the first time the offence has involved alleged community interference.
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Nations are gathering in Geneva, to complete a landmark treaty aimed at ending the plastic pollution crisis that affects every ecosystem and person on the planet.
It’s the sixth time negotiators are meeting - and they hope the last.
A key split is whether the treaty should require cutting plastic production, with powerful oil-producing nations opposed as most plastic is made from fossil fuels.
The executive director is the United Nations Environment Programme, Inger Andersen, says between 19 million and 23 million tons of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems annually, that could jump 50 per cent by 2040 without urgent action.
"People generally are really outraged about what they see in our open environment in terms of plastic pollution. And of course, we also know that it's in our blood and in our bodies and not just, just quote unquote, in nature and ocean. So, people want solutions and that's why this matters."
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In Rugby Union, Australia has named the 32-player squad for the Women's Rugby World Cup in England later this month.
The team includes 15 World Cup debutants; as well as two currently injured players - Charlotte Caslick and Siokapesi Palu - who will need to recover in time to play.
The Australians, ranked eighth in the world, will open their tournament with a game against Samoa in Salford on August 23.
Coach Jo Yapp says the team understands that every game will be important.
"We definitely need to hit the ground running. We're not taking anything lightly with Samoa. We know that there will be some new faces in there with what we face with the A-team. And as cliche as it is - it is one game at a time. And we have to be up for Samoa. And we have to hit the ground running."
