Albanese says he has invited Trump to Australia
Anthony Albanese says he has invited US president Donald Trump to visit Australia.
The prime minister revealed the invitation on ABC TV on Wednesday afternoon, as he was asked about his relationship with Trump.
Albanese said his government was “engaging through officials and through the representations that we’re making, strongly putting to speak to Donald Trump before the election”, following the US administration slapping tariffs on Australian goods as it has with many other countries.
Host Patricia Karvelas asked Albanese if he was reelected, would his first trip be to the United States, to which he said:
“I have discussed with the president going to the United States, and I expect that certainly will be very early on in the term…and I’ve also invited the president to Australia.”
“He didn’t come during his first term as president, but American presidents will always be welcome here, as are other international visitors.”
Albanese also noted that Australia is likely to host the Quad leaders meeting next year, which will see the heads of the US, Japan and India visit.
Key events
Allegedly armed man crashes car into Qantas call centre in Hobart
Elias Visontay
A Qantas employee is being treated in hospital after an allegedly armed man crashed a car into the airline’s Hobart call centre building.
About 9:30am on Wednesday, police responded to a report of a man carrying a knife behaving erratically in Claremont, a suburb north of central Hobart.
The man then allegedly stole a vehicle and drove to the Goodwood area, police said, “where he crashed into a building on Longreach Avenue and entered the premises”.
The building at the Technopark area at Goodwood is home to a Qantas and TPG call centre. The man reportedly crashed into the reception of the Qantas office.
It is unclear if it was a targeted incident. Qantas are liaising with Tasmania police who are investigating the incident.
Guardian Australia understands one employee sustained minor injuries and has been taken to hospital.
“Police were at the scene within minutes and took the man into custody,” police said.
The building was evacuated and people have been asked to avoid the area. There is no ongoing risk to the community, police said.
“This is a very distressing incident for our employees,” a Qantas spokesperson said. “The safety of our people is our priority and we are providing immediate support to those impacted.
Alcoa fined after work experience students and workers burned at refinery
Alumina giant Alcoa has been fined $400,000 after a hot caustic solution burned school students on work experience and workers at a refinery in 2022.
A worker had noticed a burning smell and found a faulty pump emitting smoke and debris at the US-listed company’s Kwinana alumina refinery near Perth, Worksafe WA said.
Fearing the pump would explode if pressure built up, a shift supervisor opened a discharge drain valve before leaving it to alert the student group to the incident.
As he did, another worker, unaware the discharge drain valve was open, pressed a start button to bring another pump online to replace the damaged pump. This action caused an uncontrolled discharge of hot caustic solution from the discharge drainpipe, which sprayed onto some of the workers and students.
Emergency responders provided first aid to those affected by the spill before taking them to the refinery’s medical centre.
WorkSafe Commissioner Sally North said the workers and students were extremely lucky not to have sustained more serious injuries. “Companies must ensure all people at a workplace, including work experience students, are kept safe,” she said.
Alcoa pleaded guilty in the Rockingham Magistrate’s Court for failing to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers during the September 2022 incident.
It was fined $400,000 and ordered to pay costs of $5,536.70 on Tuesday. In a statement, Alcoa said at the time of the incident, treatment was provided promptly to those affected. “Actions were taken to ensure nobody else was exposed to risks in the area and an investigation was carried out with findings used to inform improvements.”
The company said safety remained its highest priority and a dedicated project to eliminate chemical contact incidents at its refineries has been underway since early 2023.
AAP
Natasha May
Another measles case confirmed in NSW
Authorities are warning that the infectious person visited Sydney Airport and western NSW.
The person had recently returned to Sydney on Wednesday 19 March from a Jetstar flight from Vietnam – one of several countries in south east Asia where there has been an outbreak of measles and cases in the thousands.
It is the 14th case in the state this year – compared to 18 cases in NSW in the whole of 2024. Experts are warning Australians are vulnerable to measles coming into the country from outbreaks in Asia and the US, especially since vaccination rates are below herd immunity. You can read more about who is particularly at risk here:
Authorities say people who were onboard the JQ62 flight which arrived at 10.50am that morning, as well as International arrivals terminal and baggage claim up until midday should monitor for symptoms.
The person then visited the Ochre medical centre in Parkes in western NSW on 21 March and the Parkes Health Service’s emergency department on 24 March.
Dr Victor Carey, western NSW local health district public health physician urged anyone who visited those locations to monitor for symptoms, and everyone in the community to ensure they were up to date with their vaccinations:
“It can take up to 18 days for symptoms to appear after an exposure, so it’s important for people who visited these locations to look out for symptoms up until 11 April 2025.”
“We want to remind the community to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations. The measles vaccine can prevent the disease even after exposure, if given early enough.”
Albanese says he has invited Trump to Australia
Anthony Albanese says he has invited US president Donald Trump to visit Australia.
The prime minister revealed the invitation on ABC TV on Wednesday afternoon, as he was asked about his relationship with Trump.
Albanese said his government was “engaging through officials and through the representations that we’re making, strongly putting to speak to Donald Trump before the election”, following the US administration slapping tariffs on Australian goods as it has with many other countries.
Host Patricia Karvelas asked Albanese if he was reelected, would his first trip be to the United States, to which he said:
“I have discussed with the president going to the United States, and I expect that certainly will be very early on in the term…and I’ve also invited the president to Australia.”
“He didn’t come during his first term as president, but American presidents will always be welcome here, as are other international visitors.”
Albanese also noted that Australia is likely to host the Quad leaders meeting next year, which will see the heads of the US, Japan and India visit.
PM spruiks budget’s cost-of-living measures
Anthony Albanese has trumpeted his government’s record on cost-of-living relief in defending his latest budget.
The prime minister told ABC TV “we have shown responsible economic management”.
Albanese said:
Our cost of living relief has put that downward pressure on inflation as well, and getting inflation down without having a spike in unemployment and while dealing with cost of living relief is like landing a 747 on a helicopter pad, but we’ve managed to do that. We are turning the corner.”
Albanese suggested fresh inflation figures released earlier today – which showed headline inflation had decreased slightly to 2.4% in the 12 months to February – showed his government’s efforts had been successful.
But, as is common for politicians, he dodged questions about whether he wants to see the Reserve Bank cut interest rates next week, noting the RBA is an independent body.
Jonathan Barrett
Jeanswest to close as buying habits shift
The owners of Jeanswest have blamed a reduction in consumer spending and cost of living pressures for their decision to shut all of the brand’s stores, in a move that will affect up to 600 workers.
Administrators Pitcher Partners will now consider restructuring options, and have flagged they may keep the denim brand going via its online store, according to a statement.
It is the second time in five years owners have tried to restructure the business.
The administrators said in a statement:
“The owners have done everything they can to keep Jeanswest going, but market conditions mean sustaining bricks-and-mortar stores is not viable and unlikely to improve.”
“This is a hard day for hundreds of Jeanswest team members and we will be working directly with the team members to provide clarity and information about the next steps.”
Jeanswest is owned by Harbour Guidance. It operates in 90 locations with 600 staff.
The decision was blamed on “reduced discretionary spending and increased cost of living”.
All stock is expected to go on immediate sale.
Katies and Rivers are among several well-known retail brands and stores to have been recently wound up amid changed buying habits and tastes.
Ed Husic, the minister of industry and science, believes Australia should continue to stand up to the Trump administration in the face of tariffs against Australian goods.
Husic, who previously called the US’ move to slap tariffs on Australian goods a “dog act”, said “we will continue to work with that administration and make our case with that administration and we will see what happens”.
Husic told ABC TV:
I think from our perspective we want to have a measured response but also a strong one.
The national interest is not represented by the decisions made by a country that we consider a friend and we believe and we keep making the case they given how many times we have stood side-by-side with the Americans they should be reflecting on that.
At a time where there is a contested global environment I think that speaks for something as well. Again, I just do not think we should shirk our responsibilities, we should speak up.”
Husic was also scathing of a move by the Trump administration to require Australian researchers, including at the CSIRO, to complete diversity and inclusion questionnaires or else risk losing funding for projects jointly conducted with US equivalent bodies relying on federal funding.
Krishani Dhanji
That is all from me today folks
Thank you for sticking with me on the blog!
I will be back with you tomorrow to bring you the opposition’s budget reply and all the other parliamentary shenanigans.
I’ll leave you in the very capable hands of Elias Visontay for the afternoon.
Rafqa Touma
Toilets placed outside MPs’ offices as protest
Staying with politics, but moving out to the *real world*, a several MPs have had toilets placed outside their offices by young people accusing the major parties of “flushing our future down the toilet”.
A group of activists have distributed the loos after the federal budget yesterday – to several offices including that of the treasurer Jim Chalmers, housing minister Clare O’Neil, and NSW leader of the opposition Mark Speakman.
Imo Kuah, a 22-year-old organiser with the group Tomorrow Movement shared why she was spearheading this in a media statement.
Labor and Liberal are spending billions on submarines and developer handouts while young people struggle to afford housing, find secure jobs, and face a climate crisis.
While some extra investment in healthcare and education is welcome, this budget is just the latest example of how inadequate government response has been to the biggest crises of our times. We’re here to tell them: the piecemeal solutions they’re offering to the cost of living, housing and climate crises that we face are not good enough.
Signs with slogans like “Labor’s Budget: flushing our future for big business” and “Liberal’s Budget: same shit, different party”, as well as toy submarines and fake money, are used alongside toilets in some of the protest installations, the media statement said.
And here is that wild moment where Sarah Hanson-Young whipped out the fish:
Tl;dr what happened in question time today?
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The two main points the Coalition was hitting Labor with today was on cost of living and the tax cuts (arguing they wouldn’t help) and migration numbers (that they were pushing up the cost of living).
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The Treasurer was only too happy to be given the opportunity to sell his budget in response to the opposition’s questions, and pushed back on criticism, saying the Coalition should have backed the tax cuts.
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We also heard some questions from the Coalition and independent MP Monique Ryan on small business instant asset write-offs. The response from the government on those was to blame the Coalition.
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And over in the Senate we had this incredibly dramatic moment when Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young brought a fish (yes a FISH!) into the chamber when she absconded the government over their legislation to protect salmon farming in Macquarie Harbour, Tasmania.
Question time is over
The final dixer goes to Anika Wells on aged care workers (they’re getting a pay rise that was funded in the budget).
That gets a point of order from manager of opposition business
Michael Sukkar says the opposition asked a “tight” question on the 1.8 million people.
Speaker Milton Dick weighs in and lets Burke to continue.
With net migration, the key driver any government has over it is how many visas you issue. There are some visas where we have taken action like we have with respect to student visas, action which they voted to make unlimited. Other actions we have taken, we got rid of the golden ticket visas, one of the things that would feed into net migration figures, what we previously described as cash for visas, something that the leader of the opposition wants to bring back.
We then get a second point of order from Sukkar.
Dick says he can “guess” where Burke is going with his answer and tells him to keep it relevant.
Burke finishes his answer:
The biggest driver for any minister of net overseas migration is the number of visas they issue. No one has ever issued more visas in Australian history than the leader of the opposition when he held his portfolio.
Angus Taylor is back again asking about migration (again)
Taylor says there will be 1.8 million migrants coming to Australia over the next five years, and asks if the government will commit to no more than 1.8 million in the migration program.
Tony Burke answers the question:
So good to get a question from them on net overseas migration because if there is ever a gap between their rhetoric and what they have done, it is on this issue. The latest figures that came out last week showed a 31% fall in net overseas migration year on year, 31%.
And what measure that had been a particularly fast growing area of net overseas migration had been student visas … When we put that measure to the parliament, which way did they vote on student visas? They called for them to be unlimited. This government has taken action
Then Burke starts getting louder:
You don’t like it, do you? It is terribly sad but it is the record you are responsible for and there’s a lot more to come.
Angus Taylor is back up
He’s asking about the trillion dollars of gross debt that the budget will face next financial year.
Chalmers is quick to jump up and answer:
The interesting thing about that from an opposition point of view is that when we came to office we inherited the trillion dollars, and what that has meant. What we have been able to do because of our responsible economic management is debt is down $177bn this year compared to those opposite left us with. That is because we delivered two surpluses which would have been absolutely unrecognisable to those opposite.
The rest of his answer is more of the same of what we’ve been hearing today … that the government has improved the budget bottom line compared to what was forecast at the last election.
The next crossbench question goes to Monique Ryan
She also asks about the small business instant asset write-off. She asks if the government will pass the bill in the house today so it can pass through parliament this week.
Julie Collins takes this one too, and says it’s the opposition who are holding up the bill.
We introduced legislation in June because of course we saw those opposite did with the Instant Asset Write-Off last financial year and we want the certainty and support for small business … It only passed parliament in the dying days of the last financial year, so for this financial year of course if they want to make a commitment that we can get it through we will see what we can do.
But more importantly we are looking at ways that we can ensure to give small businesses the certainty they need when it comes to the Instant Asset Write-Off and, of course, the targeted support we provide small business.
So far today, the dixers have gone to all the points the government has been focused on in selling its budget.
That’s tax cuts and the economy, health, women’s health, wages and the non-compete ban, education.
The answers have included lots of ‘the opposition wants to everything but your taxes’ quotes in all shapes and forms.
