Nationals MP Comments on Welcome to Country Ceremonies
Nationals MP Michael McCormack expressed that welcomes to country are generally a "good part" of ceremonies, responding to opposition leader Angus Taylor's recent remarks suggesting they were oversized.
Taylor made his comments following incidents of booing at some Anzac Day dawn services on Saturday. McCormack described the booing as seemingly "orchestrated" and unacceptable. When asked whether he agreed with Taylor's perspective on welcome to country ceremonies, McCormack told RN Breakfast:
I can if you have several speakers and every one of them takes a lot of their speech time to do welcomes to country when it’s already been done. If you do it at the start, you do it appropriately, I think most people find that to be a good part of the ceremony, and then you get on with what the actual event is all about.
And I think that’s probably appropriate.
Wong to Visit Japan, China, and South Korea to Secure Fuel Supplies
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong will depart for Japan today as part of a diplomatic tour aimed at securing Australia’s fuel and energy supply chains. The government has stated that Australia currently holds more fuel reserves than prior to the Iran war, having underwritten several additional shipments. However, Wong’s tour across Asia is intended to ensure the continuity of these supplies.
Following her visit to Japan, Wong will travel to China on Wednesday and South Korea on Thursday. She emphasized Australia’s commitment to collaborating with international partners to secure essential supplies, including diesel, petrol, and fertiliser, and to maintain Australia’s status as a reliable energy partner.
The Middle East conflict and closure of the strait of Hormuz continue to disrupt global energy markets, with Asian refineries and the Indo-Pacific region disproportionately affected. Direct, in-person engagement with counterparts across our region will help ensure we are coordinating effectively as these disruptions continue to unfold.
Earlier this month, Wong visited Singapore following Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visits to Malaysia and Brunei.
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Good morning, Nick Visser here to guide you through the day’s news. Here’s what’s on deck:
Foreign Minister Penny Wong will travel to Japan today as part of a diplomatic trip to secure fuel supplies, which will also include visits to China and South Korea. She stated that the effort will help "ensure Australia is prioritised as a reliable energy partner."
The government will invest three-quarters of a billion dollars over the next seven years to acquire 268 new armoured vehicles, which will be manufactured in regional Victoria. Defence Minister Richard Marles also announced $450 million in funding for upgrades to protected mobility vehicles.
