Australian news and politics live: Labor says PM will meet with ‘friend’ Trump when it’s ‘convenient’

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You can read tonight’s edition of The Nightly below:

Jim Chalmers says he and state and territory treasurers have agreed they need to modernise transport policy to factor in EV take up but without imposing financial, regulatory, or adoption barriers.

In a joint statement following Friday’s Council on Federal Financial Relations meeting, the Treasurer and his counterparts acknowledged the need for governments to adapt their policies.

They said reforming road user charges for EVs would balance encouraging uptake, ensuring fair road funding, boosting productivity, supporting investment, and minimising administrative burdens while guiding the shift to a low-emissions transport future.

“The rapid development of electric vehicle technology is transforming the outlook for both passenger and freight transport, and policies at all levels of government will need to evolve to seize the opportunities and manage the challenges of this new outlook,” they said in the statement.

“Reforms to road user charging arrangements for electric vehicles have the potential to bolster productivity through more efficient use of the road network and vehicle fleet and ensure fair and sustainable funding for road investment and maintenance.

“Reforms should be designed to not deter the continued take-up of electric vehicles.”

Labor frontbencher Madeleine King says Anthony Albanese’s phone call overnight comes after Australia presented a full-court press approach to US relations.

The Resources Minister said in the lead up to the leaders fourth phone call, ministers and officials had been engaging with their respective counterparts.

“The important thing has been a succession of very constructive phone calls with the Prime Minister and the president. And aside from that, there is interaction by the many officials, officials from my department, but also Ambassador Rudd as well as other ministers,” Ms King told ABC Afternoon Briefing.

“There’s a lot of conversations going on, and they’re really very active and very engaged.

“It will be off the back of a number of close phone calls and other interactions with the US administration.

“I’ve no doubt that meeting will happen.”

It includes Defence Minister Richard Marles who late last month travelled to Washington to hold snap meetings with key US officials, including Vice President JD Vance, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Israel’s ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon has questioned why the Israeli flag is missing from Australia’s international flag display.

He posted a photo to X of an empty flag pole in Canberra on Friday.

“Where has the flag of Israel gone? Defaced, removed, and now missing, the absence of our nation’s flag from Canberra’s International Flag Display is both noticeable and unacceptable,” he captioned the post.

National Capital Authority staff had found the pole damaged during a previous patrol of the site, however, investigations are still ongoing as to how it was damaged and where the flag went.

“The NCA is aware of the missing flag and is in the process of rectifying damage caused to the flagpole to enable the installation of the flag,” a spokeswoman said on Friday.

Cash-strapped mortgage holders may not be getting any further interest-rate relief because of better-than-expected economic data.

ANZ’s latest economic forecasts are not good news for frustrated households.

ANZ head of Australian economics Adam Boyton warned that further rate relief may not be coming for mortgage holders.

“If evidence of consumer spending momentum continues and weakness does not emerge in the CPI or labour market data, the RBA may assess the cash rate as broadly neutral with no further cuts needed,” he said.

Read the full story here.

Penny Wong has played down concerns about Narendra Modi attending China’s recent military parade after India’s row with formerly close ally the United States.

Asked at a press conference in Tokyo about his appearance alongside Chinese, Russian, North Korean and Iranian leaders, Senator Wong said India was still an important partner for Australia.

“India remains an important partner for Australia. India remains a critical partner for the stability of the region,” she said.

“India remains a very important part of the Quad (Australia, India, Japan and the US) and I am looking forward to engaging with External Affairs Minister (Subrahmanyam) Jaishankar soon.”

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has been asked about AUKUS and reaffirmed that he isn’t concerned by the Pentagon review of the defence pact.

Mr Marles told reporters at a Tokyo press conference that the AUKUS plan was “on-track” and he had confidence about the progress of the tri-lateral strategic treaty.

It comes after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed overnight he and US President Donald Trump spoke about shared security interests in their fourth phone call. It’s yet to be confirmed if AUKUS was among those interests that were discussed.

Mr Marles said the Pentagon review was natural, raising similar assessments Australia and the UK held when new governments came into office.

“We welcome the review. Those two reviews (Australia’s and the UK’s) were really important in terms of enabling us to do AUKUS better and we think that this is a good opportunity to look at how we can move forward more effectively and efficiently together as well.

“AUKUS is the subject of a trilateral treaty between Australia, the US and UK.

“It is moving ahead at a pace that is on schedule and we are really confident about its progress.”

Foregin Minister Penny Wong has given a careful response when asked about former Labor Premier Daniel Andrews’ appearance at a Chinese military parade this week.

At a press conference in Tokyo while she’s visiting for the 2+2 talks with Defence Minister Richard Marles, she was asked what impact Mr Andrews playing part in “Chinese propaganda” had on Australia’s image.

“I would emphasise that Australia made a decision to be represented at the embassy staff level,” she said.

“I would speak for the Australian government, not for individuals, but I would hope that we all should be mindful of the message that our presence and engagement sends, as I certainly am.”

Penny Wong has told her Japanese counterpart that while the Australia-Japan partnership is strong, there are opportunities to strengthen it further amid global uncertainty.

She made the remarks to Foreign Affairs Minister Iwaya Takeshi and the country’s Defence Minister Gen Nakatani at the opening of “2+2” talks in Tokyo alongside Richard Marles.

“We do meet at a time where the geo strategic context is highly challenging. I think we all understand that, and we know our region is more contested,” Senator Wong said.

“We know that we are both confronting circumstances which are much more difficult and challenging than we have experienced for many years.

“What we would say to you is our partnership is strong, but we can make it stronger.”

Senator Wong also described the partnership as the “foundation” of a broader multi-layered network of like-minded countries focused on maintaining peace and security in the region.

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Defence Minister Richard Marles has delivered an opening address at the “2+2” talks in Tokyo, describing the Australia-Japan relationship as a “special strategic partnership”.

Mr Marles and Penny Wong travelled to Japan overnight to meet with Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani and Foreign Affairs Minister Iwaya Takeshi.

It marks the twelfth engagement between Australia and Japan defence and foreign ministers and follows Canberra’s historic $10 billion frigate warship deal.

Mr Marles said the two nations had a “very strong platform” and were seeing the “relationship blossom in a way that really we haven’t seen before” in global uncertainty.

“In the world we’re in today, which is increasingly complex where the strategic landscape is increasingly difficult, what we are also experiencing between ourselves is the highest level of strategic trust that we have ever had,” Mr Marles said.