News and politics live updates: Albanese and Minns announce $2.5bn bailout for Tomago Aluminium smelter, NSW

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has again been grilled over the “Melongate” saga and the hand gesture he used during his controversial podcast appearance, insisting he had already addressed the issue and pointing to his relationship with Japan’s Prime Minister.

“I’ve answered this question many times. The fact is, the fact is that the Japanese Prime Minister and I have a very good relationship. The Japanese ambassador has made very clear statements about how warm our dinner was.”

But NSW Premier Chris Minns quickly jumped in as reporters continued to press Mr Albanese, urging them to focus instead on the $2.5 billion Tomago announcement.

“Mate, go and ask a thousand workers what they care about. This is the biggest announcement for this region in a generation - can we talk about that for five minutes?”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has used questions over the $2.5 billion Tomago deal to take aim at Australia’s history of buying major infrastructure from overseas, arguing the country has already learned the hard way what can happen when manufacturing is sent offshore.

He pointed to ferries purchased under the former NSW Liberal government, joking that, “if they went down the Parramatta River and people were standing on top they would be decapitated by the bridges”, as well as trains and light rail plagued by problems.

Mr Albanese said those failures, combined with the supply chain shocks experienced during COVID and more recently in the Strait of Hormuz, strengthened the case for keeping critical production onshore.

“We need to make things here, in Australia. That is the lesson of COVID, and in so many areas, and my government has a strong agenda for a future made in Australia.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns has declared Labor will “never turn its back on the town that built Australia” as he backed the $2.5 billion deal to secure the future of the Tomago aluminium smelter.

“This is too important for our state, too important for Australia and today’s announcement is a shot in the arm when it comes to confidence in this region,” Mr Minns said, arguing keeping the facility open was critical for manufacturing, sovereign capability and thousands of jobs.

“If we’re serious and with a straight face are making the claim that Australia is a place that builds things, Tomago has to remain open,” he said.

Mr Minns said the smelter generated more than $2 billion in economic value, including $800 million locally, adding, “This region has a proud history and brighter future. That is secured with today’s announcement.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is speaking at Tomago, declaring the $2.5 billion government rescue package will secure the future of Australia’s largest aluminium smelter and protect thousands of jobs across the Hunter.

“At the end of last year I came here and said ‘We have got your back’ to the workers at this facility. We have worked with the Minns Labor Government here in New South Wales to make sure that this facility has a future that is not only it being able to survive but it thriving into the future.”

Mr Albanese said the funding, split equally between the Federal and NSW governments, would support 1000 direct and 5000 indirect jobs while helping deliver additional clean energy.

“We cannot afford to be at the end of supply chains. We need to be a country that makes things and there is nowhere better in Australia that has a history of making things than the Newcastle and Hunter regions.”

Tasmania has recorded its first case of H5 bird flu after a brown skua collected by Biosecurity Tasmania at Rocky Cape on the state’s north-west coast returned a positive result.

Federal MP Gavin Pearce said authorities were prepared to respond, with surveillance, biosecurity planning and work with the poultry industry already underway.

“It is important that we are clear there is no evidence - there is no evidence of an outbreak and there is no detection in commercial poultry in Tasmania at this time.”

Mr Pearce stressed the risk to humans remained low and urged Tasmanians not to touch sick or dead wildlife.

“Human infection of H5 bird flu is extremely rare. It doesn’t spread easily from animals to people but illness can occur if people are not careful.”

He urged anyone who spots a sick bird or other wildlife to “avoid it”, record the species and location and report the sighting to authorities.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has addressed workers at the Tomago aluminium smelter after the Federal and NSW governments committed billions to secure the future of Australia’s largest aluminium facility.

Mr Albanese said the agreement would protect 1000 direct jobs and another 5000 indirect jobs across the Hunter.

“This announcement today secures the future of this facility. An example as well of governments working with the private sector to make sure that we are not at the end of supply chains, making sure there is a future made right here in Australia and a future made right here in the Hunter.”

Mr Albanese thanked workers for their contribution and said keeping aluminium production in Australia was critical to the country’s future.

“Aluminium is an essential product and will be more important into the future,” he said.

“But most importantly, you make our nation stronger. Thank you for what you do.”

The Prime Minister is expected to front a press conference from Tomago later this morning; stay with us for live updates.

US President Donald Trump has declared that America has “total control” of the Strait of Hormuz and suggested the United States could keep its grip on the critical shipping route as he unleashed a blistering attack on Iran.

In a fiery Truth Social post, Mr Trump claimed the US naval blockade had become a “WALL OF STEEL” that Tehran was powerless to overcome, while painting a dire picture of Iran’s military, economy and leadership.

“The U.S.A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. I THINK WE WILL KEEP IT!” Mr Trump wrote.

“Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, ‘A WALL OF STEEL,’ and there is nothing Iran can do about it.”

The President went on to claim Iran had been left without an effective navy or air force and that its Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had been decimated.

“They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, their remaining soldiers are unpaid, the IRGC is decimated and fleeing, and their ‘Leadership’ is uncertain, at best!” he wrote.

Mr Trump also took aim at Iran’s economy, claiming the country had “No Money” and was battling soaring inflation.

“Their country is ‘shot.’ All they have is FAKE NEWS and 300% INFLATION, and getting worse!”

The Strait of Hormuz has been at the centre of escalating tensions in the Middle East, with the strategically important waterway serving as a crucial route for global energy supplies.

Read more.

Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie has rejected comments from failed South Australian One Nation candidate Parminder Singh, who claimed gay Australians had a mental illness, while arguing some members of the community were turning towards the Coalition.

“I’m not going to comment on One Nation members or candidates, only to say that Australia’s gay community is not mentally ill as this One Nation candidate purports. You know, the gay community is politically diverse,” Senator McKenzie told Today.

“Many are joining the National Party and the Liberal Party because they’re sick of a very, very bad Labor government. But I think for many in the gay community, they are joining the National Party because they, like we, are very concerned about Islamic extremism and the impact it has on their daily lives. I think that is why political movements like the Nationals and the Liberals have a plan to deport hate preachers, if we get the great opportunity to come to government.”

Her comments come after One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce also distanced himself from Mr Singh’s remarks on Wednesday, claiming the minor party was “one of the gayest parties in Australia”.

Thousands of students are expected to rally in Students Say No to Pauline Hanson protests across major cities and towns.

“I’m hoping this will be the start of a real kind of movement,” Ms Park, who is organising the Canberra protest, told AAP.

“We want to make sure we lay the best basis for ... an anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-bigot response in Australia.”

Rally flyers distributed by the National Union of Students include calls to “fight against racism” and “stand up against the far right”.

Senator Hanson used her June National Press Club address to call for a monocultural Australia before appearing on a podcast hosted by British far-right activist and convicted criminal Tommy Robinson during a work trip to the UK last month.

Senator Hanson’s track record shows she has voted against education policies such as free TAFE and increasing funding for public schools, union general secretary Akash Nagarajan said.

“Pauline Hanson actually doesn’t stand for things that benefit students’ lives....(and) a lot of students are galvanised by that,” the 21-year-old said.

Read more.

Industry Minister Tim Ayres has sidestepped questions over where the money for the $2.5 billion bailout of Australia’s largest aluminium smelter will come from.

The 10-year deal to secure the future of Tomago Aluminium will also see its operators invest $100 million towards decarbonisation and a demand-response program, while Mr Ayres said the agreement would help inject 3 gigawatts of new electricity generation.

Asked on ABC News Breakfast how the Government would fund the package, Mr Ayres did not provide a direct answer.

“This will be accounted for in the budget properly. We made it clear when we made a commitment in 2023, I think it was, just casting back, that we would deliver a transformation package for the Australian aluminium industry,” Mr Ayres says.