Australian news and politics live: Anthony Albanese says China green steel talks ‘important step forward’

Police are investigating a disturbing online video featuring a masked individual sitting in front of a Palestinian flag, claiming responsibility for an anti-Semitic attack in Victoria.

The threatening video recently surfaced online and includes claims that the “cell” has the address of Australians involved in the production of weapons supplied to Israel, adding it will distribute those details through its underground network.

It also includes details about how individuals could carry out attacks, showing fire-lighters in a bag which is then set on fire, adding a warning to be careful of DNA.

“This is an anonymous communique by the cell that torched three cars at Lovett Technologies on the morning of July 5th 2025,” the video begins.

“Let there be no illusions as to what this was. This was not an accident nor thoughtless vandalism.

“This is a clear and serious threat.

“If you continue making weapons components of any kind, there will be consequences. Consider this a warning.”

​Watch the video here.​

Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the government remains open to hearing new ideas on tax reform but has not shifted its position on GST changes, ahead of a key productivity roundtable next month.

“Both the prime minister and I have made it pretty clear when it comes to the GST, we had a view about that historically, and that view hasn’t changed,” Mr Chalmers said at a press conference.

While reiterating the government’s long-standing stance, he added they’ve tried not to “artificially limit” ideas brought forward by states or stakeholders.

Mr Chalmers also confirmed the government is “of course” interested in ways to simplify the tax system more broadly.

“When we speak with tax experts and people who have a view about tax reform, they’re interested in efficiency and equity and simplicity,” he said.

He added that simplifying regulation could be good for productivity, provided it doesn’t come at the cost of reasonable protections.

In 2023, Anthony Albanese made a trip to Washington that was overshadowed by questions of when he would get an invitation to travel to Beijing to meet Xi Jinping.

Two years later and his trip to China is being dogged by questions about when he’ll get an invitation from Donald Trump.

The Prime Minister insists he is focused on the business at hand in China this week, but does say he “look(s) forward to a constructive engagement with President Trump” and reminds people they’ve spoken three times on the phone since November.

He casts forward to the multiple opportunities he will have later this year to cross paths with the President: “Between now and the end of the year, G20, Quad, APEC, a range of meetings as well of course, as the potential for … another visit to the United States.”

That trip to the US is expected to be in late September, when Mr Albanese has flagged he is likely to address the United Nations General Assembly.

Buckingham Palace has announced Mr Trump will be travelling to the UK just prior to the UN meeting.

Anthony Albanese highlights that one in four Australian jobs depends on overseas trade, and says his Government has consistently pursued diversified trade links.

He anticipates a “constructive dialogue” with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday, but points to other discussions he’s had with the leaders of Indonesia and Singapore about growing trade with their countries, along with future meetings at the ASEAN and APEC summits.

“They all represent opportunities for us to put our case about investment in Australia, as I said before,” he said.

“We welcome that. We want a strong economy. That depends upon our international relationships as well as what we do domestically.”

One of the remaining long-term frictions in the relationship is China’s detention of Australian writer Yang Hengjun.

Anthony Albanese is expected to again raise the plight of the writer, whose poor health has raised fears from his supporters that he will die in China.

“We always raise issues of Australian citizens, and if you look at my record, it’s not too bad, certainly compared with any of my predecessors,” Mr Albanese tells reporters.

“I believe that it’s a responsibility, whether it be here in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, the United States and the United Kingdom.

“We have been successful at advocating for Australians, and I will always do that.”

Anthony Albanese will meet President Xi Jinping on Tuesday and has fielded several questions about how he intends to raise or respond to issues such as the sale of the Port of Darwin and the circumnavigation of Australia by Chinese naval vessels.

“I’ll treat him with the respect that I would any leader of another country, and not foreshadow everything today,” the Prime Minister said.

“I’ll continue to assert Australia’s national interest, as I do.”

He repeated his long-held mantra that Australia will seek to cooperate where it can and disagree where it must with China.

Asked about the connection between peace and stability and the economic relationship with China, Anthony Albanese says they are closely tied.

“The economic relationship is obviously based upon a stable and secure region,” he said.

“We’ve seen the disruption that occurs when there is conflict in the world. That’s why we need to make sure that we do everything we can to promote peace and security in the region.”

The Prime Minister says personal links between people are also vital, which is why he has brought a high-level business delegation with him to meet Chinese counterparts.

Anthony Albanese is now taking media questions, flanked by the heads of Australia’s major iron ore exporters, after a green steel roundtable in Shanghai, China.

The Prime Minister says they’ve had a “very successful discussion” with Chinese steelmakers about decarbonising the sector.

“We want Australian iron ore to be part of the solution when it comes to lowering emissions and we understand that China wants that too,” he said.

“These discussions were an important step forward, between our two nations. We want to see a sustainable steel sector in China and globally. We want to build a future that keeps Australian jobs and our economy strong.”

Dr Chalmers said he accepted that the Albanese Government needs to “do better” with its new home target, as highlighted in a Treasury document that was made public through an FOI blunder where key advice was not redacted.

“The point that the Treasury is making, the point that I understand and accept is that the Government will need to do better and do more to meet that target,” Dr Chalmers said.

“Under current trajectories, we would fall short, but that doesn’t mean that between now and over the course of the next four years that we can’t consider ways and work with the states and territories and others, local government and others on ways to build more homes.

“I welcome and I encourage the treasury to think about best and worst-case scenarios.”

Dr Chalmers said he had been in contact with his US counterpart, but uncertainty remains over the date of President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

“There’s been no change to our baseline tariffs when it comes to the US, but I think it’s clear that every week brings new developments, new uncertainties, and over the weekend we saw more of that,” he said from Canberra.

“We work our way through the consequences for us of these sorts of announcements, which come from time to time.

“When it comes to engaging with the US, we’re engaging at a number of levels - the Prime Minister’s already had three conversations with President Trump. I have had three conversations with my counterpart, Secretary Bessant. Minister Wong was meeting with Secretary Rubio (over the) last week or two.

“We’re engaging at a whole range of levels with our American counterparts, but also in China, the G20, really wherever we can.”