Penny Wong says US Secretary of State Marco Rubio didn't press Australia on defence spending when the pair met overnight and expressed regret over the cancelled G7 meeting.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has made a whistle-stop visit to Perth on his way to Indonesia, joined by some of Western Australia's newly elected federal members.
The Liberal Party of Australia has pledged to fast track approval of the North West Shelf project in Karratha, if elected in the upcoming federal election.
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong used a Business News breakfast event to double down on the importance of Southeast Asia in Australia's path navigating the fallout of US tariffs.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the US tariffs on Australian steel and aluminium “entirely unjustified”, while confirming retaliatory tariffs would not be imposed on US imports.
Australia and the US maintain a strong economic relationship, the foreign minister says, as Donald Trump retakes office as president and spikes concerns about trade tariffs.
The blocking of foreign research vessels in Sri Lankan ports is a “step in the right direction” a senior US official says, as increasing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean raises eyebrows.
Penny Wong and Julie Bishop strolled through Perth's CBD in a show of Indigenous Voice solidarity on Monday after the state's party unity on the vote broke down.
China's scrapping of an 80 per cent tariff on Australian barley could prove a catalyst for the lifting of other trade sanctions between the two nations, according to Federal Trade Minister Don Farrell.
Two senior American officials have arrived in Australia for the AUSMIN talks and will be hosted by the prime minister to discuss security and foreign affairs.
Increased travel access for Indonesians is set to be announced when Joko Widodo and Anthony Albanese meet on the first day of the Indonesian leader's visit.
The federal government remains under pressure to ban contracts with consultancy giant PwC after the firm leaked confidential government information to clients.
The federal government has temporarily suspended its appeal to the World Trade Organization over China's tariffs on Australian barley after China agreed to undertake a review.
Reports that China has lifted the ban on importing Australian coal would signal a significant step forward for diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Australia's foreign minister has left Canberra on a plane to Beijing for diplomatic talks with her Chinese counterpart, breaking a four-year diplomatic freeze.
Australia will continue to work with its allies to promote stability in the region, following rising tensions between Beijing and Washington, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says.
The federal government has announced it will spend an extra $1 billion on its Emissions Reduction Fund to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but has failed to reveal what penalties will apply to companies that don't comply.
Labor leader Bill Shorten has named his opposition ministry, with WA MPs Gary Gray and Melissa Parke awarded the resources and assistant health portfolios respectively.
Business News for Western Australia. Thursday August 1. Shanna Crispin reports. Office vacancy rate increases. Perth house prices take a slight fall. Strike Energy raises $9.2 million and more.
The prime minister's warning about a tough budget outlook have wide implications; they apply to state and federal governments, now and into the future.
