He was aggrieved by Trump’s tariff policies and a budget bill he believed was profligate.
But they later cooled their heads, and if their appearance in Phoenix is anything to go by, seem to have patched things up.
7.20am
‘Hollow gesture of false hope’: Coalition opposes Palestinian recognition
By Nick Newling
The Coalition has vehemently opposed Australia’s recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations overnight, saying the action may strengthen Hamas’ credibility.
“For decades, Labor and the Coalition were united in the pursuit of a Palestinian State through a two-state process that would assure the democratic rights of the Palestinian people and uphold the security of the State of Israel.
“Labor has abandoned this pathway, instead choosing to gift recognition with no such assurances in place,” Opposition Leader Sussan Ley and opposition foreign affairs spokesperson Michaelia Cash said in a statement.
Leader of the opposition in the Senate, and foreign affairs spokesperson Senator Michaelia Cash.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“The Albanese government has extended recognition of Palestine ahead of any of the crucial conditions being in place. Hamas still holds Israeli hostages, seized during the terrorist raids of 7 October 2023. Hamas is still in power in Gaza and continues to attack Israel. The Palestinian people can see no hope of democratic self-governance while Hamas is in power,” the statement read.
“Today the Albanese Government extends a hollow gesture of false hope to the Palestinian people. For the Israeli people, it extends a chilling act of concession to the Hamas terrorists who continue to seek their annihilation.”
Australia recognised a Palestinian state alongside the United Kingdom, Canada and Portugal following a push from French President Emmanuel Macron.
Recognition is reliant on the terms that Hamas plays no role in the state’s governance; that Palestine recognise Israel’s right to exist; and that the state hold democratic elections.
Ley and Cash’s statement said that Hamas had “long dreamed” of achieving Palestinian statehood on “their brutal terms”, and that the Australian government was facilitating that.
7.15am
Optus should face ‘full force of the law’: Plibersek
By Emily Kaine
Calls for Optus CEO Stephen Rue to resign are growing after three people died as a result of Thursday’s Triple Zero outage.
Optus confirmed late on Friday that a failed network update meant some Triple Zero calls were made but went unanswered, and emergency calls were offline for nearly 14 hours in SA, WA, the NT and parts of NSW.
Optus CEO Stephen Rue speaks to the media during a press conference regarding the Triple Zero call failures. Credit: Flavio Brancaleone
Minister for Social Services Tanya Plibersek said this morning, “This is as serious as it gets. People only call Triple Zero at the worst moments of their lives. It is horrifying to think that people died because they couldn’t get through to Triple Zero.
“The full force of the law should be used against the company if any failings are discovered,” she told Seven’s Sunrise.
6.57am
Palestine recognition a ‘step forward’, says Albanese
By Daniel Lo Surdo
Anthony Albanese says Australian recognition of Palestine, formally registered hours ago, is the realisation of decades of foreign policy targeted at advancing a two-state solution in the Middle East.
Albanese formally recognised the State of Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, after announcing his intention to do so last month, as part of a “co-ordinated international effort”.
With leaders from the UK, Canada and France, Albanese called on a Palestinian state to be free from Hamas’ influence, called for democratic reform of the Palestinian Authority, and free and fair elections to determine governance in the region.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks to Palestinian ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour at the UN headquarters in New York.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
“Australia has had a two-state, bipartisan position, and what we’ve done now is realise that,” Albanese told ABC TV moments ago.
“Through the recognition of Palestine, is a step forward towards a more peaceful resolution, towards what our vision is, which is Israelis and Palestinians living side by side, peace and security and advancing the prosperity of both people.”
Albanese will be meeting with several world leaders while in the US this week, where he said he would be pushing for a ceasefire in the Middle East, and the release of hostages taken in the conflict.
6.51am
Albanese will ‘wait and see’ on Trump meeting
By Daniel Lo Surdo
Anthony Albanese says he will “wait and see” on the potential of a meeting with President Donald Trump while in the US this week, saying it is a “busy time” on his trip as he prepares to attend an event hosted by Trump on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEST).
Speaking in New York hours after recognising Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly, Albanese said a meeting would build on the “really constructive” phone calls the leaders have shared since Trump returned to the White House in January. “Oh look, we’ll wait and see,” Albanese told Nine’s Today this morning.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in New York.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
“I’ll be seeing him ... at the event that he is hosting that I’ve been invited to, we will sit down at some stage and have a face-to-face meeting.”
Trump is in Phoenix, Arizona to attend the memorial service for Charlie Kirk today.
6.48am
Trump arrives in Arizona for Kirk memorial service
By Emily Kaine
US President Donald Trump has touched down in Arizona to join thousands of Americans at the memorial service being held for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Footage shows the crowd erupting in cheers as Trump arrived at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix.
A man listens during a worship song before the start of a memorial for conservative activist Charlie Kirk.Credit: AP
Trump is expected to speak at the service, along with several prominent American conservatives and officials from the Trump administration.
Tens of thousands of people have been queuing for hours outside State Farm Stadium, hoping to pay their respects to the MAGA activist gunned down in Utah on September 10.
Follow along as we bring you the latest updates.
6.48am
Australia formally recognises Palestinian state
By Emily Kaine
Australia, along with Britain and Canada, last night formally recognised a Palestinian state as leaders try to progress on the goal of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Asked whether the government would take steps such as establishing an embassy in Palestine, Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong said decisions would be conditional on the Palestinian Authority making good on key commitments to reform and democratisation.
However, Wong said the government would immediately begin referring to the State of Palestine in official documents, rather than “the occupied Palestinian territories”.
The partly symbolic move has stoked fears of a negative spiral of further escalation of Israeli violence in the West Bank, with leaders concerned it may respond by annexing parts of the West Bank.
Netanyahu condemned the move, saying recognition of a Palestinian state was a “huge reward to terrorism”.
Good morning and welcome to the national news live blog for Monday, September 22. I’m Emily Kaine and I will be leading you through our coverage this morning. Here’s what is making headlines today.
Australia, along with the UK and Canada, has formally recognised the State of Palestine on Sunday night at the UN General Assembly in New York.
Thousands have gathered in Arizona for a memorial service for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Among those expected to address the crowd are US President Donald Trump, Vice-President JD Vance, Kirk’s widow, Erika, and other prominent conservative American figures.
Albanese said this morning that he would “wait and see” on the potential of a meeting with Trump while he is in the US this week, saying it was a “busy time”. He is preparing to attend an event hosted by Trump on Tuesday night (Wednesday AEST).
Calls have been growing for Optus CEO Stephen Rue to resign after an Optus outage affected calls to Triple Zero in multiple states for up to 13 hours resulting in three deaths. The company has revealed emergency calls were affected in SA, WA, the NT and NSW.
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