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The Advertiser
13 hours ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
'Line in the sand': Lib leader voted for Pesutto loan
A state Liberal leader is calling for his colleagues to end a long-running civil war after the party agreed to a $1.55 million loan to save John Pesutto's political career. The Victorian Liberals' administrative committee met on Thursday night and agreed to lend former leader John Pesutto the seven-figure sum to settle legal costs owed to first-term MP Moira Deeming. The cash is separate from campaign money and not drawn from taxpayer funds. Opposition Leader Brad Battin was among those who voted to support the deal, with the money to be paid directly to Mrs Deeming and Mr Pesutto to repay it at market-rate interest. "We've actually put the line in the sand on that and now we really have to focus on moving forward," Mr Battin told ABC Radio Melbourne on Friday. Mr Pesutto was ordered to pay $2.3 million in legal costs to Mrs Deeming after the Federal Court found he defamed her by implying she was associated with neo-Nazis. It left him facing bankruptcy, which would have triggered his exit from parliament and a subsequent by-election in his marginal seat of Hawthorn, unless the debt was paid back in a matter of weeks. Mr Pesutto, who has already coughed up $315,000 in damages, had only raised about $750,000 through wealthy backers and a GoFundMe campaign. Time is running out for Mr Battin to unite the Liberals before the next state election in November 2026. Mr Battin urged his fellow MPs to stop the infighting to present a credible alternative to the Victorian Labor government, in power for all but four years since 1999. "I really believe now is our opportunity to ensure each and every one of my members has a think about what they've wanted to get into parliament for, and it wasn't to be in opposition," he said. Mrs Deeming, who was expelled from the party room before being welcomed back in December, appeared unprepared to follow his advice when she took to social media after the bailout news. "They failed to protect her when she was attacked," she posted. "They punished her for defending herself ... this is what institutional abuse looks like." An offer to defer some of the legal bill in exchange for Mrs Deeming's guaranteed preselection and Mr Pesutto swearing off trying to return as leader for three years was rebuffed. The proposed deal led to a complaint to the state's corruption watchdog, but Mrs Deeming has denied claims of blackmail. A state Liberal leader is calling for his colleagues to end a long-running civil war after the party agreed to a $1.55 million loan to save John Pesutto's political career. The Victorian Liberals' administrative committee met on Thursday night and agreed to lend former leader John Pesutto the seven-figure sum to settle legal costs owed to first-term MP Moira Deeming. The cash is separate from campaign money and not drawn from taxpayer funds. Opposition Leader Brad Battin was among those who voted to support the deal, with the money to be paid directly to Mrs Deeming and Mr Pesutto to repay it at market-rate interest. "We've actually put the line in the sand on that and now we really have to focus on moving forward," Mr Battin told ABC Radio Melbourne on Friday. Mr Pesutto was ordered to pay $2.3 million in legal costs to Mrs Deeming after the Federal Court found he defamed her by implying she was associated with neo-Nazis. It left him facing bankruptcy, which would have triggered his exit from parliament and a subsequent by-election in his marginal seat of Hawthorn, unless the debt was paid back in a matter of weeks. Mr Pesutto, who has already coughed up $315,000 in damages, had only raised about $750,000 through wealthy backers and a GoFundMe campaign. Time is running out for Mr Battin to unite the Liberals before the next state election in November 2026. Mr Battin urged his fellow MPs to stop the infighting to present a credible alternative to the Victorian Labor government, in power for all but four years since 1999. "I really believe now is our opportunity to ensure each and every one of my members has a think about what they've wanted to get into parliament for, and it wasn't to be in opposition," he said. Mrs Deeming, who was expelled from the party room before being welcomed back in December, appeared unprepared to follow his advice when she took to social media after the bailout news. "They failed to protect her when she was attacked," she posted. "They punished her for defending herself ... this is what institutional abuse looks like." An offer to defer some of the legal bill in exchange for Mrs Deeming's guaranteed preselection and Mr Pesutto swearing off trying to return as leader for three years was rebuffed. The proposed deal led to a complaint to the state's corruption watchdog, but Mrs Deeming has denied claims of blackmail. A state Liberal leader is calling for his colleagues to end a long-running civil war after the party agreed to a $1.55 million loan to save John Pesutto's political career. The Victorian Liberals' administrative committee met on Thursday night and agreed to lend former leader John Pesutto the seven-figure sum to settle legal costs owed to first-term MP Moira Deeming. The cash is separate from campaign money and not drawn from taxpayer funds. Opposition Leader Brad Battin was among those who voted to support the deal, with the money to be paid directly to Mrs Deeming and Mr Pesutto to repay it at market-rate interest. "We've actually put the line in the sand on that and now we really have to focus on moving forward," Mr Battin told ABC Radio Melbourne on Friday. Mr Pesutto was ordered to pay $2.3 million in legal costs to Mrs Deeming after the Federal Court found he defamed her by implying she was associated with neo-Nazis. It left him facing bankruptcy, which would have triggered his exit from parliament and a subsequent by-election in his marginal seat of Hawthorn, unless the debt was paid back in a matter of weeks. Mr Pesutto, who has already coughed up $315,000 in damages, had only raised about $750,000 through wealthy backers and a GoFundMe campaign. Time is running out for Mr Battin to unite the Liberals before the next state election in November 2026. Mr Battin urged his fellow MPs to stop the infighting to present a credible alternative to the Victorian Labor government, in power for all but four years since 1999. "I really believe now is our opportunity to ensure each and every one of my members has a think about what they've wanted to get into parliament for, and it wasn't to be in opposition," he said. Mrs Deeming, who was expelled from the party room before being welcomed back in December, appeared unprepared to follow his advice when she took to social media after the bailout news. "They failed to protect her when she was attacked," she posted. "They punished her for defending herself ... this is what institutional abuse looks like." An offer to defer some of the legal bill in exchange for Mrs Deeming's guaranteed preselection and Mr Pesutto swearing off trying to return as leader for three years was rebuffed. The proposed deal led to a complaint to the state's corruption watchdog, but Mrs Deeming has denied claims of blackmail. A state Liberal leader is calling for his colleagues to end a long-running civil war after the party agreed to a $1.55 million loan to save John Pesutto's political career. The Victorian Liberals' administrative committee met on Thursday night and agreed to lend former leader John Pesutto the seven-figure sum to settle legal costs owed to first-term MP Moira Deeming. The cash is separate from campaign money and not drawn from taxpayer funds. Opposition Leader Brad Battin was among those who voted to support the deal, with the money to be paid directly to Mrs Deeming and Mr Pesutto to repay it at market-rate interest. "We've actually put the line in the sand on that and now we really have to focus on moving forward," Mr Battin told ABC Radio Melbourne on Friday. Mr Pesutto was ordered to pay $2.3 million in legal costs to Mrs Deeming after the Federal Court found he defamed her by implying she was associated with neo-Nazis. It left him facing bankruptcy, which would have triggered his exit from parliament and a subsequent by-election in his marginal seat of Hawthorn, unless the debt was paid back in a matter of weeks. Mr Pesutto, who has already coughed up $315,000 in damages, had only raised about $750,000 through wealthy backers and a GoFundMe campaign. Time is running out for Mr Battin to unite the Liberals before the next state election in November 2026. Mr Battin urged his fellow MPs to stop the infighting to present a credible alternative to the Victorian Labor government, in power for all but four years since 1999. "I really believe now is our opportunity to ensure each and every one of my members has a think about what they've wanted to get into parliament for, and it wasn't to be in opposition," he said. Mrs Deeming, who was expelled from the party room before being welcomed back in December, appeared unprepared to follow his advice when she took to social media after the bailout news. "They failed to protect her when she was attacked," she posted. "They punished her for defending herself ... this is what institutional abuse looks like." An offer to defer some of the legal bill in exchange for Mrs Deeming's guaranteed preselection and Mr Pesutto swearing off trying to return as leader for three years was rebuffed. The proposed deal led to a complaint to the state's corruption watchdog, but Mrs Deeming has denied claims of blackmail.
The Age
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
ABC Radio claws back Melbourne listeners as Kyle and Jackie O sink
The ABC's Melbourne radio station has managed to claw back its audience share following the federal election and a record-low result in the previous survey. ABC Radio Melbourne posted a 6.2 per cent share of listeners in the city, up 1.9 percentage points from the previous survey's low of a 4.3 per cent share of listeners in the city, the largest increase of any Melbourne station between March 9 and May 31 by far. Its new breakfast line-up featuring former AFL footballer Bob Murphy and former Channel Seven reporter Sharnelle Vella performed particularly well, lifting its audience share by two percentage points to 7.6 per cent. Meanwhile, the audience share of KIIS FM's breakfast duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson dropped by 0.7 percentage points to 5.1 per cent. Notably, survey timeslots do not always correlate precisely with program timeslots. This is a reversal of the pair's gains in the previous survey result, when they lifted 0.7 of a percentage point in their largest spike since launching in Melbourne just over a year ago. The about-turn in their ratings fortunes comes less than two months after Sandilands threatened to pull their show out of Melbourne if it continued to perform poorly. The ABC's Murphy and Vella breakfast duo leapfrogged Kyle and Jackie O in the breakfast slot (5.30am to 9am). ABC's Drive program (4pm to 7pm), hosted by Ali Moore, performed even better, increasing its share by 2.1 percentage points to 5.7 per cent. This brings it above its share in the same survey last year, which was 5.4 per cent. Raf Epstein's Mornings show on the ABC was the only program not to lose share during the previous survey. It continues to make strides, increasing its share of listeners by 2 percentage points to 6.8 per cent. This also marks an improvement from the same survey last year, which posted a 6 per cent share. 3AW* lost the greatest share of listeners, though it still remains at the top of the ratings chart, beating runner-up and FM leader Gold by 0.7 percentage points. 3AW posted a 12.5 per cent listener share, down from 14.1 during the previous survey.
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
ABC Radio claws back Melbourne listeners as Kyle and Jackie O sink
The ABC's Melbourne radio station has managed to claw back its audience share following the federal election and a record-low result in the previous survey. ABC Radio Melbourne posted a 6.2 per cent share of listeners in the city, up 1.9 percentage points from the previous survey's low of a 4.3 per cent share of listeners in the city, the largest increase of any Melbourne station between March 9 and May 31 by far. Its new breakfast line-up featuring former AFL footballer Bob Murphy and former Channel Seven reporter Sharnelle Vella performed particularly well, lifting its audience share by two percentage points to 7.6 per cent. Meanwhile, the audience share of KIIS FM's breakfast duo Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O Henderson dropped by 0.7 percentage points to 5.1 per cent. Notably, survey timeslots do not always correlate precisely with program timeslots. This is a reversal of the pair's gains in the previous survey result, when they lifted 0.7 of a percentage point in their largest spike since launching in Melbourne just over a year ago. The about-turn in their ratings fortunes comes less than two months after Sandilands threatened to pull their show out of Melbourne if it continued to perform poorly. The ABC's Murphy and Vella breakfast duo leapfrogged Kyle and Jackie O in the breakfast slot (5.30am to 9am). ABC's Drive program (4pm to 7pm), hosted by Ali Moore, performed even better, increasing its share by 2.1 percentage points to 5.7 per cent. This brings it above its share in the same survey last year, which was 5.4 per cent. Raf Epstein's Mornings show on the ABC was the only program not to lose share during the previous survey. It continues to make strides, increasing its share of listeners by 2 percentage points to 6.8 per cent. This also marks an improvement from the same survey last year, which posted a 6 per cent share. 3AW* lost the greatest share of listeners, though it still remains at the top of the ratings chart, beating runner-up and FM leader Gold by 0.7 percentage points. 3AW posted a 12.5 per cent listener share, down from 14.1 during the previous survey.
Saudi Gazette
12-06-2025
- Business
- Saudi Gazette
US reviewing Aukus submarine pact as part of 'America First' agenda
WASHINGTON — The US has launched a review of its multi-billion dollar submarine deal with the UK and Australia, saying the security pact must fit its "America First" agenda. Under the trilateral pact, believed to be aimed at countering China, Australia is to get its first nuclear-powered subs from the US, before the allies create a new fleet by sharing cutting-edge tech. Both Australia and the UK - which did its own review last year - have played down news of the US probe, saying it is natural for a new administration to reassess. The move comes as both Australia and the UK face pressure from the White House to lift military spending, demands heeded by Downing Street but largely resisted by Canberra. The Aukus agreement - worth £176bn ($239bn; A$368bn) - was signed in 2021, when all three countries involved had different leaders. A US defense official told the BBC the pact was being reviewed "as part of ensuring that this initiative of the previous administration is aligned with the President's America First agenda". "As [US Defence] Secretary [Pete] Hegseth has made clear, this means ensuring the highest readiness of our servicemembers [and] that allies step up fully to do their part for collective defense," the defense official said. The US has been pushing allies to start spending at least 3% of GDP on defense as soon as possible. The UK has agreed to spend 2.5% of GDP on its defense by 2028, and 3% by the next parliament, while Australia has also said it will lift funding, but not to the 3.5% that the US wants. The review will be headed up by Elbridge Colby, who has previously been critical of Aukus, in a speech last year questioning why the US would give away "this crown jewel asset when we most need it". Defense Minister Richard Marles, speaking to local Australian media on Thursday morning local time, said he was optimistic the deal would continue. "I'm very confident this is going to happen," he told ABC Radio Melbourne. "You just need to look at the map to understand that Australia absolutely needs to have a long-range submarine capability." Some in Australia have been lobbying for the country to develop a more self-reliant defense strategy, but Marles said it was important to "stick to a plan" - a reference to the previous government's controversial cancellation of a submarine deal with France in favor of Aukus. An Australian government spokesperson told the BBC it was "natural" that the new administration would "examine" the agreement, adding the UK had also recently finished a review of the security pact between the long-standing allies. There is "clear and consistent" support for the deal across the "full political spectrum" in the US, they said, adding Australia looked forward to "continuing our close cooperation with the Trump Administration on this historic project". A UK defense spokesperson told the BBC it was "understandable" for a new administration to look at the deal, "just as the UK did last year". Aukus is a "landmark security and defense partnership with two of our closest allies", the spokesperson said, and "one of the most strategically important partnerships in decades, supporting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic". Jennifer Kavanagh, from American thinktank Defense Priorities, told the BBC that the US was "absolutely right to take another look at this deal" as its submarine capacities were already stretched. "The US cannot meet its own demand for these nuclear-powered submarines," she said. The other concern the US might have is whether Australia would use the submarines they buy in the way the US wants them to, she said, particularly if conflict erupts over Taiwan. Dr Kavanagh said the review might see the security pact shift its focus away from providing submarines to sharing other long-range weapons technology. However, if the US were to pull out of the deal, China would "celebrate" as they have long criticized the deal, Dr Kavanagh added. For Australia, the deal represents a major upgrade to its military capabilities. The country becomes just the second after the UK to receive Washington's elite nuclear propulsion technology. Such submarines will be able to operate further and faster than the country's existing diesel-engine fleet and Australia would also be able to carry out long-range strikes against enemies for the first time. It is a big deal for the US to share what is often called the "crown jewels" of its defence technology. But arming Australia has historically been viewed by Washington and Downing Street as essential to preserving peace in a region they themselves aren't a part of. From 2027, the pact will allow both the US and UK to base a small number of nuclear submarines in Perth, Western Australia. Canberra will also buy three second-hand Virginia-class submarines from the US at a yet-to-be-determined date in the early 2030s - with options to purchase two more. After that, the plan is to design and build an entirely new nuclear-powered submarine model for the UK and Australian navies. This attack craft will be built in Britain and Australia to a British design, but use technology from all three countries. The security alliance has repeatedly drawn criticism from China, with the foreign ministry in Beijing saying it risked creating an arms race. — BBC
Indian Express
12-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
US launches review of AUKUS submarine deal; Australia confident pact will proceed
The United States has initiated a formal review of the AUKUS submarine agreement with Australia and the United Kingdom to ensure it aligns with the Trump administration's 'America First' priorities, according to a US defence official cited by the BBC. 'The department is reviewing AUKUS as part of ensuring that this initiative of the previous administration is aligned with the President's America First agenda,' the official said. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has talked about the importance of ensuring maximum military readiness and pressing allies to contribute fully to collective defense. The review will be led by Elbridge Colby, a senior Pentagon official and critic of the deal, who had previously questioned why the US would part with what he called the 'crown jewel' of its defense technology at a time of heightened global tensions. Australia has responded with calm, expressing confidence that the pact remains intact. Defence Minister Richard Marles told ABC Radio Melbourne on Thursday that the deal is crucial to Australia's long-term security needs. 'I'm very confident this is going to happen,' Marles said. 'You just need to look at the map to understand that Australia absolutely needs to have a long-range submarine capability.' Marles said that it is not a surprise for a new administration to reassess such a major agreement. 'This is a multi-decade plan. There will be governments that come and go and I think whenever we see a new government, a review of this kind is going to be something which will be undertaken,' he said. Signed in 2021 under then-President Joe Biden, the AUKUS pact is a trilateral security agreement aimed at countering China's growing influence in the Indo-Pacific. Under the deal, Australia will acquire nuclear-powered submarines with technology shared by the US and UK, becoming only the second country after Britain to receive such access from Washington. The plan involves Australia purchasing up to three second-hand Virginia-class submarines from the US starting in the early 2030s, with options for two more. Eventually, Australia and the UK will co-develop a new AUKUS-class submarine, with production shared between the two countries. The deal is valued at $368 billion is Australian dollars (US$239 billion) over three decades and is expected to generate thousands of manufacturing jobs in both nations. In 2025, Australia is scheduled to make a $2 billion payment to help upgrade US submarine shipyards. The first $500 million tranche was paid earlier this year during a visit by Marles to Washington. The US review will also examine the production rate of Virginia-class submarines, which have fallen behind schedule. Colby and other officials have expressed concerns about whether the US can meet its own fleet demands while also supplying submarines to Australia. 'It is important that those production and sustainment rates are improved,' Marles said. Meanwhile, Australia is under pressure from Washington to increase its defense spending from 2% to 3.5% of GDP. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has committed to raising it to 2.3%, citing capability needs rather than percentage targets. He is expected to meet President Donald Trump at the upcoming G7 summit in Canada to discuss both AUKUS and defense burden-sharing. An Australian government spokesperson told the BBC that such reviews are natural for a new administration, noting that the UK had also recently completed its own evaluation of the pact. There is 'clear and consistent' support for the deal across the 'full political spectrum' in the US, they said. The UK Ministry of Defence echoed this sentiment, calling AUKUS a 'landmark security and defence partnership' and 'one of the most strategically important partnerships in decades.' The AUKUS pact has drawn criticism from China, which accuses the trilateral alliance of destabilising the region and stoking an arms race. Analysts warn that any sign of US withdrawal could be seen as a strategic win for Beijing. (With inputs from BBC, Reuters)
