1 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:06,400 Speaker 1: From The Australian. Here's what's on the front. I'm Claire Harvey. 2 00:00:06,440 --> 00:00:12,639 Speaker 1: It's Wednesday, October twenty two, twenty twenty five. How do 3 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: you stop the flow of illegal tobacco into Australia? According 4 00:00:15,720 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: to the boss of the Australian Border Force, you channel 5 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:22,280 Speaker 1: a notorious gangster. Assistant Commissioner Tony Smith says the Force 6 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:25,759 Speaker 1: will leverage the al Capone effect to target the organized 7 00:00:25,760 --> 00:00:33,400 Speaker 1: crime networks behind the booming trade. Instagram, Canva, Telstra and 8 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:36,919 Speaker 1: dozens of other platforms are back online after an Amazon 9 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:41,159 Speaker 1: glitch caused massive outages. The tech giants said on Tuesday 10 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 1: the problem with its cloud services was solved after Internet 11 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 1: users all over the globe reported they weren't able to 12 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: access a whole host of sites and services. Those stories 13 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 1: alive right now at the Australian dot Com Dot a U. 14 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: A triumph at the White House that reshapes the Australia 15 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,760 Speaker 1: US relationship and no, Kevin Rudd shouldn't be sacked. That's 16 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: the take from our editor at large, Paul Kelly on 17 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: Anthony Albanese's long awaited house call on Donald Trump in Washington, DC. Yeah, 18 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:28,840 Speaker 1: Tuesday morning in the White House and it's no wonder 19 00:01:28,880 --> 00:01:30,520 Speaker 1: Anthony Albanesi is smiling. 20 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,640 Speaker 2: The man of my rad has a big advantage, you 21 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:36,520 Speaker 2: know that, right. But I think he's doing it. I 22 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 2: think he's doing a really good job. And we've had 23 00:01:38,440 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 2: a very good relationship. I don't want to compare one 24 00:01:40,760 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 2: with the other, but i'll tell you this one is 25 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 2: they've got a great They really have a great. 26 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: Prime Minister Albanese's first face to face meeting with the 27 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 1: re elected Donald Trump went better than could possibly have 28 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: been imagined, and the White House's succinct takeout tells us 29 00:01:55,560 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 1: a lot about how the administration perceives US President Donald J. 30 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: Trump closes billion dollar deals with Australia. That's how the 31 00:02:03,960 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: White House headlined its media release, trumpeting agreements to develop 32 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:12,280 Speaker 1: critical minerals together, for Australia to purchase billions in American weaponry, 33 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 1: for Australian super funds to dramatically increase their investment in 34 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:21,200 Speaker 1: the US, and for close collaboration on quantum computing and AI. 35 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,680 Speaker 1: Paul Kelly is The Australian's Editor at large. Paul, we 36 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,639 Speaker 1: know Donald Trump likes to win. Who's the real winner here? 37 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 3: There are two big winners here. Anthony Alberanzi and Donald Trump. 38 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 3: And that's the entire point. This is a tremendous victory 39 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 3: for Anthony Albanisi. I mean, for the last nine months, 40 00:02:42,520 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 3: there's been massive speculation that he's not up to the job, 41 00:02:45,320 --> 00:02:47,519 Speaker 3: that he couldn't get on with Donald Trump, that he 42 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 3: wouldn't be able to further the interests of the alliance. 43 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 3: This was the relentless attack from the coalition parties. Well, 44 00:02:56,919 --> 00:03:00,640 Speaker 3: we've had the meeting. How did it go? Ronald Trump 45 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 3: praised Anthony albans as a great leader, he praised the alliance, 46 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 3: He endorsed the Orchest Nuclear Powered Submarine agreement, and we 47 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:16,119 Speaker 3: got a fantastic new agreement on critical minerals between Australia 48 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:20,760 Speaker 3: and the United States. So this meeting wasn't just a 49 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 3: face saver for Anthony Albanisi. What's actually happened is that 50 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 3: alberan EASi and Donald Trump are taking the Australian American 51 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 3: Alliance to a new level, to a new stage. This 52 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 3: is really a great sense of triumph for both leaders. 53 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:43,400 Speaker 2: I don't know anything about him, man, if you said bad, 54 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,040 Speaker 2: then maybe he'll like to apologize. I really, I know, 55 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,640 Speaker 2: did an ambassador to say something bad about it. Don't 56 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 2: tell me anat where is he is? You're still working. 57 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 4: For you. 58 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 2: Said bad. 59 00:03:58,600 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 3: Position is to president. 60 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:03,840 Speaker 2: And probably never will. 61 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 1: There was an awkward moment when Ambassador Kevin Rudd's history 62 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 1: of criticizing Trump was brought up. Right apologized, Albanezy laughed 63 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: it off and Trump laughed too. How did you read 64 00:04:15,840 --> 00:04:16,720 Speaker 1: that exchange? 65 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 3: It was a fascinating moment, wasn't it. And I think 66 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 3: you know, the media has got terribly carried away with it. 67 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:27,600 Speaker 3: I think the interesting thing was Trump didn't really know 68 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 3: who Kevin Rudd was, and then of course he made 69 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,920 Speaker 3: the comment, well I don't like you, and we're reverently 70 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:38,159 Speaker 3: told that. After that, Rd apologized and all sweet. The 71 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,120 Speaker 3: point I'd make about that is the coalition fell for it. 72 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 3: We had the coalition leader Susan Lee then subsequently saying 73 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 3: that she thinks the Australian government should recall Kevin Rudd. 74 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 4: Well, Kevin Rudd really was the elephant in the room, Pete. 75 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: And it's a bit awkward, isn't it. 76 00:04:57,760 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 4: It's taken nearly a year to get this met and 77 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 4: that's been a failure of the ambassador and I think 78 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:04,280 Speaker 4: that tells us. 79 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: All we need to. 80 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:08,359 Speaker 4: Know about the fact that it's probably not reasonable that 81 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 4: he continue in the role because there are critically important 82 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 4: issues to address and please. 83 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 3: These people aren't serious the idea that the Australian government 84 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 3: should turn around after a brilliantly successful meeting between Trump 85 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 3: and Alberansi and decide that, oh, it's all Kevin Rudd's 86 00:05:29,080 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 3: fault for some reason, because the coalitions complaining we must 87 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:38,359 Speaker 3: withdraw Kevin Rudd because of the comments made by Donald Trump. Well, 88 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,120 Speaker 3: I don't think Donald Trump particularly cares one way or 89 00:05:41,160 --> 00:05:44,479 Speaker 3: another about Kevin Rudd. That was pretty clear. What we 90 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:47,479 Speaker 3: do know about Donald Trump is he was prepared to 91 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 3: do some deals big time with Anthony Albanesi, and that 92 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 3: is what counts. The other point I'd make about this 93 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:59,400 Speaker 3: is this meeting is a victory for Kevin Rudd. Rudd 94 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:02,760 Speaker 3: has been all organizing the critical mineral strategy for the 95 00:06:02,839 --> 00:06:05,919 Speaker 3: last several months, so in this sense, in terms of 96 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 3: the outcome, in terms of the result, this is a 97 00:06:09,560 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 3: very significant outcome and a very significant win for Kevin Rudd. 98 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 3: That's the reality that the coalition doesn't get. They are 99 00:06:18,320 --> 00:06:22,400 Speaker 3: so out of touch with Australian American relations. They've been 100 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 3: out of touch for nine months. Most of what they've 101 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 3: said for the last nine months is either misleading or 102 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 3: playing wrong, and they still haven't learned. 103 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:36,239 Speaker 1: Donald Trump obviously doesn't mind people who have a history 104 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 1: of criticizing him. You know, maybe he thinks that they've 105 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: just seen the light. 106 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 3: Jd. 107 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:43,599 Speaker 1: Vance is a great example of that. Marco Rubio too, 108 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: and they were both there at that meeting. Today they've 109 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:49,599 Speaker 1: said much worse things about Donald Trump than Kevin Rudd has. 110 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 5: What does that tell us? 111 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:54,159 Speaker 1: Do you think about the kind of politician and maybe 112 00:06:54,160 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: even person Donald Trump is. 113 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 3: Donald Trump is a paradox. He's a conundrum. He's unpredictable. 114 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:06,760 Speaker 3: Sometimes he nurses grievances and other times he turns around 115 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 3: and changes his mind, pivoting on a dime if you like. 116 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 3: Trump can be often difficult to read. But the point 117 00:07:14,400 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 3: to make about Trump is he's a transactional politician. Now, 118 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 3: this is very important. If you're a transactional politician, it 119 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 3: means you're a pragmatist. It means you will look at 120 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,680 Speaker 3: the bottom line, you will look at the balance sheet, 121 00:07:30,040 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 3: you will look at what a particular proposal is there 122 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 3: to offer you. And what happened on this particular occasion 123 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:41,360 Speaker 3: was Anthony Alberize. He came to Washington bearing gifts. I mean, 124 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 3: we are giving the United States a lot under the 125 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 3: Orcice Agreement, and we're giving them a lot under the 126 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 3: Critical Mineralist Agreement. So Trump looks at the bottom line 127 00:07:51,320 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 3: as a transactional president and he says, yeah, I'll take that. 128 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:18,760 Speaker 5: Coming up with Paul Kelly. 129 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,360 Speaker 1: And then Albanizi is of the left of the Labor Party, 130 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 1: but he certainly has critics who are much further left 131 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: than him, both within Labor and without. How do you 132 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 1: think they will respond to this? And what does it 133 00:08:30,200 --> 00:08:33,720 Speaker 1: tell us about Albanesi that he's prepared to be Donald 134 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 1: Trump's best friend if that's what it takes. 135 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 3: Look, this is a really good question and I think 136 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:44,200 Speaker 3: the answer is quite illuminating. Here. Albanzi, as a former 137 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:48,320 Speaker 3: left wing activist, is now in the most extraordinary position. 138 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,880 Speaker 3: He is a Prime minister who has utter command of 139 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:57,040 Speaker 3: the Labor Party, now engaging with Donald Trump in a 140 00:08:57,120 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 3: deepening of the strategic and military ties between Australia and 141 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 3: the United States, and the left in the Labor Party 142 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,720 Speaker 3: to the extent they don't like this can do nothing 143 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:11,440 Speaker 3: about it at all, because Albanesi has total command of 144 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:16,120 Speaker 3: the Labor Party, so that is particularly fascinating. Let's then 145 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 3: talk about the left outside the Labor Party, in particular 146 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 3: the Greens. They hate this, they can't stomach this, They 147 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 3: oppose orcus they're hostile to this meeting between Trump and Albanesi. 148 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 3: They will complain about it till the cows come home. 149 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:38,439 Speaker 3: And you know what, Albanesi will love them complaining because 150 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:41,800 Speaker 3: it will make him look like the centrist that he is. 151 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 3: In so many ways. The point about this meeting between 152 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 3: Trump and Albanesi is, in domestic terms, it reinforces Albanese's 153 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 3: quest to cast himself as the natural Prime Minister, the 154 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 3: natural centrist. And if you are going to be the 155 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 3: natural prime Minister, one of the requirements is you must 156 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 3: be a champion of the Australian American Alliance. Well, guess what. 157 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:09,840 Speaker 3: That's what Albanzi now is. 158 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 1: Albanze likes to say that he's been underestimated all his life. Certainly, 159 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,720 Speaker 1: until perhaps a couple of weeks ago, we didn't know 160 00:10:20,800 --> 00:10:23,480 Speaker 1: what this meeting was going to look like and whether 161 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 1: it would happen at all, or whether it could go 162 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 1: badly wrong within the meeting itself. Do you think that 163 00:10:29,640 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 1: underestimation that he perceives in his critics is part of 164 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:35,360 Speaker 1: why there was so much doubt about how this meeting 165 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:35,760 Speaker 1: would go. 166 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 3: I think that's partly a factor. There's no doubt at 167 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 3: all that Albanesi has been underestimated and he has been 168 00:10:43,080 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 3: underestimated by the Coalition in terms of his capacity to 169 00:10:48,200 --> 00:10:50,520 Speaker 3: deal with Trump and his capacity to deal with the 170 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 3: United States. However, it's also true that Albanese took a 171 00:10:56,040 --> 00:11:00,440 Speaker 3: lot of risks. Just think about what's happened over the 172 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:04,359 Speaker 3: course of the year. He was not prepared to significantly 173 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:09,680 Speaker 3: increase defense spending, which is what the Americans wanted. He 174 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 3: changed Australian policy on Israel, which is not what the 175 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 3: Americans liked. He engaged in a recognition of a Palestinian state. 176 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 3: He attacked the American administration and Trump over tariffs, made 177 00:11:26,320 --> 00:11:29,040 Speaker 3: it absolutely clear that he didn't like what they were 178 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:31,080 Speaker 3: doing on tariffs. When you put all this together, you 179 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:35,240 Speaker 3: can see but Albanese, he's actually taken quite a lot 180 00:11:35,240 --> 00:11:38,320 Speaker 3: of risks in dealing with Trump, and you can understand 181 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 3: a number of people suggesting, well, things mightn't go all 182 00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 3: that well when they finally meet. But what's happened is 183 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 3: Albanese's vindicated. Trump offered him a lot of concessions. Trump 184 00:11:51,480 --> 00:11:55,240 Speaker 3: didn't complain about defense spending, he offered Albanese and out 185 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 3: on defense spending, he said, in relation to the tariffs 186 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 3: that Australia's tariffs were the lightest of any country. And 187 00:12:02,640 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 3: while he didn't cut the tariffs, of course no one 188 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 3: expected him to. But again, if you like, he reinforced 189 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 3: the point that Alberanzi had made about the tariffs. So 190 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:15,480 Speaker 3: I think the really interesting point to make about this 191 00:12:15,559 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 3: is Trump decided he wanted this meeting to be a success. 192 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,680 Speaker 3: Trump decided that he wanted to get on with Albanzi, 193 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:29,559 Speaker 3: and he decided there was significant advantages for the United 194 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:32,680 Speaker 3: States in him doing that. And that is a tribute 195 00:12:32,679 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 3: to ALBANIZI. 196 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: Is there luck there for Australia In the timing that 197 00:12:37,520 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 1: China had just shocked the White House by saying it 198 00:12:40,040 --> 00:12:44,319 Speaker 1: might introduce export controls on rare earths suddenly or gradually, 199 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 1: Trump needed an ally who's got a lot of minerals 200 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: in the ground. 201 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 3: Look, the great irony about this meeting and the timing 202 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 3: of the meeting is that the delayed meeting was great 203 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:58,520 Speaker 3: news for Australia and great news for Albanesi because essentially, 204 00:12:58,559 --> 00:13:01,760 Speaker 3: as you have just said, we've had China making this 205 00:13:01,880 --> 00:13:07,960 Speaker 3: recent announcement about its obsession to monopolize control and supply 206 00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 3: lines of critical minerals and rare earths, and of course 207 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:16,400 Speaker 3: Trump responded very aggressively to that. Well, this played beautifully 208 00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 3: into Australia's hands in terms of the Australian initiative on 209 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:23,480 Speaker 3: critical minerals. So yes, I think one of the great 210 00:13:23,520 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 3: ironies of this situation is that it's suited alb and 211 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 3: Easy to be only seeing Trump at this time rather 212 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:32,240 Speaker 3: than seeing Trump six months earlier. 213 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:42,719 Speaker 1: Paul Kelly is The Australian's editor at large. You can 214 00:13:42,760 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: read his inimitable take, as well as all the nation's 215 00:13:45,840 --> 00:13:49,600 Speaker 1: best news, sport, politics and business right now at The 216 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:51,560 Speaker 1: Australian dot com dot au