Australia news live: Perrottet calls for ‘life bans’ for racism at sporting games | Australian politics

Snap analysis

Daniel Hurst

Albanese on the budget: defence must be paid for but it is ‘a solemn responsibility of government’

Ok the PM wraps up his presser by answering a series of quick questions from journalists, with the highlight being his take on the budget:

On the budget, I don’t want you to have nothing to do and put your feet up between now and the budget.

So we’ve made a range of announcements, so out of my concern for you, I would say that wait till you see what’s in the budget. But we’ve made it very clear when we speak about the pressures on the budget, that one of the areas is defence.

So, I say to the Coalition that seem to oppose everything as well, I [will] have more to say about that but – this does have to be paid for. The defence of our country is a solemn responsibility of government.

And it is one that I take seriously, this is an investment in our security. And we’ll do what is necessary to keep our country secure. On the progress on the economy, I see that will move very quickly.

Does current India/Australia relationship mean a bilateral agreement is coming?

The next question is an interesting one: on whether the deepening relationship between Australia and India indicate that a future bilateral agreement could be on the table?

Albanese:

Look, what we’re doing is building up our relations between our two nations. And … these issues are, I think, should be viewed on their merits rather than down the track. That’s how you build confidence as well in each other.

I now have met with Prime Minister Modi four times. More than four meetings, but on four separate occasions. In the first year of my prime ministership.

I will welcome Prime Minister Modi to Australia in the first half of this year for the Quad leaders meeting. I’ll be back here in September for the G20 and then Prime Minister Modi has also invited me yesterday to undertake another bilateral visit to other regions in India at the end of the year.

Albanese to encourage flow of economic activity between India and Australia

The PM continues as questions being rattled off, the next being on the barriers for Australian businesses who are seeking to invest in India:

We want to move, from the act that’s been agreed and went through our processes came into being last December to the CECA, the Comprehensive Economic Co-operation Agreement.

What that will mean is that we [will] ensure there’s a smoother flow of economic activity between our two nations. The businesses who are here aren’t here because … this is a wonderful country to visit … they’re working.

They’re here because they see an economic interest in their companies expanding influence here. Companies like the Commonwealth bank talking about 500 people working at Barangaroo, and there’s a range of … businesses [that] will be investing – that is why they’re here.

Albanese says Australia investing in defence capability but also relationships

Ok next question is about China calling on Australia to end the “Cold War mentality” that they say is behind the Aukus deal.

Albanese says it is important Australia invest in its military capacity:

What I say is we’re investing in capability as we should, but we’re also investing in relationships as we are. It is not a contradictory position. It’s a consistent position.

We need to ensure that Australia’s defence assets are the best they can be. And that we build our capability. At the same time, we need to build relationships. That’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve been doing that here in India, we’re doing that throughout the Indo-Pacific, we’ve done that as well, improved our relationship with China in recent times as well.

Asked about press freedom in India, Albanese says issues will be raised ‘privately and appropriately’

Next question is if the PM is concerned about press freedom in India, and if he will bring it up with Prime Minister Modi, after a BBC office was raided after airing a documentary critical of Modi.

The PM reiterates that he thinks India is a “great democracy”:

Penny Wong commented on that when she was here as foreign minister last week. What I do in dealing diplomatically with people I have relationships with is I have discussions based upon Australia’s values and I’m consistent about that.

Australia stands up for press freedom. But India is a great democracy. And to dismiss that is I think wrong. India has – has been and continues to be a democratic nation. And we will, where there’s differences, or issues, to be raised, we raise them privately and appropriately.

PM answers question on India and Russia

A journalist has jumped in and interrupted the PM, who has taken the question, on India’s relationship with Russia:

India is a sovereign nation. And they depend their relationships with other nations based upon as they see fit. What’s important is how we deal as a sovereign nation with friends in our neighbourhood. And India is a friend of Australia.

We have an increasingly important relationship which goes to our economic ties, our cultural ties, but also our ties through exercises like the Malabar exercises that will take place later this year.

We also have as part of the announcements as well, we’ve had the participation of Australian defence personnel here in India, and exchange the other way around as well.

That builds on the people to people relations that we have with India. India is an important democracy. India stands up for democracy. And I think that the relationship is a very positive one.

Albanese outlines ‘three themes’ of India trip

The PM continues, saying he expects to sign agreements with Modi today, and is listing the “three themes” of his visit to India, which include cultural ties, national security and economic ties:

I expect today to sign agreements with Prime Minister Modi around the three themes of this visit … and the three themes in which we’re building relations.

Firstly, cultural ties, we saw yesterday the cultural expression through sport, but there are many other ways as well … including arts and culture, and we’ll have more to say about that after the dialogue takes place today.

In economic areas, we’ll also have agreements including in clean energy, we think in particular in solar, there’s enormous opportunities. I spoke to one of the major Indian companies here yesterday who are looking at billions of dollars of investment in Australia, including the manufacturing of solar panels. Something we’ve been talking about, something we want to promote through the national reconstruction fund: I want a future made in Australia.

The third element is national security. And yesterday I had the great privilege of being on the first ever aircraft carrier built here in India, those relations between Australia and India are very important, we’ll host the Malabar exercises later this year and we’ll have more to say about that.

PM lays out day’s schedule in India

Prime minister Anthony Albanese has stepped up for a press conference from India, where he begins by saying it is a “new day” for relations between the two countries.

The PM takes us through the program today, which includes a ceremonial welcome, as well as the laying of a wreathe in tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, a meeting with the India foreign minister, a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Modi, a business lunch and a speech at the Indian Institute of Technology.

As the PM talks through the schedule, he continues to highlight the importance of the relationship between the two countries:

This is the beginning of a new day on what has been an exceptionally successful visit up to this point. I’m sure that today will reinforce that successful building of relationships between Australia and India.

We’ve got a busy program today. We begin with a ceremonial welcome from Prime Minister Modi. I do thank him for the personal way in which he has engaged with me so far on this visit. And today we’ll be spending most of the day together and I thank him for giving me the honour of a ceremonial welcome here to New Delhi.

Dominic Perrottet calls for ‘life bans’ for racism at sporting games

The NSW premier, Dominic Perrottet, has weighed in on the alleged racial abuse faced by South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell last night.

Perrottet, who is on the campaign trail before the NSW election on 25 March, said the NRL should issue a life ban to the fan who was allegedly abusing Mitchell:

There is no place for racism at sporting games or anywhere in NSW. When it happens, it should be stamped out immediately. There should be life bans in place and I call on the NRL to take that action.

We’ve got to take leadership here and we’ve seen sporting codes take action to stamp this behaviour out whenever it happens.

I don’t care how old the person is who is involved in racist behaviour at sporting events. It’s a disgrace.

It should be stamped out and there should be life bans in place and I call on the NRL to do it.