Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has pledged to counter the "damaging" notion that democratic systems are failing, especially during a time of widespread global instability.
In his first major address since the centre-left Labor Party's re-election in May, Albanese emphasized Australia's role in promoting regional stability.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, he pointed to the global rise of far-right and far-left populist movements, attributing them to growing public disillusionment, a feeling that economic systems and democratic institutions no longer serve ordinary citizens.
"We are facing a period of major global uncertainty, not only in terms of economic turmoil, but more critically, due to the dangerous belief that governments, politics, and democratic frameworks, including a free press, are no longer capable of rising to today's challenges", Albanese said.
While acknowledging that some actors exploit this distrust for personal gain, he asserted that his government was committed to proving these views wrong.
Albanese also condemned the recent shooting of an Australian journalist with a rubber bullet during protests in Los Angeles, calling it "horrific". He confirmed that the Australian government had formally raised concerns with U.S. authorities, stating the incident was unacceptable.
The prime minister is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump for the first time next week at the G7 summit in Canada. Key topics are expected to include trade tariffs and Washington's push for Australia to increase its defence spending from 2% to 3.5% of GDP.
Albanese, however, has refrained from endorsing a specific defence spending figure, emphasizing instead the importance of addressing Australia's specific defence needs, such as boosting local missile production.
"Australia should determine its own defence investments", he stated, highlighting that the country's regional ties, particularly in Asia and the Pacific, are also essential for national security.
He reaffirmed that Australia remains committed to deepening its relationships across Asia amid rising strategic tensions in the region.
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Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's party is on course for victory, with Armenian media reporting that the country's Central Election Commission has completed the vote count in the parliamentary elections. An official announcement is still expected.
Four Palestinians, including an eight-year-old boy, were killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza on Monday (8 June), according to local health officials, as mediators continued efforts to preserve a fragile ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
Kazakhstan will require major businesses to introduce five-year water-saving plans as authorities warn that worsening shortages could threaten not only the environment but also the country's economy.
A powerful earthquake struck off the southern Philippine island of Mindanao on Monday (8 June), killing at least 32 people and triggering tsunami warnings across the region.
Counting is underway in Armenia's elections. The results of the vote are set to determine the political direction of the country of three million people for the next few years. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is hoping to fend off challenges from several pro-Russia candidates to secure a third term.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's party is on course for victory, with Armenian media reporting that the country's Central Election Commission has completed the vote count in the parliamentary elections. An official announcement is still expected.
Armenian authorities arrested six candidates from the pro-Russian Strong Armenia bloc on Saturday, one day before voters were due to take part in parliamentary elections.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the number of casualties its citizens suffered as a result of the 5 June drone attacks on the cargo ships Natra and Zircon in the Sea of Azov. In a statement, it said four Azerbaijani citizens were killed and four others were injured.
The results of Armenia’s parliamentary elections will determine the makeup of the National Assembly and shape the country's political direction for the foreseeable future. But in Armenia, the final result is not decided by vote percentages alone. Here's how it works.
A French Rafale fighter jet shot down a drone that entered Latvian airspace from Russia on Monday (8 June), triggering security alerts and renewing concerns about the impact of the war in Ukraine on NATO's eastern flank.
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Pyongyang on Monday (8 June) for a rare summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, receiving a grand welcome as he described relations between the two countries as being at a "new historical starting point".
Football fans of all ages gathered in Miami Beach for a World Cup sticker trading event, exchanging duplicates and comparing Panini albums as they prepared for the tournament's opening match.
A city north of Tokyo has suspended classes at all 94 of its primary and middle schools after its first-ever reported bear sighting, amid growing concern over increasing encounters between bears and people across Japan.
A Turkish fishing vessel rescued migrants from a boat in distress in international waters off Malta on Sunday (7 June), after the overcrowded craft capsized in the central Mediterranean.
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