Key events
Pauline Hanson will address the National Press Club in Canberra for the first time in her three decades in politics today, AAP reports.
Monash University head of politics Zareh Ghazarian said Hanson’s address should give an overview of what her party would be like, in addition to its broad policies and aspirations.
“One Nation is at a transition point from being a minor anti-establishment party to potentially being on the cusp of a major political breakthrough,” he told AAP.
“There’s a lot riding on this speech. It’s going to be closely watched by media, but a lot of other Australians as well as the political parties.
“Hanson has to perform well to convince those on the fence, that her party and leadership is something to get behind.”
Consistent polling has shown One Nation has become Australia’s most popular political party, and has a substantial lead over the coalition on primary voting indication.
Polls show Senator Hanson is also now the preferred prime minister.
The Australian stockpile, expected to reach full capacity by 2028, will be kept in Melbourne before being moved to US warehouses to be constructed next year at an Australian military base at Bandiana in rural
Victoria, tender documents show, according to AFP.
“Marine Corps activities in Australia support integrated global sustainment by maintaining ready-for-issue equipment and supplies for operations and exercises across the Indo-Pacific,” a US Marine Corps spokesperson told AFP.
The spokesperson declined to comment on contract details or force planning assumptions but said Marines equipment is kept at “high readiness”.
Contracting arrangements and the operation of the facility would be made in close coordination with Australia’s Department of Defence.
“These activities improve responsiveness, strengthen interoperability with allies and partners, and support a range of missions across the Indo-Pacific,” the spokesperson said, using an alternative description for the Asia-Pacific region.
US Army trucks were left at the Bandiana base in 2023 after an Australian war game involving US troops held every two years. The Marines stockpile at Bandiana, approved last July, is separate.
“Marine Corps and Army equipment programmes are designed to support their respective service requirements and are managed under separate authorities and processes,” the Marines spokesperson said.
US military plans war-ready weapons stockpile in Victoria – report
The US military is planning a permanent war-ready weapons stockpile for its Marine Corps in
Victoria beyond the range of most Chinese missiles, tender documents show according to Agence France-Presse.
The development of the stockpile, a first for the Marine Corps in Australia, comes as the United States is keen to leverage the continent’s strategic location in the South Pacific to counter China’s rapid military build-up, analysts said.
The US Marine Corps began global prepositioning of military supplies during the Cold War – using floating stores on ships and caves in Norway where weapons, ammunition and vehicles to sustain thousands of troops are kept.
The first land stockpile in the Asia-Pacific region is expected to open this year in the Philippines, close to potential flashpoints in the South China Sea.
Documents published by the US Navy this month show advanced planning for an even larger Australian stockpile, with US$30m allocated to build warehouses and offices in Victoria for “critical forward provisioning”.
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it’ll be Nick Visser with the main action.
The US military is planning a permanent war-ready weapons stockpile for its Marine Corps in
Victoria beyond the range of most Chinese missiles, tender documents show according to reports this morning.
Victorian premier Jacinta Allan was given a tough grilling on ABC’s 7.30 last night when she struggled to answer questions about the collapse in Labor’s support and allegations of union corruption. More coming up.
And One Nation founder
Pauline Hanson will address the National Press Club in Canberra today for the first time in her three decades in politics, as her party hits record poll highs.
<small>Source: The Guardian</small>
