Federal politics: PM commits to new fund ahead of address to Timor-Leste Parliament — as it happened

And that’s all we’ve got time for today on the federal politics blog. Thank you for joining us!

You can look back on today’s developments below, or download the ABC News app and subscribe to our range of news alerts for the latest updates.

We’ll see you again tomorrow for more federal politics news!

Former prime minister Tony Abbott has intervened in the Liberal leadership race, urging conservatives to unite behind either Angus Taylor or Andrew Hastie in their bid to oust Sussan Ley from the top job.

Both Taylor and Hastie want the leadership, and several Liberal sources have told the ABC the two men are dealing directly to hash out an agreement. At this stage, neither is willing to yield.

After days of speculation, prompted by the Nationals’ decision to quit Ms Ley’s shadow ministry and the Coalition, one source told the ABC the momentum for a leadership spill had “stalled” — following the initial rush of blood to the head — while another source said any change “will not happen quickly”.

Read the full story from national affairs correspondent Jane Norman in the link below.

Anthony Albanese says Australia will seek to bolster and protect the sovereignty or Timor-Leste.

The prime minister says Australia will honour the independence of Timor-Leste and prioritise the welfare of Timor-Leste.

He says the agreement signed today has a collective vision of a “peaceful, stable and prosperous” region.

The PM says Timor-Leste will always find a partner in Australia.

“For thousands of years the peoples of our two nations have looked up to the same patch of sky to see the same stars. Through our shared history, we have fought and we have died together. We have advocated for democracy, for peace and prosperity,” Albanese says.

“We have extended our hands to a neighbour that has extended theirs. And as we gather in now and look across at those same blue waters of South-East Asia and the beautiful Indo-Pacific toward that horizon of opportunity we see that bright sun rising,” he says.

And that’s where the PM has concluded his address to Timor-Leste’s parliament.

Anthony Albanese has provided more details on the infrastructure fund flagged in that communique we reported earlier.

Australia has today committed to establish an infrastructure fund for Timor-Leste once the Greater Sunrise project has been resolved.

The PM says the fund will contribute economic resilience and growth.

“The funds will be drawn entirely from the Australian share of the Greater Sunrise project, and would represent at least one third of Australia’s future revenue,” Albanese says.

“We make this commitment because Australia wants to see investment in this nation and your people and your jobs and your growth and sustainability of wealth,” he says.

Anthony Albanese has used his address to Timor-Leste’s parliament to reflect on the shared actions of Australian and Timorese troops on World War II.

The prime minister says Australia will never forget the actions of the Timorese people.

“As the prime minister of Australia, I say to you today and to the courageous chamber of people that you represent, your Australian friends will never forget,” Albanese says.

He says Australia will continue to work with Dili to strengthen the nation’s standing in South-East Asia.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has just stepped up to address Timor-Leste’s parliament in the national capital Dili.

The PM has thanked members of the parliament for the warm welcome and opportunity to address the members.

Albanese says the two countries look towards a shared future in security, energy and economic resilience.

“Our history and our values makes us friends,” Albanese says.

“And as we look at together on the same region, we look towards a shared future, a new take of partnership and security in energy and economic resilience and connections go back a long way,” he says.

Nationals MP Darren Chester says he is “embarrassed” that the Nationals are talking about the party instead of policies.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Chester vented his frustration about the leadership chatter that was sparked when his colleague Colin Boyce announced his intentions. 

“I entered politics to make a difference for the people of Gippsland, not to participate in self-indulgent Canberra games about leadership,” Chester said.

“I won’t be supporting this spill motion and I won’t be a candidate…the sooner the Liberals and The Nationals can resolve any internal leadership debates and set up a plan to transition back to a functioning Coalition, the sooner we can hold this poor government to account.

“We owe it to the Australian people to do better.”

Chester confirmed he will back David Littleproud as leader when the party meets next week.

Thousands of Harry Styles fans want one thing this week: tickets to his upcoming tour.

If you’d like to get in the zone for that purchasing experience, may I recommend this track?

The popstar is set to hold just four shows in the entire Asia Pacific region later this year: two in Melbourne and two in Sydney.

You might be thinking, Claudia, why am I reading this on the federal politics blog?

Fair, but hear us out!

Prices for tickets remained secret until fans rushed into the queue for sales, raising questions about when the federal government will deliver on its promise to crack down on what it’s described as “dodgy” ticket selling practices.

We dug into it, here’s what we found:

China’s ambassador to Australia Xiao Qian has questioned the Albanese government’s ethics in wanting to return the Port of Darwin to Australian hands, declaring the decision was only made after the port started making money.

Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Coalition promised to terminate Chinese company Landbridge’s 99-year-lease of the port at the 2025 federal election.

However eight months later, no deal or timeline has been finalised for the forced sale.

In a rare press conference on Wednesday, Xiao confirmed there had been frequent “communication” between Beijing and Canberra on the issue.

But the ambassador questioned the motives ​behind the pledge and argued any change in the arrangement risked impacting China’s “substantive investment” in Australia.

“Starting from last year Darwin Port stopped losing money and started to make money. It was at this juncture that suddenly we hear the government of Australia wants to take (it) back… so I really question the ethic value. When you’re losing money you want to lease it to a foreign company and when it’s making money, you want to take it back? That’s not the way to do business,” Xiao said.

One Nation Leader Pauline Hanson has described Colin Boyce as a “nice bloke”.

Earlier today Boyce declared he would call a leadership spill motion during Monday’s National Party meeting.

The Nationals MP has denied rumours he’s considering defecting to One Nation.

But today’s intervention has colleagues questioning his motives.

Senator Hanson was asked if she thought he had a chance at becoming the new leader for the Nationals.

“I like Colin as a bloke but he won’t win the leadership,” she told Sky News.

David Littleproud has apparently knocked back a last-ditch effort from Sussan Ley to meet before parliament returns next week.

In a letter to shadow ministers, Ley says she proposed a meeting with senior officials from both parties “without any preconditions” ahead of parliament’s return.

Ley says she “reminded” Littleproud that as the leaders of the Liberals and Nationals, they are stewards of two “great movements” which must maintain a strong and functioning relationship “whether in formal Coalition or not”.

But the opposition leader says Littleproud knocked her back, with his team saying he is too busy with the impending challenge to his leadership from Queensland MP Colin Boyce, which is also going to happen on Monday.

“The leadership of the Nationals is a matter for their party room to determine,” Ley said to her colleagues.

“We will talk to whoever the Nationals elect as their leader, because whether we are in a Coalition or not, it is our responsibility to hold the Albanese government to account,” she said.

Hiya John, thanks for your question!

You’re correct in your thinking that only the government and opposition have frontbenches (and the pay bump and increased staff members that are associated with it).

But the minor parties (such as the Greens) also dish out portfolio areas to their MPs and senators. We just don’t call them the shadow minister for XYZ, we just refer to them as party spokespeople.

So if the Coalition split was to remain at some point the Nats will have to name people as portfolio spokespersons. No pay bump included.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is due to address Timor-Leste’s Parliament shortly.

We’ll bring you his speech here live as soon as he steps up to speak in Dili, the nation’s capital.

One of Australia’s Anglican leaders has raised concerns about former prime minister Scott Morrison’s calls for changes to the governance of Islamic institutions, insisting separation between state and religion is essential.

Morrison claimed most Christian and Jewish denominations had strong governance, but Islamic institutions needed to introduce nationally consistent standards.

Anglican Bishop of South Sydney Bishop Michael Stead argued Christians aren’t united under one single body (for example, Anglican, Catholic) and Morrison’s ideas were “not reflective of any religious body”.

“I think the idea that you’re going to have one peak body that’s going to be able to dictate to all is not realistic in our current context,” Bishop Stead says.

Morrison also called for Islamic teachings to be translated into English.

Bishop Stead said he had “no problem” with translations so more people could access teachings but questioned the intent behind the idea.

“It seems that the reason that this is being done is for some kind of external auditing process,” he told the ABC.

“If we’re suggesting that there’s some external body that’s going to act as the kind of the religious thought police, then I think we’ve got issues of the government seeking to interfere in the free practice of religion.”

The Nationals MP who will move a spill motion against David Littleproud on Monday says his party must return to a Coalition with the Liberals.

Colin Boyce announced on Sky News today that he’ll run for the Nationals leadership when parliament returns next week.

In a statement, Boyce cited concerns about the threat of losing upper house seats at the next election if the country party doesn’t reunite with the Liberals.

The Queensland MP says he announced his intentions early to give his colleagues the time and space to consider the decision.

“The reality is that if the National Party goes to the next election alone, our Senate positions in New South Wales and Victoria will be under threat, as will lower house seats due to three-cornered contests,” Boyce says.

“The National Party is an institution that has served rural and regional Australia for more than 100 years, and I want it to remain a strong and viable force well into the future,” he says.

OK, we’ve got more details on that agreement signed by Anthony Albanese and Timor-Leste Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão today.

The leaders have agreed to continue cooperation on border security and immigration and building resilience to cyber threats.

They also agreed to allow up to 10,000 Timorese workers to take up employment opportunities in Australia by 2027 and 2028.

But in the more meatier parts of the communique, released by Australia, the leaders shared an ambition for an agreement on Greater Sunrise to be developed as soon as possible “for the benefit of both states”.

“Australia and Timor-Leste commit to working closely together and with the Sunrise Joint Venture in good faith to develop an ambitious timeline to conclude the Petroleum Mining Code, Greater Sunrise Production Sharing Contract, and fiscal regime framework required under the Maritime Boundary Treaty,” the declaration says.

It says Australia will establish an infrastructure fund to be used in Timor-Leste once both nations can come to an agreement on the Greater Sunrise gas fields.

“This commitment will see at least a third of Australia’s revenue from the project being provided to Timor-Leste via the Infrastructure Fund,” the communique says. 

Anthony Albanese has been asked about the Port of Darwin, which Labor promised to return to Australian hands prior to the last election.

The Chinese ambassador to Australia today told journalists Beijing has an obligation to protect Landbridge, the Chinese company that owns the port, if it is forced out.

Albanese says the government has made it clear it wants the Port of Darwin under Australian control.

“We are committed to making sure that that port goes back into Australian hands because that is in our national interests,” Albanese says.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Woodside, Timor Gap and Osaka Gas will put forward a development plan for the Greater Sunrise joint venture.

“Today’s agreement that we have signed the Parseria acknowledges how important this project is,” Albanese says.

The PM says the Australian government acknowledges there are commercial issues involved, but that there will be oversight.

Australia and Timor-Leste have been locked in years-long negotiations over the development of the massive Greater Sunrise gas fields that lie between the two nations.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was peppered with questions about the Greater Sunrise gas fields.

He says the agreement that was signed today, which we’re still seeking details on, will be important for both countries.

The PM says Australian diplomat Dr Katina Cooper has been appointed to help “push things along” between the commercial partners on the Greater Sunrise gas fields.

“That is very important. The most recent negotiations occurred in Canberra in December 2025. And so this is a shared resource between Australia and Timor-Leste,” Albanese says.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been holding a press conference with Timor-Leste’s Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão.

The Timor-Leste prime minister says the leaders discussed Australia’s labour mobility program.

He says his government has also found a parcel of land to place the new and bigger Australian embassy in Dili.

Albanese has announced Australia will boost funding to support Timor-Leste’s ascension to ASEAN with an additional $8 million.

“You don’t get to choose your neighbours, but you do get to choose your friends. And Timor Leste is a friend and has a friend in Australia,” Albanese says.

“Australia will boost the funding that was provided for technical assistance and capacity building package so that the total will be up to $20 million, an increase of 8.2 million,” he says.