US Marines plan permanent weapons stockpile in Victoria; Pauline Hanson to address National Press Club
The US military plans to establish a permanent war-ready weapons stockpile for its Marine Corps in Victoria, beyond the range of most Chinese missiles. Meanwhile, Pauline Hanson will address the National Press Club for the first time in three decades as her party reaches record poll highs.
US Marines Weapons Stockpile in Victoria
The US military is planning a permanent war-ready weapons stockpile for its Marine Corps in Victoria, according to tender documents cited by Agence France-Presse. This will be the first such Marine Corps stockpile in Australia and is located beyond the range of most Chinese missiles.
The stockpile, expected to reach full capacity by 2028, will initially be stored in Melbourne before being moved to US warehouses to be constructed next year at the Australian military base in Bandiana, rural Victoria. A US Marine Corps spokesperson said the activities improve responsiveness and strengthen interoperability with allies in the Indo-Pacific region.
US army trucks were left at Bandiana in 2023 after a biennial Australian war game. The Marine Corps stockpile, approved last July, is separate from that.
Pauline Hanson at National Press Club
Pauline Hanson, founder of One Nation, will address the National Press Club in Canberra today for the first time in her three-decade political career. Monash University politics head Zareh Ghazarian said the speech should provide an overview of the party's broader policies and aspirations, noting that One Nation is at a transition point from a minor anti-establishment party to potentially a major political force.
Polls show One Nation has become Australia's most popular political party, with a substantial lead over the coalition on primary votes. Senator Hanson is also now the preferred prime minister.
Victorian Premier Grilled on Labor's Collapse
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan faced tough questions on ABC's 7.30 program about the collapse in Labor support and union corruption allegations. A new poll shows Labor trailing in third place on primary votes at 21%, behind the Coalition and surging One Nation.
Allan defended working from home as a human right, citing a state survey where thousands said their work-from-home requests were denied. She also condemned mobile billboards in Melbourne depicting her as a witch with the slogan "Ditch the Witch," linking such gendered attacks to the physical safety of female politicians.
When questioned about CFMEU infiltration into Victoria's infrastructure projects, Allan disputed the $15 billion figure reported by "Rotting from the Top" but noted that Victoria Police had laid 88 criminal charges and about 150 construction licenses had been cancelled. She did not clarify if an official calculation of taxpayer costs had been requested.
