Australia news LIVE: Coalition would end work from home for public servants; Trump berates Zelensky again

As politicians across the divide insist Australia’s relationship with the US is crucial, and we continue to financially invest in alliance via the AUKUS agreement, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles answered a question many Australians may be asking.

“Why should Australia trust President Trump, given how he’s treated Ukraine’s president at the Oval Office,” asked ABC’s AM radio host Sabra Lane.

Marles didn’t answer the question directly, however, instead pivoting to the focus on Ukraine.

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“Ukraine can absolutely rely on Australia’s ongoing support in their defence, and we will work with international partners,” before listing collaboration with the US, UK and Europe.

Elaborating on Australia’s support for Ukraine, Marles, who is also defence minister, said the tanks promised to Ukraine five months ago would arrive in a timely manner.

“In terms of the Abrams tanks, that’s a commitment that we’ve made, and we have established a timeline with the Ukrainian government about the delivery of those tanks to Ukraine. For operational reasons, we won’t go into the detail of that timeline”.

Read more about the tank commitment here.