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• 7.06amDutton warns he wouldn’t support ‘tainted’ choice for next RBA governor
• 6.50amLosing the Voice will have no impact on PM’s leadership: Farrell
• 6.35amAustralia bids to settle feud with Japan over gas
• 6.22amThis morning’s headlines at a glance

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Dutton warns he wouldn’t support ‘tainted’ choice for next RBA governor

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has threatened to withhold support for the government’s choice of Reserve Bank governor if the candidate were “tainted” from working closely with government – a comment former bank head Bernie Fraser has rubbished.

Treasury Secretary Steven Kennedy and Finance Secretary Jenny Wilkinson are among the country’s top economists tipped to be in the running for the job of RBA governor.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is widely expected to announce the next governor of the Reserve Bank on Friday, with current governor Philip Lowe’s seven-year term set to expire in September and work under way to reform the bank following the independent review.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton during a Q and A at an Institute of Public Affairs event in July.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

“We’ll support the government when they make the announcement, but not if it’s somebody who is tainted, or can be seen to be tainted – even if it’s somebody of a very high calibre and character – and whether it’s been somebody that’s worked closely with the Liberal or Labor government before,” Dutton said on Sydney’s 2GB radio yesterday morning.

“We don’t want somebody there who’s been involved in the political process at a senior level, and I think that’s a very important point to make, and we’ve made that clear to the government as well.”

Read the full story on this here. 

Losing the Voice will have no impact on PM’s leadership: Farrell

Labor powerbroker Don Farrell says there will be no impact on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s leadership if he loses the Voice referendum to be held later this year.

Farrell, a Labor-Right factional leader who was instrumental in withdrawing support for Kevin Rudd in the leadership coup of 2010, has become a key ally of the prime minister, despite Albanese hailing from the party’s Left faction.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s leadership has the backing of powerbroker Don Farrell, even if the Voice referendum fails.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

The Special Minister of State, who has responsibility for the independent Electoral Commission, which will run the vote, likely to be held in October, said he still believed the referendum could be won.

He rejected speculation the referendum would be voted down, saying the Indigenous Voice to parliament enjoyed support from women and younger voters.

“I don’t think you can say that at this point,” he said in an interview in Brussels, where he held two days of negotiations on the stalled EU-Australia trade deal.

Continue reading about this here.

Australia bids to settle feud with Japan over gas

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has moved to take the heat out of a feud with Japan over gas exports, declaring Australia was committed to being a reliable energy supplier and revealing Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen would fly to Tokyo in a bid to ease concerns about Labor’s climate policy.

Australia and Japan are close partners and members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, also comprising the United States and India. But there has been unease in Tokyo about new rules introduced by the Albanese government on July 1 that demand new liquified natural gas fields have net zero emissions.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong at a meeting in Jakarta. Credit: Reuters

Australia provides about 40 per cent of Japan’s gas, and it has taken issue with the new policy, worried about the impact it may have on its energy security.

“If this issue cannot be resolved, this might undermine long-trusted relations,” Yuki Sadamitsu, the director-general of natural resources and fuel at Japan’s Ministry of Economy of Trade and Industry was quoted by The Wall Street Journal as saying.

Read more from our correspondents in Jakarta here. 

This morning’s headlines at a glance

Good morning, and thanks for your company.

It’s Friday, July 14. I’m Caroline Schelle, and I’ll be anchoring our live coverage for the first half of the day.

Here’s what you need to know before we get started:

• Foreign Minister Penny Wong raised concerns with China’s top diplomat about Hong Kong police bounties placed on activists in exile in Australia, and trade sanctions.
• Labor powerbroker Don Farrell says there will be no impact on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s leadership if he loses the Voice referendum to be held later this year.
• Treasurer Jim Chalmers is widely expected to announce the next governor of the Reserve Bank today, but the opposition leader warns he would not support “tainted” choice.
• A man charged with allegedly sending death threats to federal member for Mallee Anne Webster is expected to face court in Brisbane today.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers is widely expected to announce who will head the Reserve Bank of Australia today.Credit: Bloomberg

• Staff at National Australia Bank will have working-from-home rights enshrined in a new pay deal that will see their wages rise by 17.5 per cent over four years.
• Young people having their first sexual experiences are at higher risk of becoming criminalised under stricter sexual consent laws, the country’s peak legal body warned.
• Turning to news overseas, US President Joe Biden has hit back at a Republican senator blocking hundreds of military promotions because of his anti-abortion views.
• And in the latest news about the war in Ukraine, a Russian general in charge of forces in the country’s south has been relieved of his duties after speaking out about problems faced by his troops.

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