Headline Advisory Director Andrew Carswell says Opposition leader Peter Dutton is becoming a “credible alternative” to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. According to the Resolve Political Monitor, Labor’s primary vote has fallen one per cent to 28 per cent, while the Coalition remains at 36 per cent. “It’s an awfully hard road ahead for the Coalition,” Mr Carswell told Sky News host Sharri Markson. “The numbers are astronomical, but they are on the right track, and Peter Dutton is putting every foot forward to put himself in that position. “He is becoming a credible alternative to the Prime Minister.”

Sky News can reveal Beijing has been hatching a defence plan that may concern the Australian government. For almost a year, the Labor Government has avoided helping an Australian defence firm acquire a major South American missiles manufacturer. We can now reveal a Chinese letter sent last week shows Beijing has entered negotiations, effectively turning the issue into a national security risk.

Greens Senator David Shoebridge discusses Chinese officials blocking Australian journalist Cheng Lei during Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia. “If it is a lack of knowledge, it is an intentional lack of knowledge, and I don’t think it does anyone any credit when it happens,” Mr Shoebridge told Sky News Australia. “Just pretending you don’t know about it or consciously not finding out about it just makes you look like you stand for nothing.”

Sky News host Liz Storer has reacted to MSNBC discussing how the bar set for President Joe Biden to clear in the upcoming presidential debate is “substantially higher than the one Trump has to clear”. “Those guys shilling for the Dems,” she said. “It never gets tiresome.”

Former Labor senator Stephen Conroy discusses China’s attitude towards Australia amid Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia. “The bottom line in dealing with China is they don’t care what we think,” Mr Conroy told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio. “This is all theatre for them. They don’t care. “There is no change in China’s actual behaviour on the ground - they are competing to buy, steal and bribe Pacific nations onto their side of the debate.”

Sky News host Caleb Bond says Hobart City Councillor Louise Elliot has managed to “extract” an apology over a denial of her request to hire a hall for a pro-women event. “Hobart City Councillor Louise Elliot … has managed to extract an apology from the Hobart City Council after they denied her the opportunity to rent a hall from them to host a pro-women event,” Mr Bond said. “She went off to try and hire a hall … in her capacity as a private citizen … and they denied her.”

The “most volatile issue” for regional Australia is the locations of where to put offshore wind farms, according to Nationals Senator Matt Canavan. “It generates the most heat from people,” Mr Canavan told Sky News host Paul Murray. This comes after the Opposition has vowed to scrap Labor’s plan for a massive offshore wind farm off the south coast of NSW if elected at the next election.

Sky News host Danica De Giorgio says Chinese officials blocking Australian journalist Cheng Lei is a display of the “same heavy-handedness” by China on our own home soil. “Meanwhile, China does what it does best, adopting a ‘nothing to see here’ attitude, and Anthony Albanese obliges,” she said. “He is so scared of upsetting China – he has proven time and time again, he does not have the strength to stand up to Beijing. “So, amidst the backdrop of pandas, the smiling, the handsome man from Australia, serious issues remain, but what is clear is Labor is a dream for the CCP.”

IPA Deputy Executive Director Daniel Wild says “net zero is dead” despite the Albanese Labor government giving the green light to a fourth offshore wind zone. “Project after project is getting held up, or delayed, or cancelled,” he told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio. “Australians don’t want it.”

Sky News host Rita Panahi says Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is “upping the ante” on the nation’s energy policy and its net zero commitments. “The usual political pundits did what they always do – they warned of electoral backlash and imminent oblivion,” she said. “Peter Dutton is proving if you actually stand for something … you can win hearts and minds.” Ms Panahi was joined by Geologist Ian Plimer to discuss the Liberal’s nuclear stance.

Geologist Ian Plimer says Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has “hit a chord” with many people regarding his push for nuclear energy. “We have had this massive ingress of wind and solar power into our energy systems, every time we put more wind and solar into our systems our costs go up,” Mr Plimer told Sky News host Rita Panahi. “What Dutton is saying is we’re going to have a look into this. “The public is well behind him on this, they are hurting, especially people in suburbia – they are really hurting with absolutely monstrous electricity bills.”

Sky News contributor Prue MacSween has told NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey to “focus on your own backyard” after he made comments concerning Donald Trump’s re-election campaign. Her remarks come after Mr Mookhey warned the re-election of former US president Donald Trump could be the biggest threat to NSW’s economy. “Forget about Trump,” Ms MacSween said.

Liberal MP Aaron Violi says the blocking of Cheng Lei by a Chinese official at a media event highlights the “inherent tension” between Australia and the CCP. Formerly detained journalist Cheng Lei has spoken out after her view of a document signing and press conference with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Canberra was obstructed by Chinese officials on Monday. “A free press is so crucial to our democracy here in Australia,” Mr Violi told Sky News Australia. “How we maximise our economic opportunities while never compromising on our democracy and the freedom of journalists ... is one of these tensions that we’ve got to continue to navigate with Xi Jinping and the CCP.”

Liberal MP Aaron Violi has urged the Prime Minister to raise the issue of Cheng Lei’s blocking at a press conference with Chinese officials. Formerly detained journalist Cheng Lei has spoken out after her view of a document signing and press conference with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Canberra was obstructed by Chinese officials on Monday. “We need to get an answer to this because we are in Australia, and the freedom of the press is fundamental to our country,” Mr Violi told Sky News Australia. “Any journalist should be able to attend a press conference with visiting dignitaries.”

Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham says there has been a “change” in terms of Beijing’s approach “around the world”. “There is not so much of the aggressive so-called ‘wolf warrior’ diplomacy,” Mr Birmingham said. “That has gone parallel … with the changes to an approach to Australia.”

Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham says the Liberals have been going through a “very exhaustive process” in relation to nuclear power. “There have been numerous briefings and opportunities for members to be engaged in terms of discussion and understanding of the options there and that policy will have continued to be worked upon and released at the right time,” Mr Birmingham told Sky News Australia. “The substance here will most importantly be one about ensuring that we have the most credible pathway using the best technologies available to get to net zero by 2050 and to do so in ways that ensure Australia’s industrial underpinnings and electricity markets can operate with reliability and affordability for users.”

Sky News host Cheng Lei discusses the “kerfuffle” involving her being blocked by Chinese officials at a press conference on Monday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been questioned about the moment Cheng Lei was blocked from the view of cameras by Chinese officials at an important media event. “The worry is that my being there is a symbol of some sort,” Ms Lei said. “Maybe they didn’t want that for the domestic audience ... but we don’t want this incident to overshadow the rest of the visit.”

Hawker Britton Managing Director Simon Banks says cost of living is the “number one issue” in Australia. According to the Resolve Strategic poll, Peter Dutton is leading Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on preferred prime minister 36 per cent to 35 per cent. “People ultimately voted for Tony Abbott … so, I think, if anyone on either side of politics assumes that a person is unelectable … I think political strategists move beyond that and focus on the fundamentals,” Mr Banks told Sky News Australia. “The issue for Peter Dutton is, look, the cost of living’s the number one issue. “Australians are doing is tough, and they still haven’t received their tax cuts, the reductions in their energy bills and the cheaper medicines. “Australians are pretty cranky at the moment, and this poll certainly reflects that.”

United States President Joe Biden suffered another embarrassing gaffe at a Democrat campaign fundraiser in Los Angeles over the weekend. Mr Biden appeared to freeze and was led off stage by former United States President Barack Obama. British broadcaster Piers Morgan said on X that the incident was “so embarrassing” and questioned the Democrats decision to have him as presidential nominee. “So embarrassing” he said. “The Democrats can’t let this go on, surely?”

Chinese Premier Li Qiang is in Canberra today and spoke about affirming the “commitment” to viewing the Australia-China relationship as a “comprehensive strategic partnership”. “In less than one year, Prime Minister Albanese and I have met multiple times and exchanged visits to each other's country,” Mr Li said in a media conference on Monday. “This shows that both countries attach great importance to our relationship and that this relationship is on the right track for steady improvement and development. “We affirmed our commitment to defining this relationship as a comprehensive strategic partnership. “We also had a candid exchange of views of some differences and disagreements and agreed to properly manage them in a manner befitting our comprehensive strategic partnership.”