ASPI Senior Analyst Malcolm Davis says it is “really important” Defence Minister Richard Marles and his department “work together effectively” after it was revealed he was feuding with the Department of Defence earlier this week. Marles says his department still has a ‘way to go’ before it achieves excellence. Tensions between Mr Marles and the Department of Defence were revealed yesterday during Question Time after the Opposition called for him to lift his game. “The strategic circumstances that we’re in demand that all sides in our defence organisation and in government work together effectively to deal with the challenges that are ahead,” Mr Davis told Sky News Australia. “I think that it’s really important for both defence, as an organisation, and also the government to get the job done as quickly and efficiently as possible. “We don’t have a lot of time to play with here – worst-case scenarios on some crises such as Taiwan, for example, suggest three to five years, so we don’t have a lot of time to mess about. “It’s really important that both government, with the minister, and also the defence organisation work together as an efficient team.”

Sky News US Analyst Michael Ware says a special counsel describing Joe Biden as an ‘elderly man with poor memory’ couldn’t have been written by the Trump campaign “better if they had done it themselves” and “will be appearing” in campaign ads. Special Counsel Robert Hur has described US President Joe Biden as a “sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with poor memory” and said he would bring no charges against him after his investigation into Biden’s classified documents scandal. “The Trump campaign couldn’t have written that sentence better if they had done it themselves,” Mr Ware told Sky News Australia. “You can be assured that quote will be appearing in campaign ads. “This is part of the irony of where we are in American politics right now, because former president Trump has actually been charged with withholding secret classified US documents, and unlike President Biden, President Trump not only refused to give these documents back, but tried to hide them and lied about them. “In a really bitter irony, while we’re hearing Republicans talk about how strong an action the Biden administration must take against Iran for its role in Gaza and backing militias in the Middle East, one of the key documents that President Trump has been charged with retaining is America’s secret attack plans on Iran. “It is an extraordinary time both politically and in terms of the legal.”

Defence Minister Richard Marles says his department still has a “way to go” before it achieves excellence. Tensions between Mr Marles and the Department of Defence were revealed yesterday during Question Time after the Opposition called for him to lift his game. Funding demands are one of the key points of tension. Mr Marles says he is working with civilian and uniformed leadership on a path to reforms. “I make no excuses or apologies for demanding excellence and a culture of excellence in the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force,” Mr Marles said in Question Time. “We are giving the Defence Force a strategic purpose … to improve the culture, but there is a way to go because of the mess that was left by those opposite.”

Sky News host Liz Storer says the world’s largest developer of offshore wind is “culling 800 jobs”. Renewables giant Orsted is scaling back development targets and announced hundreds of job cuts. Ms Storer said they are “scaling back production, they’re scaling back their development targets”. “They’ve even paused shareholder payouts. “Because they’re trying to help their bottom line and balance the books.”

Sky News host James Macpherson says renewable energy is the cheapest form of energy “If you get enough government subsidies”. Renewables giant Orsted is scaling back development targets and announced hundreds of job cuts. Mr Macpherson said Orsted is “laying off 800 workers”. “They’ve pulled out of Spain, they’ve pulled out of Portugal, out of Norway. “And their share prices dropped by 30 per cent.”

Sky News host Caleb Bond has drawn comparisons with the Bonds clothing brand and Bud Light. Mr Bond’s comments come after the clothing label’s new advertising displayed a non-binary model in branded female underwear. “If you’re trying to sell women’s underwear to women well, presumably, you would get a woman to come in and do it,” Mr Bond said. “If you are trying to sell a product to men, Bud Light beer for instance, you don’t get a transgender TikToker to come in and do it. “Unless there is just some massive market out there of non-binary people Bonds thinks they are going to corner.”

Sky News host Liz Storer says it is not even a question if a ‘pro-life Spiderman’ is a hero. The man in question climbed the Las Vegas Entertainment Sphere all the way to the top with no safety equipment to raise money for a homeless woman who is pregnant. “That is a manly man he is doing what men should,” Ms Storer said. “And that is looking after women and babies. “I absolutely love it – he is a hero.”

Sky News host Rita Panahi says this Labor government is “far more radically left” than the Shorten team that Australia rejected. “That is what is driving this party and we know what is in their DNA,” she told Sky News host Paul Murray. “They don’t like aspiration, they don’t like Australians being independent and self-reliant. “That’s what property is for a lot of people who are not born into wealth. “It is so absurd and economically illiterate to be upset about negative gearing.”

Former US Army vice chief of staff General Jack Keane has applauded the European Union for stepping up following a new support deal for Ukraine. European Union leaders have approved a $82 billion package to support Ukraine for the next four years. “I applaud what has happened here, and the Europeans have truly stepped up; there’s no doubt about it,” General Keane told Sky News host Andrew Bolt. “I take my hat off to them. “I’ve spent a lot of time educating Americans that Europeans have truly stepped up here, and the United States has to continue to make this commitment.”

Russia’s campaign to conquer Ukraine has not let up and as spring approaches, “we’re expecting things to get significantly worse”, says Internet 2.0 Co-Founder Robert Potter. “The key terrain and the key place where this war is being decided right now is in the discussions in the United States Congress,” Mr Potter told Sky News host Sharri Markson. “Everyone here is dependent on the continued flow of ammunition from the United States government. “President Zelenskyy famously said at the beginning of the war ‘I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition’ – well if we don’t get some ammunition here soon, a lot of people are going to need a ride. “We’re waiting at the moment with bated breath against what seems to be a pretty concerted effort by Donald Trump, people like Tucker Carlson and Vladimir Putin to stopper that aid. “Because it’s Putin’s best chance of winning the war, is to stop the flow of ammunition to Kiev.”

Sky News host Paul Murray says Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party have waited until they got in to begin repeating previously rejected 2019 Bill Shorten talking points. “Remember this next time they say – ‘we’ve learned our lessons from last time’, no they just wait till they get in,” Mr Murray said. “Then they assume they are so awesome that you won’t remember.” Labor’s 2019 talking points are starting to come back in force for the current Albanese government, he said. Labor’s previously rejected policies are now being brought back in, according to Paul Murray.

Former Liberal MP Nicolle Flint has blasted SA Premier Peter Malinauskas for a “pathetic display” of not being able to “stand up to the left of his party” and blocking the push for an inquiry into treatment of children with gender dysphoria. “Are we putting vulnerable young kids at risk – children who cannot make an informed decision as an adult about treatment that may have life-changing ramifications,” Ms Flint asked Sky News Australia host Peta Credlin. “All the inquiry wanted to do was explore precisely what the treatment procedures are. “Are we doing the right thing? Are we undertaking our duty of care properly? “We do not want children coming back in two, five, ten years’ time coming back and saying this was negligent.”

Sky News host Andrew Bolt says Australia’s Defence seems to be in "a bit of a shambles”. Mr Bolt said drones are the “new weapon of the modern battlefield” and Australia has none. “We have too few missiles, we don’t have enough sailors to even man our ships and on and on and on. “So, it was no surprise to me to read that there’s been a blow-up between Defence Minister Richard Marles and his military and Department Chiefs. “He doesn’t respect them and they sure as hell don’t respect him.”

News Corp’s profit soared 95 per cent in the second quarter to $US183 million. “Sales were up by three per cent, so just over $2.5 billion," Sky News Business Editor Ross Greenwood said. “The standout though – the performance of its Dow Jones division in the US. “The result also helped by REA Group, which is 61 per cent owned by News. “It increased profit 22 per cent to $250 million for the half-end.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has caused speculation a new Papua New Guinea team could soon be entering the NRL. Mr Albanese welcomed Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape into Parliament House on Thursday where the two discussed their “common interest” for the “mighty cultural institution” that is rugby league. Sky News host Keiran Gilbert welcomed the idea, saying PNG has come up with “fantastic footballers”. “If we were to say, put a few hundred million dollars in of government funds to help foster that, there wouldn’t be a better soft diplomacy that Australia could take part in. “It’s a religion to that country.”

The ASX 200 ended the day up on Thursday by 0.31 per cent. Sky News Business Reporter Edward Boyd says the market did lift as it was “pushed higher by utilities like AGL and the tech sector”. “Energy stocks, they dropped about half a per cent," he said. “Nuix which makes intelligence and data analytic software was the top tech company. “Losing value today included Platinum Asset management, property listings company REA Group … and fund manager Magellan.”

Taylor Swift is likely to boost New South Wales’ economy by around $130 million as businesses jump on the “bandwagon”, Small Business Women Australia’s Amanda Rose says. “I think it is great, don’t forget there is accommodation, Airbnb, people travelling to come and see her in the different cities,” Ms Rose told Sky News host Chris Kenny. “Small businesses are jumping on the bandwagon in a very clever way.” Businesses are benefiting from Taylor Swift by making themed products for consumers to buy. Swift’s team do not seem to be coming down on these small businesses by stopping them, which is helping boost NSW’s economy by around $130 million.

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape’s meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Australian soil has come at an interesting time as PNG faces several domestic issues. “Marape has had a lot going on,” Sky News host Ashleigh Gillon says. “There were those deadly riots last year – led to a state of emergency. “Domestically, things have been really tough for him as well. “On the China front, it was sort of a conspicuous absence. “Of all those Pacific nations, it’s really PNG and Fiji that have been pushing back on the China security front.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australians are talking positively about the government’s changes to the stage tree tax cuts. “Our plan is aimed squarely at middle Australia, helping low and middle-income earners who are under financial pressure,” he said during Question Time on Thursday. Mr Albanese said the Opposition’s gut reaction was to oppose the changes to the tax cuts, and their first instinct was to “roll it back”. “The first chance they get, they will walk away from middle Australia – now, they can change how they vote, but they’ll never change who they are,” he said. “Australians out there are responding because they know that this government had the courage to take the right decision at the right time for the right reason to make a difference for them.”

Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson has hit out at Defence Minister Richard Marles for the “disastrous state of affairs” that have occurred in the Defence Department in Australia’s time of “greatest strategic peril”. According to a report in the Australian Financial Review, the government’s inability to deliver a funding boost to defence is fuelling tensions between Marles and his department. ‘He doesn’t respect them, and they sure as hell don’t respect him,’ one former senior bureaucrat said of Marles’ relationship with the department. “In our time of greatest strategic peril, we need the Minister for Defence, his department and the ADF working together absolutely seamlessly without any conflict, and yet it seems that they are fighting like cats and dogs,” Mr Paterson told Sky News Australia. “On the one hand, you have the department saying that Richard Marles has failed to secure the funding that they need to match the circumstances that we face; you also have them saying that he’s not even bothering to respond to hundreds of briefs which are piling up in his office. “He’s responded by saying they’re incompetent and they can’t deliver what the government has asked them to – this is a disastrous state of affairs that has happened on Richard Marles’ watch as Defence Minister. “The Prime Minister needs to step in and sort this out.”