Australia news live: Albanese to raise concerns over Chinese steel dumping; Grace Kim wins golf major in miraculous finish | Australia news

Watt says government remains set on ‘preserving the Great Barrier Reef forever’

Watt spoke this morning about renewed discussions over the Great Barrier Reef at the world heritage meeting in Paris last week. He said the Albanese government remains concerned about the health of the reef and rejected any claims the government was ‘turning a blind eye” to its health, telling RN:

We recognize that the Great Barrier Reef, along with all coral reefs in the world, is under pressure, particularly from climate change. There’s other factors that have been impacting on the Great Barrier Reef as well, such as runoff and water quality. And that’s exactly why we’ve been investing hundreds of millions of dollars to increase water quality, to make sure that the fishing industry operating around the reef is more sustainable, to build the resilience of the reef.

But look, we acknowledge that there’s still more to be done there. I think all Australians and the whole world have got an interest in preserving the Great Barrier Reef forever, and that’s absolutely the intent of our government.

Murray Watt says World Heritage decision on Murujuga won’t impact final decision on Woodside extension

The environment minister, Murray Watt, has claimed that the science is clear that “industry can co-exist with rock art” in the Murujuga landscape in WA, saying the recent decision to list the area on the world heritage list would not affect the government’s final decision on the extension of the Woodside gas project.

Watt told RN Breakfast of the world heritage committee decision in Paris this weekend:

It won’t apply to any decisions that are currently under way or that have happened previously.

But what’s important about this decision is that any future industrial development in that precinct would need to comply with the rules surrounding world heritage nominations.

This is a really special moment to have Murujuga listed for world heritage. … I said that we would be applying strict conditions and preservation of the rock art was central to my decision when I made that a few weeks ago. But I guess this is also a way of keeping future governments and future industry honest to make sure that it does have this extra layer of protection against any inappropriate development in the future. And that’s a good thing.

Anthony Albanese will raise Australian concerns over Chinese steel dumping as he urges industry leaders from both nations to work together to develop low-carbon steel production methods, AAP reports.

At a roundtable of Australian iron ore producers and Chinese steelmakers in Shanghai on Monday, Albanese will call on China to address an oversupply of steel in the global market.

Excess Chinese steel production – the result of prolonged economic stimulus and weak domestic demand – has flooded the international market in recent years, squeezing producers in places such as the US and Europe and precipitating allegations of dumping.

Australia imposed anti-dumping duties on steel imports from China but the World Trade Organization found they were improperly applied. Albanese will tell the roundtable this morning:

As both countries cooperate to advance decarbonisation, we also need to work together to address global excess steel capacity.

It is in both countries’ interests to ensure a sustainable and market-driven global steel sector.

Josh Butler

PM uses trip to launch new tourism campaign aimed at Chinese market

Anthony Albanese has used his China trip to launch a new tourism campaign meant to encourage more holidaymakers to visit Australia.

The PM wants to boost the country as a destination for Chinese visitors, further increasing the interest of a market already worth $9.2bn in tourism – Australia’s largest tourist market by expenditure.

In Shanghai, on the first full day of his trip on Sunday, Albanese was on hand as Tourism Australia and Trip.com Group signed a memorandum of understanding which “promotes Australia as a premier tourist destination for Chinese travellers as well as visitors from other key Asian markets”, according to his office. The PM’s office said:

This partnership will provide a significant boost for Australia’s tourism industry.

Trip.com is one of the world’s biggest travel networks, used by more than 300 million travellers globally – including huge numbers in China and through Asia. Albanese said:

Not only is Australia’s beef, barley, red wine and rock lobster the best in the world – we’re the best place in the world to come for a holiday.

Expanding our tourism relationship with China will mean more jobs for Australians and a boost for Australian businesses.

Albanese’s six-day China trip continues today with an expected meeting with China’s premier, Xi Jinping, on Tuesday.

24-year-old Grace Kim produced one of the most astonishing golfing fightbacks in history to join Australia’s illustrious group of major champions, AAP reports.

Kim recovered from four shots behind in a most dramatic final round to clinch victory over world No 2 Jeeno Thitikul on the second playoff hole at the Evian championship in France. Kim said after the astounding eagle-birdie-eagle finish:

I don’t know how it happened, really.

It’s a huge achievement for me. I’ve had a lot of doubts early this year. I was kind of losing motivation. I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team. Yeah, kind of had to wake up a little bit.

So to be sitting here next to this trophy is definitely surreal.

Good morning and welcome to Monday’s live news blog. I’m Nick Visser and I’ll be taking you through the morning’s news.

Anthony Albanese – who is now in China – will raise Australian concerns over Chinese steel dumping as he urges industry leaders from both nations to work together to develop low-carbon steel production methods. The PM has also launched a new tourism campaign to encourage more holidaymakers from China to visit Australia.

In response to an exclusive Guardian story, the New South Wales Greens MP Sue Higginson has described the deaths of seven out of 13 koalas in a conversation project as “deeply disturbing, tragic and cruel”.

And Jannik Sinner has exorcised the wretched memory of his painful French Open title capitulation by defeating his great young rival Carlos Alcaraz.