Australia news LIVE: Joyce says lobbyist was offered $400k to silence him on net zero; Katter threatens to punch journalist

Pentagon backtracks on ‘happenstance’ Marles visit

The Pentagon has backtracked on suggestions Richard Marles did not meet US counterpart Pete Hegseth in Washington this week, just hours after calling the encounter ‘happenstance’.

Australia news LIVE: Joyce says lobbyist was offered $400k to silence him on net zero; Katter threatens to punch journalist

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Pentagon walks back denial of Marles-Hegseth meeting

Earlier, the Pentagon had said the pair had a "happenstance encounter", not a meeting, but it now says the meeting was scheduled in advance.

What meeting? Pentagon calls Marles’ photo with Hegseth a ‘happenstance encounter’

The Pentagon has officially denied that Defence Minister Richard Marles had a formal meeting with US counterpart Pete Hegseth, the day after Marles’ office published an Instagram post on Wednesday showing the two of them photographed together alongside US Vice President JD Vance.