TRANSCRIPT:
- West Australian Senator Dorinda Cox defects from the Greens party;
- Russia and Ukraine talks have concluded in Istanbul;
- The Matildas secure a 4-1 victory over Argentina in their Canberra friendly.
Senator Dorinda Cox has defected from the Greens party to join the ALP.
The West Australian Senator says she approached Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, offering to join Labor and bolster its ranks in the Senate.
"I have considered this and during some deep reflection, what my values represent as a First Nations woman, as a proud West Australian, what it is that I would like to achieve in my political life, and what you can't do from the cross bench is make change and being in the government and alongside the wonderful team, that the Prime Minister has, you are able to make change."
The Greens have released a statement saying they are disappointed by the decision but that the minor party will still keep the balance of power in the Senate.
Greens leader Larissa Waters also says the Senator gave the party just one hour’s notice before her announcement.
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Talks in Istanbul between Russia and Ukraine have produced an agreement to conduct a new prisoner exchange.
Ukrainian officials say another round of talks is on the agenda.
Before the meeting, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the talks were aimed at evaluating the conditions for a ceasefire, to discuss a possible meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian presidents and to look at more prisoner exchange opportunities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky - who is in Vilnius for a NATO meeting - had also earlier said Ukraine was ready to take the necessary steps for peace.
“Naturally the starting point should be a ceasefire and humanitarian actions, the release of prisoners and the return of abducted children...And if Russia undermines even this initial agenda and if the Istanbul meeting brings nothing, that clearly means strong new sanctions are urgently, urgently needed – from the EU’s 18th package and from the United States, specifically the strongest sanctions President Trump promised."
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A suspect in an attack on a pro-Israeli rally in the United States that left eight people injured has been charged.
The 45 year old man is expected to face a Colorado court soon accused of a range of offences, including assault and the use of explosives.
The suspect is accused of using a flamethrower and an incendiary device to attack a US group bringing attention to Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.
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A garbage contractor has discovered the body of a man in an industrial bin in Hobart.
Tasmanian Police say the contractor made the grisly discovery in the suburb of Bellerive, at first believing it was a mannequin.
Detective Inspector David Gill says the deceased man was known to police and had been homeless for a couple of months.
Investigators say they are trying to determine if the death of the 45 year old man has been caused by foul play or misadventure - or both.
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The Commonwealth Ombudsman says Services Australia is not doing enough to respond to financial abuse through the Child Support Program.
The Ombudsman has released a new report that has found Centrelink's actions have often been unfair or unreasonable in addressing the widespread manipulation of child support payments, despite complaints from parents that their former partners have lied about care arrangements or not filed tax returns.
They say these actions expose custodial parents to reduced payments and potential debts because their family tax benefits are linked to the amount of child support they are expected to receive.
It's estimated there is around $1.9 billion in unpaid child support payments owing this financial year.
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Hundreds of First Nations leaders, businesses, academics and young people have gathered in Darwin for the annual AIATSIS Summit.
It's the largest forum of its kind - featuring more than one hundred sessions aimed at platforming Indigenous cultures, knowledge and governance.
AIATSIS C-E-O Leonard Hill says the five day summit gives Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and community members a chance to generate new ideas.
"The summit is an opportunity for those conversations to be elevated, opportunities to connect, to learn, understand the different experiences and collectively be able to walk out of experiences like summit with a renewed vigour I think in how we might go about improving the lives of First Nations people in Australia."
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The Matildas have beaten Argentina in their friendly in Canberra, defeating the side 4-1.
Amy Sayer scored a double in the match, her first Matildas start in 549 days after she experienced a devastating ACL injury.
The win was the final game for outgoing coach Tom Sermanni.
Joe Montemurro will now lead the team for the next three years.
