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TRANSCRIPT
- Borrowers hit again as the Reserve Bank raises interest rates.
- The antisemitism inquiry hears Jewish families are living in fear.
- Stephanie Gilmore reclaims her Gold Coast crown in her return to surfing’s world tour.
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The Reserve Bank of Australia has increased the official cash rate from 4.10 per cent to 4.35 per cent, an increase of 0.25 percentage points.
It is the Reserve Bank's third consecutive hike this year, bringing the cash rate back to 2024 levels and effectively undoing the savings from the last three cash rate cuts.
The decision comes after inflation rose to 4.6 per cent in March — its highest level since 2023.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the rise has been driven largely by surging fuel prices tied to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
"We now that some of the cost and consequences on the other side of the world, that Australians are paying more particularly for fuel in that most recent inflation data, but those price pressures are expected to be felt more broadly across our economy as well."
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The New South Wales government is paying tribute to two Marine Rescue volunteers who died while responding to a yacht capsize in Ballina overnight.
Marine Area Commander Superintendent Joe McNulty has described the incident as a tragedy.
A man in his 50s, believed to be the owner of the yacht, also died.
Four surviving volunteers were injured and remain in a stable condition.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has expressed his condolences and praised the role of emergency volunteers.
"I wanna pay tribute to their heroism, their sense of courage, their public mindedness and want to let them know that the people of New South Wales are in their corner and thank them for their service to this state."
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The man accused of murdering five-year-old Kumanjayi Little Baby has been excused from appearing in court in the Northern Territory.
Jefferson Lewis had been expected to face Alice Springs Local Court this morning via video link from Darwin, but his lawyer requested he be excused.
Mr Lewis is charged with one count of murder, and two other charges which cannot be disclosed for legal reasons.
Prosecutors requested a lengthy adjournment, with the case expected to return to court on July 30.
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On day two of the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, evidence has been given by a woman known only as Dina, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor.
She told the inquiry her family moved to Bondi after her grandfather was murdered in the Holocaust.
Dina says she felt scared after hearing anti-Jewish chants at a pro-Palestine rally outside the Sydney Opera House.
She says she and her husband considered removing the Mezuzah from their front door because they feared being targeted.
"And now my children go to school with concrete bollards, making sure no one is going to ram them with a car - with security fences, security guards - additional layers of security, police -and I think that demonstrates how far we've come and what we're faced with as a Jewish community."
The hearings are set to continue until May 15.
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A Senate inquiry is hearing evidence about Australia’s offshore processing and resettlement arrangements with Nauru and Papua New Guinea.
The Human Rights Law Centre says offshore processing should be dismantled, arguing the system has caused harm to thousands of people and their families over 13 years.
Law Council of Australia representative Carina Ford says the Memorandum of Understanding underpinning the Nauru deal should be made public.
"Given that the MOU has such an impact on human consequences that it should be made available to ensure that international obligations are met and also that we are not putting another generation of people through the harm that we have done previously over the last ten to twelve years"
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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is leaving Australia after talks in Canberra with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
The two leaders have agreed to deepen security and economic ties, with a focus on defence, energy security and critical minerals.
Mr Albanese says the relationship with Japan is one of Australia’s most important partnerships in the region.
The visit comes as both countries look to strengthen cooperation in response to growing strategic and economic uncertainty in the Indo-Pacific.
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And to sport,
Surfing great Stephanie Gilmore says she has more in the tank after reclaiming her Gold Coast crown in her return to the world tour.
The 38-year-old saved her best for last at her hometown break Snapper Rocks, scoring a whopping 9.50 among her total in the final to clinch an epic victory over 21-year-old Brazilian Luana Silva.
The result has extended her own records with a 34th Championship Tour event win and seventh Gold Coast Pro title.
Gilmore says she felt her performance improve with every heat, with everything coming together in the final.
