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One of Australia's leading medical bodies has labelled the multi-million dollar boost in the federal budget to urgent care clinics as a "missed opportunity" for other health funding.
Health Minister Mark Butler has unveiled a $227 million package as part of Tuesday's upcoming federal budget.
It would see an extra 29 urgent care clinics established, designed for patients wanting walk-in treatment for injuries or illnesses in order to take pressure off busy hospital emergency departments.
But Nicole Higgins, President of the Royal Australian College of GPs told Radio 2-G-B the clinics will make a difference - but won't go far enough to address the needs of all patients.
"This is window dressing to the real problem which is funding chronic disease and mental health which are the commonest problems we see in general practice. We want to keep people out of hospitals and expensive urgent care centres."
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has clarified earlier comments on Australia's near-record low birth-rate, saying he does not believe governments should tell Australians what to do with their bodies.
On Friday, Dr Chalmers told the Sydney Morning Herald that “it would be better if birth rates were higher” but says the government will avoid a repeat of the 2004 "baby bonus" tax incentive scheme of former treasurer Peter Costello.
This year's budget will aim to alleviate some of the financial pressures associated with having children, with measures such as adding superannuation to the paid parental leave scheme from July 1st, 2025.
Dr Chalmers told S-B-S News the government does not want to dictate to Australians what they should be doing but they'll do what they can to remove financial barriers.
"It costs a lot to have kids and people make their own choices and I don't for a minute pretend that I have a say in the choices that people make - my job is to make it easier if they want to make that decision. One of the reasons people are making different choices is because it's expensive to have kids. It's not for us to dictate people's choices. But by investing billions of dollars in early childhood education, extending paid parental leave, and now paying superannuation on the government's paid parental leave scheme at a cost of $1.1 billion in this budget on Tuesday, we're trying to give people more choices."
Nemo's Eurovision Song Contest win has left fans from Switzerland in Swedish host city Malmo overwhelmed with joy.
Fans left the festival venue Malmo Arena after midnight, celebrating Switzerland’s first Eurovision Song Contest victory since Celine Dion took home the trophy in 1988.
VOXPOP 1: “I mean, I have no words. It feels like I'm in a dream. I just wait for someone to come and pinch me. It doesn't feel real at all."
VOXPOP 2: "It's incredible. We had the same situation three years ago and now it works. It works, it comes home. The Eurovision comes home where it started."
24-year-old Swiss rapper and singer Nemo won the contest with "The Code", a drum-and-bass, opera, rap and rock song, about the artist's journey of self-discovery as a non-binary person.
This win means Eurovision 2025 will see the event coming home to Switzerland where the first edition of the annual song contest was held in 1956 where Swiss singer Lys Assia became the first winner.
In the central west New South Wales community of Forbes, hundreds of locals have come out to march in honour of childcare worker Molly Ticehurst after she was allegedly murdered by her former partner last month [[22nd April]].
The 28-year-old mother's alleged killer was already on bail on charges of raping, stalking and intimidating her.
In response to the alleged killing of Ms Ticehurst, the New South Wales government says it will review bail laws to ensure that perpetrators cannot have the ability to further harm their victims while awaiting trial.
This comes after it was revealed last week that a woman has been violently killed every four days in Australia this year.
Meanwhile, Forbes locals came out today to celebrate Molly Ticehurst's life on Mother's Day, with Mayor Phyllis Miller telling A-B-C News she was a beloved member of the community.
"She was one of our early educators for our children and she was just bright and bubbly and one of those people that you just loved her personality. I had the privilege of dropping grandchildren off at the childcare centre and I loved her, and I'm just so pleased that people have come out today."
An Israeli military spokesperson says Israeli forces operating in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip are preventing Hamas from re-establishing its military capabilities there.
It comes as anti-government protesters in Israel demand an end of the war to release the hostages, and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of not wanting to reach a ceasefire deal with Hamas that includes the release of the hostages.
Defence Force spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari also says Israeli forces operating in Gaza City's Zeitoun district killed about 30 Palestinian militants.
“In the central Gaza Strip, troops from the 99th Division are in the midst of a wide-scale operation in the Zeitoun area. The troops eliminated about thirty terrorists and located dozens of weapons in a school in the area. They are continuing operations there; in recent hours, they discovered a significant underground route through which terrorists planned to carry out an attack against our forces.”
To sport - and in boxing, Australian Andrew Moloney has announced his shock retirement after suffering a controversial loss to Mexico's Pedro Guevara in their W-B-C interim super flyweight bout in Perth.
Moloney landed far more shots to the head in today's 12-round bout at R-A-C Arena and celebrated after the final bell.
But the 33-year-old was left in shock when the judges scored the bout 115-113, 115 -113, 113-116 in a split decision that shocked the Moloney camp.
He expressed his anger on Kayo Sports, abruptly retiring on the spot
"I felt in total control. I don't want to make excuses but I went into this fight with a torn bicep so I couldn't throw the left hook unless I needed to, but I didn't feel like I needed to throw it because I was in total control. And look, I just want to say thank you to Top Rank, thank you to my team for everything you've done for me, but I'm done with this sport. I want to thank my sponsors for backing me over the years, because I'm retired, I'm out. I love you all, but sorry.
