Donald Trump selects Elon Musk to lead a new government efficiency department; 900 million dollars up for grabs to incentivise states and territories to improve productivity and competition; And in football, Australia confirmed as a host city for the 2026 Women's Asia Cup.
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TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin;
- Donald Trump selects Elon Musk to lead a new government efficiency department;
- 900 million dollars up for grabs to incentivise states and territories to improve productivity and competition;
- And in football, Australia confirmed as a host city for the 2026 Women's Asia Cup.
US President-elect Donald Trump has announced Elon Musk and former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will lead a new Department of Government Efficiency.
In a statement, Mr Trump says the pair will pave the way for his administration to dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.
Elon Musk has pushed for a government efficiency department, emphasising the acronym for the agency: Doge - a reference to a meme of an expressive Shiba Inu.
Mr Trump says the agency will conduct a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government, and make recommendations for drastic reforms.
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Australia’s corporate watchdog says it suspects massive delays to awarding payouts in the superannuation industry are broader than its case against the construction union-linked CBUS super fund.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission, or ASIC, has launched Federal Court proceedings against CBUS after it failed to identify, and then prevent, delays that have affected 10,000 members since August 2022.
It alleged in some cases it took more than a year to make payments to grieving families and people with disabilities.
ASIC Deputy Chair, Sarah Court, says the watchdog is doing deep surveillance of super trustees.
"I think it’s fair to say that we do think this is a broader industry issue. So we are, at the moment, doing a deep dive surveillance of superannuation trustees’s handling of death benefits claims more broadly. We are going to be writing to the CEOs of superannuation trustees shortly to really put them on notice as to what we are seeing and our concerns about that."
CBUS has apologised for the delays in processing claims, acknowledging they had added to the distress of members and their families.
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Treasurer Jim Chalmers has announced a fund of up to $900 million for states and territories to improve productivity and competition.
States will be able to choose from a menu of options with the aim to streamline commercial planning and zoning, and remove barriers that inhibit the take-up of modern construction methods.
The National Productivity Fund is part of the federal government's all-out effort to tackle one of Australia’s biggest structural economic issues.
Senior Economist Melissa Wilson from the Committee for Economic Development of Australia says the fund will encourage states and territories to make critical reforms despite the fiscal odds often stacked against them.
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Women going through menopause now have access to a new specialised health hub in New South Wales.
The hub, located at the Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick, is the state’s first hormone and mood clinic, where patients can access psychiatrists, gynaecologists and endocrinologists.
The team will provide specialist care to women with severe or complex menopause symptoms who have not responded to previous treatments.
Up to one in four women will experience severe menopause symptoms - that's roughly 400,000 Australians at any one time.
36-year-old Reena Murry is one of the first women to access the hub.
She says it was difficult to find the right help after she entered early-onset menopause.
"I was told that I would go into menopause as a result of chemotherapy and I didn't know it would be as severe as what it was, it was sudden because of the nature of the drugs that I was on. So, very intense. Finding the right services has been a challenge and that's how I ended up here."
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Football Australia has announced the 2026 Women's Asian Cup will be played across five venues in Sydney, Perth and the Gold Coast.
Meanwhile, a number of Matildas starred in the UEFA Champions League this morning.
Caitlin Foord rounded out a 4-nil victory for Arsenal over Juventus.
Kyra Cooney-Cross providing the assist for Foord's goal.
Compatriots Mary Fowler and Alanna Kennedy ensured Manchester City continued their perfect start to the group stage.
Both played a full match as City defeated Hammarby 2-nil.
