TRANSCRIPT
In this bulletin;
- Treasurer announces bank reforms aimed at assisting customers;
- Pro-Palestinian protesters at University of Sydney say they have no plans to abandon encampment;
- And in sport, Australian Jessica Fox paddles to gold at the World Cup kayak finals.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says he is open to tweaking and expanding reforms to the banking sector, announced on Saturday, aimed at helping bank customers find better deals.
The federal government will implement a suite of measures, responding to two reports by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
It found banks were using highly complex pricing strategies and taking advantage of customers' tendency to set up accounts and forget to review their options.
The changes aim to reduce barriers to switching banks and finding better deals, including making mortgage-exit forms easier.
Dr Chalmers says it's just the beginning.
"I think we've struck the right balance here. Obviously we took into consideration all of the A-Triple-C ((ACCC)) recommendations and we prioritised the ones we thought were the most important, and you're seeing that in this package today. This is not necessarily the end of the changes we want to make, to make life a bit easier for people in the banking system, but it's an important set of steps that we're taking - initial set of steps - responding to that good work by the A-Triple-C and by Daniel Mulino's committee."
The Treasurer ordered the ACCC probe into deposit products in 2023.
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The government says a significant new wind farm project in New South Wales will be smaller and further offshore than originally proposed, to address community concerns.
Climate Change and Environment Minister Chris Bowen announced the approval of the project on Saturday, saying it will put Illawarra "at the centre of Australia's renewable energy future".
The wind farm zone will be able to generate almost 3 gigawatts of power - enough for 1.8 million homes.
But Mr Bowen acknowledged community consultation had revealed concerns about the project's visual impact on the coastline.
The approved zone will be smaller than originally proposed and now located 20 kilometres offshore, meaning on most days it will not be visible from the coast.
"Also we've taken into account environmental concerns and shipping issues to ensure a balanced proposal. Also fishing. Some people assume that when you see that declaration on the map, that you can't fish inside that area. That's not true. There will be exclusion zones around each turbine - a small exclusion zone of about 50 metres. The turbines are usually about two kilometres apart. Within that, people can fish, can go about their recreational fishing as they wish."
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Pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of Sydney say they have no plans to disband their encampment, after administrators issued a notice to vacate the space on campus front lawns.
Student Representative Council president Harrison Brennan says the group of about 40 students is now on "high alert" for security to move in.
They have occupied the lawns since April 24 in protest against Israel's assault on the Gaza Strip, which local health officials says has now killed over 37,000 Palestinians.
On Friday, a university spokesman advised the group they must leave as their protest has taken over a shared space, "to the exclusion of others".
Student Rand Darwish says she has taken part to show solidarity with people in Gaza and Palestinian family members living in Israel.
"It's very clear, we are not budging. We have passed motions both at the student and staff union to boycott, divest and sanction Israel. And we are very clear that this campaign will very much continue for a very long time, until Palestine is free. So what this campaign looks like will probably shift, but here's to say: this was a moment in history."
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In sport,
Jessica Fox has once again delivered a stunning performance, paddling to gold in the women's kayak final at the World Cup in Krakow, Poland.
It was a fourth World Cup medal for Fox in three weeks, as Australia's kayak queen continues to build momentum ahead of the Paris Olympic Games in July.
Earlier this week, her younger sister Noemie also earned a place in Paris for the kayak cross event.
