TRANSCRIPT:
- Mixed local reactions to an international arrest warrant against the Israeli Prime Minister;
- A man under police guard after stabbing a woman in Melbourne;
- Parramatta fails to lure Wayne Bennett away from Souths.
A Royal Australian Air Force plane has touched down in New Caledonia after the federal government was given clearance for two flights to repatriate stranded citizens.
The Defence Department says the C-130 Hercules can carry 124 passengers.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong says a seat on the plane will be allocated to registered Australians, according to need.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says there are many Australians in New Caledonia registered with authorities, but some are not.
"Our Department of Foreign and Affairs and Trade continue to work very closely with the 300 Australians who are on the register (with DFAT). We suspect there are more Australians than that."
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Members of the public have stepped in to restrain a man who police allege attacked a woman in broad daylight in a Melbourne suburb earlier today.
One of the good Samaritans - a man in his 30s - has been taken to hospital with minor injuries following the citizen's arrest.
The 44 year old accused of the assault has also been taken to hospital under police guard.
Police allege he approached a woman in St Kilda East earlier this morning and slashed her on the arm with a knife.
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Opposition leader Peter Dutton has criticised the Prime Minister for his response to an arrest warrant issued to the Israeli PM by the International Criminal Court.
US President Joe Biden has criticised the warrant against Benjamin Netanyahu, which alleges war crimes have been committed in Gaza.
Anthony Albanese says he doesn't comment on court processes in Australia, let alone globally when the country is not a party to the proceedings.
But Mr Dutton says Australia should follow the lead of the US.
"Australia should stand shoulder to shoulder with President Biden. And he’s shown the strength of leadership to stand up against this equivalence, which is completely and utterly repugnant to compare the Israeli prime minister to a terrorist organisation leader, and to not have some clarity in relation to it, I think is appalling. The Prime Minister squibbed it today when he was asked about this issue."
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One of the architects of the National Disability Insurance Scheme has urged the states and territories to work with the federal government to institute vital reforms.
State and territory leaders have said they're worried those with disabilities might not get adequate support if the proposed changes to limit spending growth to eight percent a year are implemented.
But the former Co-Chair of the NDIS Review, Professor Bruce Bonyhady, says the issues raised by state leaders in their inquiry submission weren't raised with him during the review.
And he says the states also have a role to play in disability support.
"What we said in the review - and what national cabinet agreed to - was that the system of foundational support should be jointly commissioned and jointly funded... The need for the Commonwealth here is very important here to ensure consistency across jurisdictions. The need for the states is also obvious because they need to be built on the strengths of existing state-based systems."
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Australia's national corporate regulator says artificial intelligence poses a risk to consumers without proper oversight.
In evidence to a government inquiry into A-I, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission has said the technology could be beneficial in some circumstances.
ASIC chair Joseph Longo says the Commission is already looking at the potential for AI technology to assist in regulation of the corporate sector.
But he's told the inquiry there could also be negative impacts.
"We believe that effective AI tools may bring enormous benefits to businesses and end-users. On the other hand, irresponsible or malicious use of AI tools may cause considerable harm to consumers. This is why we are extremely interested in the use and impact of AI technologies in the financial system, so much so that we have made it a key priority for ASIC."
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More Australians are taking on a second job or working longer hours to keep up with the rising cost of living.
An annual employment survey of more than 6000 Australians by Randstad has found one in five Australians are working a second job or doing additional work to keep up with the rising cost of living, largely driven by soaring rents and mortgages.
It's also found 18 per cent are working more hours with their current employer to make ends meet.
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Parramatta powerbrokers say they have no regrets over a failed clandestine bid to sign Wayne Bennett as the top coach.
Less than 24 hours after axing the Eels' longstanding coach Brad Arthur, club chairman Sean McElduff and chief executive Jim Sarantinos have confirmed they'd been in talks with Bennett since the 1st of May.
But Bennett has now signed a three-year deal to return to Souths in 2025 - and Trent Barrett is set to preside over Parramatta until the end of the year.
