TRANSCRIPT
The Liberal and National parties have taken the first steps towards reforming the coalition after a shock split.
The opposition frontbench was expected to be announced by the Liberal Party this week, with the Nationals convening in Canberra today [[22/05]] to assign their own portfolio spokespeople.
But the Liberal Party has delayed an announcement, and the Nationals are indicating they're hopeful a coalition agreement will be reached before Parliament returns.
Nationals leader David Littleproud says the pause is a sign of good faith to allow Liberal leader Sussan Ley [[lee]] to work with her senior team.
"She made an offer to reconvene her party room to discuss the four policy areas that the National Party demand as part of a coalition agreement. And I thank her for that. And as a consequence, I have decided to send those spokespeople home as a sign of good faith, and Sussan, as a sign of good faith, will not be announcing Shadow Cabinet."
The four policy areas are: a 20 billion-dollar regional investment fund; divestiture powers over large supermarkets engaging in anti-competitive behaviour; a recommitment to nuclear energy; and an expansion of telecommunications universal service obligations for regional Australia.
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Anthony Albanese has announced that M-Ps and Senators will return to Canberra for the 48th Parliament on July the 22nd.
More than two weeks after their resounding election victory, Labor will return to parliament with at least 93 seats in the House of Representatives, up from 78 in its first term.
Labor could have as many as 94 seats, depending on the outcome in the Melbourne-based seat of Calwell, which is yet to be finalised.
The Australian Electoral Commission says Calwell has been the most complicated count in its history.
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Two men have died and others are missing as as intense rainfall and flooding continues over a large section of New South Wales.
At least three people are missing and tens of thousands of people remain isolated along the state's mid-north coast.
The flooding has been caused by a low pressure system over the region that has dumped months of rain in just a few days.
Evacuation orders have been issued to 34 areas and more than 48,000 people remain isolated.
New South Wales S-E-S Commissioner Mike Wassing is urging people to heed the warnings.
"These are very high risk operations. I will not compromise the safety of my people, or any other emergency services people. These are highly trained people, they are working very closely with the community. What the community can do to help us is to heed those warnings, relocate early and evacuate if it is safe to do so."
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A mother and her two children have suffered critical burns after a gas cylinder explosion caused a fire at their home in Melbourne's south-east.
The fire is being treated as suspicious.
About 30 firefighters arrived at the townhouse in Chadstone last night [[21/05]] to find flames burning through the roof of the two-story home.
A 37-year-old woman and two primary school aged children were found unconscious inside; they're all in a critical condition in hospital.
A neighbour says smoke billowed kilometres up into the air.
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Two Israeli embassy staff have been shot and killed while attending an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington D-C.
The mayor of D-C, Muriel Bowser, says there is no active threat.
Following his arrest, police say the suspect yelled 'Free Palestine'.
Chief Pamela Smith from the D-C Police Department says the suspect has been apprehended and has indicated that he is responsible.
"We believe the shooting was committed by a single suspect, who is now in custody. Prior to the shooting, the suspect was observed pacing back and forth outside of the museum. He approached a group of four people, produced a handgun and opened fire, striking both of our decedents."
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The United Nations reports around 90 trucks carrying aid have been dispatched into Gaza, but says they are just a drop in the ocean compared to how much aid is needed.
It remains unclear how much, if any, of the aid being allowed into Gaza is reaching civilians, with the U-N and other humanitarian workers saying even once inside the enclave, Israeli officials are restricting their movements and activity.
The U-N Office for the Corrdination of Humanitarian Affairs, says around 500 trucks need to enter Gaza daily in order to provide adequate food and supplies to the population.
World Food Programme Director for the occupied Palestinian territories, Antoine Renard, says access must be granted to all aid convoys.
“As we speak, there have been only 78 trucks that have been managed by the United Nations to enter into Gaza. All the different goods so far are just in Keren Shalom on the Gaza side. We have not been able to pick them up because we are still facing challenges related to the routing to access Gaza."
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The New Zealand government has brought down a budget with a deficit of 14.7 billion dollars- despite making more than five billion dollars in savings.
There's no easy path back to surplus, either, with the forward estimates forecasting deficits in each of the next four years.
Finance Minister Nicola Willis is emphasising growth in this budget, with the centrepiece being a business tax break worth more than 1.5 billion dollars.
The opposition Labour party has attacked the savings made, saying they are disproportionately coming from female-dominated industries.
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Ange Postecoglou says Tottenham's victory in the Europa League final can be a springboard for his future at the club.
The 59-year-old Australian coach has made history, guiding Tottenham to the Europa League title, and thus a spot in the Champions League next season, with a one goal to nil over Manchester United in the Spanish city of Bilbao.
It's Tottenham's first major title in 17 years, and first title in Europe in 41 years.
Postecoglou has admitted he's prioritised the Europa League since the end of January.
He admits that's had a deleterious effort on his team in the English Premier League, where they are coming 17th.
Tottenham's fall in the Premier League has put extreme pressure on Postecoglou's job, but he says this victory proves his critics don't understand what he's doing.
"People can bang on about our 20 league defeats and where we are, but, you know, they're missing the point of what we're trying to build here, or what I'm trying to do anyway, and I really feel that tonight can, you know, be a great platform for us to kick on.”
