TRANSCRIPT
Barnaby Joyce has vowed to keep campaigning against net zero targets in the Coalition, despite being dumped from the frontbench.
National Party leader David Littleproud has not clarified if the party will stay committed to net zero emissions by 2050.
Mr Joyce says he accepts his demotion because that's a part of politics.
But he has told Channel Nine that he intends to be open about not accepting policies he argues are not right for his constituents.
"I'm going to focus very much on getting rid of net zero. You can see the silhouette of those heels. We don't want them covered in swindle factories, wind towers, solar panels. We have got to make sure that we keep the power price right for pensioners. They're more worried about power prices than they are about the Paris Agreement. So I am going to look after the pensioners before I look after Paris."
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has defended his government against allegations that defence spending is too low.
The Australian Strategic Policy Institute has released an analysis that claims the latest defence budget misses a crucial opportunity to prepare Australia's military and industrial base for future challenges.
It says the Defence Department needs to be more transparent, that the government has to commit to funding national resilience measures across the economy, and that Australia needs a defence communications strategy to combat nations with propaganda expertise.
But Mr Albanese has told the ABC the Institute's criticism is predictable, and the government is committed to lifting defence spending to 2.3 of Gross Domestic Product by the end of the decade.
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The Tasmanian government has backed away from pursuing a treaty with the state's Indigenous people, four years after the consultation process began.
A government-commissioned report tabled in 2021 had recommended working on treaty and truth-telling at the same time.
The government says it will instead be focusing on the truth-telling process with the appointment of truth and healing commissioners.
It's committed 4-point-4 million dollars over the next four years for Closing the Gap initiatives and other economic opportunities.
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An United Nations aid warehouse in Gaza has been broken into by hungry Palestinians, as the UN warns the situation there is so bad, much-needed additional aid may be too late for many.
The U-N says two people have died and more have been injured in the incident at the warehouse in central Gaza.
U-N Middle East envoy Sigrid Kaag says Israel's recent lifting of its blockade to allow aid into Gaza has so far been a case of too little, too late.
"On May 18th, the United Nations was informed by the Israeli authorities of the approval for the resumption of limited aid entry into Gaza. Since then, very limited numbers of goods have entered and have been distributed by the United Nations and its partners - but this is comparable to a lifeboat after the ship has sunk."
The U-N is continuing its calls for an immediate scale-up of aid allowed into Gaza by Israel, saying those still there need reassurance they won't starve.
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A federal trade court in the United States has blocked President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff measures on imports.
Mr Trump has bypassed U-S Congress to try and impose the tariffs, saying the 1977 Emergency Economic Powers Act gives him the power to impose them, because the U-S trade deficit amounts to a national emergency.
But the three-judge panel in New York has ruled Mr Trump has exceeded his authority.
Mr Trump's administration is expected to appeal against the decision.
Mr Trump declared the day the tariffs came in last month to be Liberation Day.
His measures impose tariffs on imports from most countries around the world, including a ten per cent baseline tariff on Australia.
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Elon Musk says he is leaving his US government role as a top adviser to US President Donald Trump.
The billionaire entrepreneur posted his decision on X, his social media website.
Musk's departure comes just one day after he criticised the tax bill centrepiece of Mr Trump's legislative agenda, saying it increased the federal deficit and undermined the work of the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE.
Musk's step back from government work means he will be rededicating himself to companies like the rocket manufacturer SpaceX and electric car maker Tesla, which has experienced a 49 percent drop in European sales in the last month alone.
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French surgeon Joel Le Scouarnec has been sentenced to 20 years in prison, after pleading guilty to raping and sexually assaulting 299 people.
Many of his victims were children and patients in his care, including those who were under anaesthetic when he abused them.
Prosecutors say there may be another trial on behalf of those whose victimisation was not included in this case.
There are ongoing investigations into whether agencies, including public hospitals, could have prevented the abuse - but a mother of one of the victim-survivors identified as Catherine has called this a crucial first step.
(French to English translation)" I see this as a mother. All I hope is that this man can't do it again. I have grandchildren. It's important to me that this stops and that, at the national level, at the institutional level, at all levels, there is a real awareness that our children are in danger. I really want to see this change."
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In rugby league... Queensland coach Billy Slater says his team has to be more disciplined if they want to beat New South Wales.
The Maroons must now come from behind to win this year's State of Origin series after losing game one at home, 18 points to 6.
Slater says his players have the talent to win, but their discipline let them down.
"I know what this team's capable of. And that's why- you can probably see- I'm disappointed. Because they haven't played their best footy. And I feel responsible to try and help them get there. So, yeah, it's definitely not a personnel thing. To be honest, they had a great attitude as well. But... to the discipline side of the game, they attitude wasn't good enough, no."
Zac Lomax scored two tries for the Blues in their victory, whilst Blues forward Payne Haas won the official player of the match award.
Queensland now must win game two to keep the series alive.
It will be played on the 18th of June, on neutral ground in Perth.
