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TRANSCRIPT
- The new leadership of the Liberal Party says there's no need to imitate One Nation
- New search for evidence in the case of missing South Australian boy Gus Lamont
- In the NRL, the women's Indigenous All Stars side defeats the Māori Ferns
The new deputy leader of the Liberal Party says a change in policy direction and focus is not about countering the influence of the One Nation Party.
Polls since last year's federal election in May show the primary vote of One Nation has more than tripled, as the Coalition's has declined.
The primary vote for One Nation is now on par with the Coalition for the first time, according to the poll published in Nine Newspapers today.
Liberal deputy leader Jane Hume has conceded declining voter support is a critical issue.
But she has told Channel Seven, there is no need for the party to become more like One Nation under the stewardship of herself and new leader Angus Taylor.
"The Liberal Party will never become a party of grievance, or a party of reactionary politics. We want to make sure that we don't need to move to the right, we don't need to move to the left, we just need to remind people who the Liberal Party stand for, and who we fight for- a party of opportunity and aspiration. What we want to give people is that sense that next year is going to better than last year. And they haven't had that for so long under Labor."
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Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers is dismissing new Opposition Leader Angus Taylor's call for a bipartisan effort to reduce government spending as a stunt.
Mr Taylor has written a letter, which the ABC is reporting proposes a bipartisan taskforce that would be charged with finding savings for the upcoming federal budget.
Dr Chalmers claims the idea is a feeble attempt by Mr Taylor to distance himself from his stint as Opposition Treasury spokesman in the last term of parliament.
"He has nothing serious to contribute. He can write all the letters that he likes. It won't make up for his record. Which is a policy of higher taxes on workers, bigger deficits, and more debt. That's who Angus Taylor is."
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The International Monetary Fund is praising the federal government's handling of the economy - but warns the job isn't finished.
The fund says the government has managed the economy well in difficult conditions.
But it's also calling for prioritisation of infrastructure investment, a rise in the GST rate, increased resource taxes, and lowering of the company tax rate.
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Police have returned to the remote homestead in South Australia, as they continue their renewed search into the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont.
Earlier this month, South Australian police announced that they are now treating the case as a major crime - and that someone who lived with Gus is now considered a suspect.
Detectives are conducting a search for evidence at the property that is expected to last for at least two days.
Gus Lamont went missing at Oak Park Station homestead in September last year.
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Federal Education Minister Jason Clare says the needs of the future are the reason for more tertiary education funding today.
Mr Clare says a record number of Australians will go to university this year.
He says the government must expand on this legacy of the previous Labor governments of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating to meet future economic demands.
"The target now is by the middle end of the century that 80% of people have a TAFE qualification or university degree - and if we're going get there, that means investing in TAFE, and investing in universities, so that more people get these skills."
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Federal Education Minister Jason Clare says the needs of the future are the reason for more tertiary education funding today.
Mr Clare says a record number of Australians will go to university this year.
Data shows the volume of university applications for commencing undergraduate students is up 4.6 per cent - compared to the same time last year.
He says the government must expand on this legacy of the previous Labor governments of Bob Hawke and Paul Keating to meet future economic demands.
"The target now is by the middle end of the century that 80% of people have a TAFE qualification or university degree - and if we're going get there, that means investing in TAFE, and investing in universities, so that more people get these skills."
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In the NRL,
The Women Indigenous All Stars have defeated the Māori Ferns 20 to 14 - to claim the winners' title for the third consecutive year.
A length-of-the-field try from Jada Taylor helped the team secure the outcome.
Coach Jess Skinner says beyond the match result, the All Stars fixture has been a week-long celebration of Indigenous culture.
"For me, and for us - it is about reconciliation. We are trying to keep the wider society of two strong First Nations cultures. And I think that is success as well. Sport and politics, they don't usually mould well together. But sport does show what we can do. It does show how strong we are. And I think the moment that we get it right on and off the field, we only elevate each other."
In the men's competition, the Maori All Stars retained the trophy, after the 80-minute game ended in a 16-all draw with the Indigenous side.
