TRANSCRIPT
- Jim Chalmers calls federal opposition's proposed migration caps intentionally divisive
- Foreign minister says Australian Defence Force jets standing by for New Caledonia evacuations
- Oleksandr Usyk defeats Tyson Fury to become undisputed world heavyweight champion.
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has accused Opposition Leader Peter Dutton of being divisive by proposing migration caps to address the housing crisis.
Mr Dutton says a coalition government would ban foreigners from buying homes for two years and reduce migrants and foreign students, claiming it would free up 100,000 homes in five years.
Mr Chalmers tells the ABC's Insiders that these figures don't add up and would cause a skilled worker shortage.
"If you think about the relationship between migration and housing, for example, of the less than 5,000 homes purchased by foreigners in the most recent data, around 1,300 of them were established homes*, and so this will make nowhere near the difference that he is claiming that it will.
Nationals leader David Littleproud has told Sky's Agenda the coalition's proposed measures - which the Greens have characterised as "xenophobic" - are "common sense".
"You don't always have to spend billions of dollars to solve this nation's problems. You can use common sense and pull the right policy levers, and that's what we're saying with our whole migration policy."
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Foreign Minister Penny Wong says Australian Defence Force jets are preparing to evacuate Australians from New Caledonia following riots that have killed at least six people.
In a statement on X , Senator Wong said DFAT was supporting Australians in the French Pacific territory, and the air force would step in if commercial flights did not resume.
Hundreds of French police reinforcements are in New Caledonia after riots sparked by anger among indigenous Kanak people over a contested electoral reform.
An estimated 3,200 people, including many Australians, are stuck waiting to leave or enter the French-ruled territory, with some reporting rationing food as they wait for a way out, criticising DFAT for a lack of support.
The foreign minister said French authorities had advised the situation on the ground was still preventing flights, and advised stranded Australians to register their details with DFAT.
**
Israeli War Cabinet member Benny Gantz has threatened to resign if the government doesn't adopt a new plan for the conflict in Gaza.
Mr Gantz, a popular centrist, has threatened to resign within three weeks ((by June 8)), potentially leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu much more reliant on far-right allies.
He has laid out a six-point plan which includes returning hostages, ending Hamas' rule, demilitarising the Gaza strip and establishing an international administration with US, European, Arab and Palestinian cooperation.
He spoke out directly against Mr Netanyhu.
"Something has gone wrong. Essential decisions were not taken. Acts of leadership required to ensure victory were not carried out. A small minority has taken over the command bridge of the Israeli ship and is leading it toward a wall of rocks."
This comes days after Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, the other member of the three-person War Cabinet, said he would not remain in his post if Israel elected to reoccupy Gaza.
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Israeli authorities in Tel Aviv have used a water canon to disperse protesters calling for the release of hostages in Gaza, as well as new elections and for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign.
This comes as Israel's military says it has recovered the body of the fourth hostage found in recent days.
Spokesman Daniel Hagari says the IDF have recovered the body of 53-year-old Ron Benjamin, taken to Gaza after being killed while cycling near Kibbutz Be'eri on October the 7th.
"Ron was brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists at the Mefalsim Intersection, and his body was kidnapped to Gaza. His body, and those of Itzhak (Gelerenter), Shani (Louk) and Amit (Buskila) - may their memory be blessed - were recovered and identified yesterday and brought to Israel for burial."
Israel's military has continued to operate in areas across the Gaza Strip, as the bodies of dozens Palestinians killed by Israeli strikes in central Gaza have continued to arrive at Al Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah.
Gaza's health ministry says at least 35,380 people have have been killed since October the 7th.
Aid agencies have warned repeatedly of widespread hunger and dire shortages of fuel and medical supplies, saying additional aid arriving via a temporary floating pier is not enough to support Gaza's 2.3 million people.
**
In boxing, Ukrainian Oleksandr Usyk has defeated England's Tyson Fury to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
Usyk has added Fury's World Boxing Council title to his three other heavyweight belts, after a split decision following a spectacular late recovery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, today.
Usyk started quickly, but then had to survive while the confident, charismatic Fury dominated the middle rounds between the two previously unbeaten heavyweight champions.
He then took control in the eight round, nearly ending the match with a ninth-round knockdown of Fury, before being crowned the winner after being favoured by two of the three judges.
