TRANSCRIPT
- The Nationals will not be forming a coalition with the Liberals, ending a 79-year partnership
- The Reserve Bank prepares to hand down its interest rate decision
- Isaac del Toro delighted to have made history at the Giro d'Italia
The National and Liberals have not been able to reach a Coalition agreement, ending a 79-year partnership.
The agreement between the two parties was being renegotiated after the Coalition's election loss.
The Liberals lost 11 seats in the House of Representatives, while the Nationals lost just one seat.
Nationals Leader David Littleproud and Liberal leader Sussan Ley met for the second time this morning.
Mr Littleproud says the parties will now split.
"Our party room has got to a position we will not be re-entering a Coalition agreement with the Liberal Party after this election. What we have got to a position is that the National Party will sit alone on a principle basis."
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Foreign Minister Penny Wong is visiting three Pacific island nations in her first standalone trip after Labor's landslide re-election.
The foreign minister is planning to visit Vanuatu, Tonga and Fiji across three days, with UN climate change conference COP31 near the top of her agenda.
Australia is hoping to co-host the event with the region next year, with Adelaide proposed as the host city.
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The Reserve Bank is set to hand down its interest rate decision this afternoon.
In February, the central bank made the first official rate cut in almost five years.
Financial markets are forecasting a 0.25 per cent cut to the current rate of 4.1 per cent.
Economist Evan Lucas told Channel Nine a rate cut is expected.
"There are some that are suggesting they could go as much as half of one per cent, that seems unlikely considering how robust the employment market is. But yes, today we'll probably see a quarter of one per cent."
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The co-founder of Australia’s design software platform Canva says he plans to give away more than half of his fortune to charity.
Billionaire Cameron Adams and his wife, Lisa Miller, are joining Bill and Melinda Gates in making the pledge.
The husband and wife team say most of the philanthropy will go towards environmental causes.
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A new report, marking World Bee Day, has highlighted emerging threats to their existence.
The report reveals 90 percent of flowering plants and three quarters of the world's main crops are dependent on pollination, making bees vital to the global ecosystem.
Experts say a decline in bee populations globally will have a huge impact on food security, reducing the quality and quantity of crops, including the micronutrients in food.
Ecologist Dr Deepa Senapathi at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom co-authored the report.
She has identified the 12 top new threats to bees, including pollution related to plastics, artificial light and antibiotics - in addition to exhaust fumes and other airborne pollutants.
"I think we need stronger policies and regulations. We also can, I think, take advantage of lots of new and emerging technology that can help us monitor pollinator populations. So unless we know what's there and whether it's doing better or worse or at a status quo, unless we have those monitoring initiatives in place, we won't be able to know if something is declining."
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In cycling, Isaac del Toro says he does not know how long he can hold onto the leader's jersey in the Giro d’Italia.
The 21-year-old has become the first Mexican cyclist to lead the Giro.
Del Toro has an overall lead of 1 minute, 13 seconds going into the stage 10.
He says it is incredible to achieve this result in his first time competing in the Giro.
"It's unbelievable for me. It is so difficult to describe. Everyone wants to wear it when they (dream about it) as a child. For me, I want to do it. Now, it's insane. And I cannot describe this feeling now."
