TRANSCRIPT
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confident of passing reworked stage three tax cuts
- UN Secretary-General horrified over reports UNRWA staff took part in 7 October attacks
- Australian Bobsleigh star Bree Walker wins fourth straight World Cup monobob medal
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he's confident changes to stage three tax cuts will be passed into law.
Under the reworked tax plans, those earning less than $150,000 a year will get a bigger tax cut, while those earning more will receive a smaller tax break than in the original plan taken to the 2022 election.
The prime minister told Sky News changes were needed to the tax plans following cost-of-living pressures and higher-than-expected inflation.
"People are doing it tough. This is aimed fairly and squarely at middle Australia so that for the average family earns $130,000. Instead of getting instead of giving just $1,000 they'll be getting $2,600. That makes a substantial difference to them. This is adds to the other measures we're doing, but it is targeted squarely at middle income Australians."
The tax changes will need the support of Senate crossbenchers to be legislated before the cuts come into effect in July.
Deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley says the proposed tax cuts are not helpful for the average Australian struggling under the current economy.
"The Prime Minister is simply saying to you, I'll give you whatever it is $16 a week to help you with all of the costs. That's not good enough. Meanwhile, you are all slugged for taxes during the year, and this government spent $450 million on a referendum. So how is that helping?"
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Disaster assistance has been extended to cyclone-affected residents in northern Queensland where tens of thousands of customers remain without power.
Personal hardship assistance grants have been offered to residents of the Townsville and Burdekin shires after Tropical Cyclone Kirrily lashed the coast last week.
It comes as almost 29,000 customers remain without electricity following the cyclone, and crews work around the clock to restore power.
Grants of up to $180 for individuals and up to $900 for families of five or more were announced last night, via the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements jointly funded by the federal and Queensland governments.
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Police have shot dead a man who allegedly threatened them with a knife in regional Queensland.
The man was shot after officers attended a home on Payne Street in Mount Louisa just after midnight this morning, when Queensland Police say the man threatened the officers with the blade.
In Brisbane, a woman in her 20s has died after being shot - and an 18 year old man from the suburb is being interviewed by police.
Emergency services attended a property on Grant Road in Morayfield just after midnight and tried to help the woman but she died at the scene.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says he is horrified at allegations that some United Nations Relief and Works Agency staff were involved in the 7 October attacks on Israel.
Stéphane Dujarric is the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
"The Secretary-General is horrified by this news and asked Mr. Lazzarini to investigate this matter swiftly and to ensure that any UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees) employee shown to have participated or embedded in what transpired on October 7th, or in any other criminal activity, be terminated immediately and referred for potential criminal prosecution."
The head of the UN refugee agency for Palestinians has ordered an investigation and the agency has severed ties with those alleged to have been involved.
He, however, says the decision by nine countries to suspend UNRWA funding over the allegations is shocking, and urged them to reverse course.
Australia is among the nations who have suspended funding, with Foreign Minister Penny Wong yesterday [[Saturday]] expressing deep concern about the allegations.
She says the funding pause is temporary.
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Australian sledder Bree Walker has had to reacquaint herself quickly with the Olympic track in Lillehammer before speeding to a fourth straight World Cup monobob medal.
The track athlete-turned-bobsleigh star added another silver to her collection in Norway following her second-place finish in Innsbruck in December, and the bronze medals she took in St Moritiz and another Innsbruck race.
Her consistency is such that the 31-year-old from Melbourne has now finished in the top-five in every one of the five World Cup monobob races this season, and lies second-equal in the battle for the overall title.
But this one particularly delighted her as it was her first competition in Lillehammer since November 2019 when she was learning her trade on the second-tier Europe Cup circuit.
