TRANSCRIPT
- Leading Indigenous Voice campaigner Pat Anderson backs push for national truth and justice commission
- Australians say they will be using incoming tax cuts on groceries and other essentials
- Australian Max Purcell happy with the milestone of contesting his first ATP Tour singles final
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Campaigners involved in the Indigenous Voice to Parliament campaign have backed a push for a national truth and justice commission to explore the ongoing impact of colonisation on First Nations people.
The Greens party is planning to introduce a bill to parliament this week that would establish the independent body, which would consist of 10 members from different states and territories, along with two chief commissioners.
The bill proposes the body will have the powers of a Royal Commission to investigate and reveal past wrongdoing to resolve ongoing and historical conflict and heal from it.
One of the leading figures behind the campaign for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament, Pat Anderson, says last year's defeated referendum should not be used as an excuse to stall on policy to improve on the lives of First Nations people.
Ms Anderson says following the referendum, the work of Indigenous truth-telling is all the more important.
The federal government says it will "take its time" to get it right on the next steps for setting up a Makarrata Commission, which would oversee a process on treaty and truth-telling.
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Australian taxpayers are set to see more dollars appearing in their bank accounts each pay cycle as long-awaited tax cuts kick in from tomorrow.
The saving depends on tax brackets but federal government analysis shows the average full-time worker earning around $98,220 will be getting a cut of $2,134 a year, or $41 a week.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the government is taking steps to ease the cost-of-living pressures faced by Australians.
"This is all about ensuring that Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. This cost-of-living help is substantial, it's meaningful, and it's responsible. What we've been able to do by getting the budget into much better nick, by delivering two surpluses in our first two years - is we have been able to provide this cost-of-living relief at the same time, as we get the budget in better nick and fight inflation without smashing the economy."
With higher mortgage repayments, rents and other living expenses; shoppers polled by AAP said any extra money would be going towards essentials, like groceries.
Some had other ideas, such as using it to support family overseas, while others were not aware the tax cuts were coming into effect from Monday at all.
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Voting booths are set to open in France for the country's pivotal and polarising legislative election.
The centrist government of French President Emmanuel Macron is looking to hold onto seats amid a surge in support for the anti-immigration and euro-sceptic National Rally (RN) party.
The election results could radically alter the trajectory of the European Union's largest country.
Political scientist and historian Patrick Weil says there is a lot at stake in this election.
"If Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella win this election, it will be the first time in the history of the French Republic that the extreme right are in power without the pressure of a foreign country, which was the case in 1940. So it would be an extraordinary break with all tradition, which started in the French Revolution. And the first symbol of the break would be the rejection of the tradition we had of integrating children of immigrants in our citizenship through birthright citizenship."
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An attacker who fired a crossbow at a police officer guarding the Israeli embassy in Belgrade has been shot dead in what President Aleksandar Vucic called a terrorist attack against Serbia.
No embassy staff were wounded in the attack.
The injured policeman is in a stable condition in hospital, following surgery to remove an arrow from his neck.
Mr Vucic named the attacker as Salahudin Zujovic, a man from central Serbia who had converted to Islam from Serbian Orthodox Christianity.
He says authorities are searching for another person who they believe acted as an accomplice.
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Thirty-two thousand people have taken part in the annual LGBTIQ+ Pride parade through central London.
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan joined the procession to celebrate the theme: We Are Everywhere.
These attendees say they wanted to show their support.
Pride is a chance for everybody to express themselves and feel safe doing that, because everybody is here.
I think it's very important. The awareness of, you know, who you love is who you love.
You've got to get your support out there. Things seem to be moving backwards a little bit now.
With the UK election only days away, some have accused politicians of weaponising the issue of gender identity.
Drag star Ginger Johnson says it is "shameful" and "dangerous" how LGBTIQ+ issues were used "to score points".
"I think it is deeply shameful that politicians think they can use LGBTQ+ issues to score points against each other, when actually they should be keeping out of our business, let's be real. It's easy for them to rile people up with conversations like that, and I don't think they understand the danger that that puts especially the trans community in."
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In Tennis, Australian Max Purcell's hopes of going into Wimbledon with his first ATP title have been shattered, after losing to American Taylor Fritz in the Eastbourne International final.
Fritz defeated Purcell 6-4, 6-3 to claim a record third title in the traditional pre-Wimbledon tournament.
World Number 94, Purcell, has a day's rest before his match against Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen.
He says it has been a career milestone to compete in his first ATP Tour singles final.
"Yeah, obviously a huge week for me. Thank you everyone for coming out. It means a lot - my first final; and my first semi-final in here as well. So a really special place for me. And I couldn't think of another better place to do it - right before Wimbledon."
