TRANSCRIPT:
- China lifts trade sanctions on most Australian beef products;
- Nominations open for this year's Australian of the year awards;
- Calls for French Open organisers to give more prime time coverage to women's games.
China has lifted trade sanctions from most Australian beef exporters.
Sanctions remain on two abattoirs and rock lobster - but Agriculture Minister Murray Watt says this development is positive news for most producers and the meat processing industry, with the sanctions worth an estimated $20 billion.
The Minister says the move will also help to stabilise Australia's relationship with China, as the Chinese Premier is due to visit Canberra next month.
Senator Watt says the sanctions have been lifted with immediate effect.
"We received notification that five more Australian meat-processing establishments had their suspensions removed, meaning they can remove exports to China immediately."
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The Australian government says it's confident it can manage its relationship with the New Zealand government despite concerns over visa rules.
The latest controversy relates to a New Zealand man whose visa was reinstated despite him being convicted of raping his step-daughter.
A new ministerial directive is being developed that will focus on community protection and expectations.
But Liberal MP Dan Tehan says the government shouldn't have folded to pressure from New Zealand in the first place to change who can and can't be deported.
"Sometimes with friends, you have to take hard decisions and you have to have hard conversations. That is what we did when we were in government. And that is what the Albanese Labor government should have done."
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Thousands of litres of a dangerous drug linked to sexual assaults and overdoses have been seized.
Australian Federal Police say 4200 litres of butanediol - commonly known as bute - has been stopped at the border after being smuggled into the country in beauty products and food items.
The drug can be imported legally, but only with the correct permits.
AFP commander Kate Ferry says the drug is normally an industrial chemical typically used to produce plastics, but anecdotal evidence suggests it's come up in multiple date rape cases.
"When ingested, bute is absorbed by the body and metabilises to GHB. It is a depressant that slows down messaging between the brain and body. It slows down the nervous system and makes would be victims really vulnerable."
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It's been confirmed that Queensland's recorded eight cases of monkeypox in the month of May.
Queensland Health says while this is the biggest cluster they've found of the virus in the state, it's not related to an outbreak in Victoria last month.
It's understood the cases in Queensland are all linked.
Authorities are now conducting contact tracing to locate potentially more people with the disease.
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New data shows that thousands of Victorians who enrolled in fee free courses at TAFE didn't finish their studies.
One in 10 students completed their certificate four in engineering and one in three finished their diploma in building and construction.
Just one per cent of people studying plumbing at TAFE finished their free course - but the Victoria government says that is because many took up apprenticeships instead.
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Nominations have opened for the 2024 Australian of the Year awards.
A person can only be considered for an award through public nomination, which close on the 31st of July.
Four finalists in each category will be recognised by states and territories before the final awards on January 25.
Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman says the awards represent the best of the Australian community.
"Any Australian can be nominated, and any Australian can nominate. Because Australian of the Year is all about being from the people of Australia, for the people of Australia. You could nominate for Australian of the Year, nominate for Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year, or Local Hero."
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World number nine Ons Jabeur has criticised the scheduling of the French Open after her second round triumph over Camila Osorio.
The Tunisian three-time Grand Slam finalist says day four's standout match between Iga Swiatek and Naomi Osaka was not scheduled for the prime time evening slot.
She says the French Open should 'try more' to give women's games the same coverage as the men's.
"I'm watching TV every day. A lot of men matches more than women, and its the truth. Obviously I wish I can see more, like I wish I saw Osaka and Iga's match today as a night session. But it's a choice. I understand that. Maybe the prime time is now. I don't know. But again, I will keep pushing for that, and I wish really to see promoting more women's sport in general and women's tennis in general."
