TRANSCRIPT:
- Labor's plans to cap international student numbers criticised by the university sector;
- The US Congress approves a bill to sanction the International Criminal Court;
- Australia's cricketers get a T20 World Cup boost.
Concern is growing amongst Australia's leaders over the rising number of protests aimed at politicians.
Cabinet Minister Chris Bowen says his office has been among those vandalised by demonstrators angry over the government's perceived position on the Middle East, and that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's staff are working from a different location because of protests.
The Minister says people have a right to protest, as long as it's done peacefully.
He says the nature of the demonstrations is also impacting on MPs' ability to support constituents.
"In the case of the Prime Minister, that has been very, very hard for him and his office to provide because of this action in effectively blockading his office.... So I think that people who have, you know, valid contributions to making the political debate about the future of Middle East should really think about the way they engage - and destructive and juvenile attempts to block constituents going to MPs offices have no place."
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The government's planned international students cap has been criticised as "policy chaos".
Labor plans to set a maximum number of international students allowed to enrol each year.
But Universities Australia chief executive Luke Sheehy says the legislation could cost jobs in the sector.
He says education is Australia's fourth largest export and that international students accounted for more than half of the country's fiscal growth in 2023.
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The United States has imposed a broad asylum ban on migrants found to be crossing the border with Mexico.
Exceptions will be made for unaccompanied children, victims of trafficking, and people facing serious medical or safety threats.
US President Joe Biden says it's about fairness and not demonising migrants, which he has accused Republican candidate Donald Trump of doing.
"Those who seek come to the United States legally, for example by making an appointment and coming to a port of entry, asylum will still be available to them. Still available. But if an individual chooses not to use our legal pathways, they choose to come without permission and against the law, they'll be restricted from receiving asylum and staying in the United States. This action will help us gain control of our border, restore order into the process."
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Still in the US, and its Congress has just passed legislation to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court.
The bill was approved in the republican-led House of Representatives, but 42 Democrats have also backed the move.
The measure is only the first in a series of steps needed to introduce sanctions, but it's not expected to be approved in the Senate.
The proposed sanctions stem from the I-C-C's decision to seek arrest warrants for Israeli officials over Gaza.
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Townsville's city council has passed a motion of no confidence in its mayor, who has come under scrutiny for making false claims about his military service.
The vote was carried unanimously.
The councillors met this morning after Troy Thompson refused to step down, despite all ten issuing an open letter demanding his resignation, and his conduct being referred to the state's Crime and Corruption Commission.
Queensland Premier Steven Miles has previously backed those sentiments.
"It's clearly not a good look. In fact it's a lot worse than not a good look. As someone who cares a lot about Townsville and the future of Townsville, it's hard to imagine how it's in Townsville's best interests for him to remain mayor."
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The government says bulk-billing rates across the country are continuing to go up.
The bulk billing rate for May has been revealed to be 79 percent, which translates to more than one million extra GP trips covered since November last year.
Health minister Mark Butler has told Channel Nine the figures show Labor's new incentives for doctors are starting to have their desired effect, even though there is more to be done.
"They're still early days, but in just seven months, we think around 1.7 million additional free visits to the doctor have been added to the scheme. That's on top of the 400,000+ visits to our new urgent care clinics, which, again, are fully bulk-billed. I mean, this is hard work, it's going to take time. I've tried to be up-front with the Australian people about this. I mean, income was frozen for doctors, for years, which is why there was such pressure on them."
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Australia's cricketers have been given a T20 World Cup boost before even bowling or facing a ball.
England's opening match with Scotland has been called off in Barbados after ten overs of play because of the rain.
England face Australia in Bridgetown this weekend, but could be under-prepared after two of their four warm-up matches against Pakistan were also washed out.
